Best Live Plants for Fish Tanks 2022

You wouldn’t have a room without a floor, so why leave the bottom of your fish tank bare? And while you can keep the gravel plain, carpeting your tank with a foreground plant will create an underground garden that will add authenticity and natural brightness to the tank.

Once planted, this plant will simply spread across the bottom of your tank and will continue to release oxygen and nutrients into the water maintaining your fish’s health.

Tropica Eleocharis Acicularis ‘Mini’ makes for the perfect rug since it’s known for being one of the most secure species for creating a carpet. And if you buy the mini version, it remains small growing to no more than 3-5cm meaning minimum maintenance is required.

It’s vital that there is enough oxygen in the water for your fish’s health and while all plants give out oxygen, some are better suited to the job.

Egeria Densa Dense waterweed is an excellent oxygenator since it grows rapidly and therefore releases oxygen through photosynthesis more often. It’s actually so good that it’s currently used within education for photosynthesis experiments.

It also absorbs nutrients from the water which will stifle algae and is incredibly easy to take care of, you’ll just have to be sure to cut it down often since it grows so quickly. In your aquarium, it’s usually better suited as a corner plant since it grows upwards.

Anubis is an extremely popular plant as it’s a challenge to kill being hardy and forgiving to harsh changes in the tank. It’s brilliant in low light tanks that don’t receive additional fertilizer.

However, if you have a brighter tank you can still have an Anubias plant, but you would have to maintain it quite regularly as it will grow quickly and become very condensed. If it grows too dense, it becomes a new favourite place for algae to grow.

This colourful little plant is a great foreground plant and with its deep red colour, it adds a nice natural break in the greenery. It’s considered an easy grower that’s great for beginners and since it’s the smallest of its family, it’s ideal for adding a more varied height range to your aquarium.

While it is considered low maintenance, the plant requires a lot of light and nourishment to achieve that optimal red colour development.

Floating plants look beautiful in a fish tank and create a peacefulness as they float calmly in the water like jellyfish. They’re also more authentic and wild since they resemble the way a fish’s natural habitat would be with loose plants and floating branches that they would weave in and out of for shelter from the sun.

Not only are floating plants great for adding some shade to the fish, but they’re also handy in filtering the tank since they’re great at absorbing both chemical and biological waste.

Cryptocoryne Beckettii is a low maintenance plant that doesn’t need any special care and is extremely tolerant with differing water parameters. A low to medium light is best as strong light may burn the leaves and could promote algae growth.

With its red stems and maroon under leaves, the Tropica Cryptocoryne Beckettii is great for adding some natural colour to the tank and as well as being pretty,  they make a great midground plant since they usually reach between 4-6 inches in height and 3-6 inches wide.

The spiky leaves of Hygrophila Siamensis make this plant particularly pretty and distinctive amongst other plants. It’s great at absorbing nutrients from the water as well as toxins, making it a good natural filter, and since the plant grows rapidly it’s a good plant to fill up some space in your tank. If your tank is in quite a dark place, this plant is also handy as it’s low in light demand.

The family of Hygrophila is native to warmer climates, this plant is probably better suited to warmer temperatures and will be at home in a tropical tank. Since it becomes quite bushy, it will be a handy place for fish to explore and hide in, however if you have Goldfish, it may be worth doing some extra research since Goldfish have been known to eat this plant down to the stem.

These plants are incredibly beautiful with their tropical style and dramatically pointed leaves (hence the name), but perhaps the most impressive thing about this plant is its ability to absorb harmful nitrates.

High levels of nitrates are harmful to your fish since nitrate poisoning can lead to weaker immunity and a higher risk of catching diseases, so plants that can absorb nitrates are crucial in maintaining a healthy tank.

The Amazon Sword Plant is also handy in keeping your substrate stable and will be less affected by digging fish as its roots are difficult to pull up and thus the substrate will remain more grounded.

Burgundy coloured with soft leaves, the mini Reinckii will add a pop of colour to your aquarium and with its slower growth rate and the fact it grows side shoots  – making the plant grow wider than taller, it’s particularly suitable for small aquariums or as a great foreground plant in larger ones.

Reinckii also makes for a great place for smaller fish to hide and is a great oxygenator too!

As with all coloured plants, it’s a little more demanding and will need more light to achieve its full redness and while it can withstand colder temperatures it reaches its optimum in warmer water.