The top 5 best Aquascaping Plants

An introduction to the best Aquascaping Plants

Ever wondered what are the most popular, easily cultivated and best looking plant species. Look no further. We cover the top 5 Aquascaping plants from substrate to background. These plants are on their aesthetics and their ease of use. The vast majority of these plants require higher lighting, we will soon explore suitable plants for low lighting.

Dwarf Baby Tears | HC | Hemianthus Callitrichoides

Dwarf Baby Tears, also known as HC is a classic. HC is  possibly the most popular of all aquascaping plants. It’s unique ability to carpet the entire aquarium with a bright green makes it an excellent contender for any aquarium. It is fast growing and will spread on its own accord. However, HC needs strong lighting and CO2 injection to produce those magical carpets you see in award winning aquariums. HC is the best choice for undulating aquarium styles such as Iguami. It can give the effect of grassy hills & paddocks. A unique and excellent plant choice.

Rotala Green

Primarily a background plant, Rotala is a diverse addition and is praised primarily for its fine leaf structure and fast growing nature. Rotala is also exceptionally easy to propagate. Stems can be cut off and replanted, only to begin regrowing days later. Rotala has fine leaves, these give the aquascape more visual depth and size. There are many types of Rotala that appear in varying degrees of greens and reds at varying sizes. Rotala Green is a clear winner and can be used in strong to weak lighting setups. Easy to propagate, easy to care for Rotala Green is number 2 on our list.

Christmas Moss | Xmas Moss

Whether you love or Moss it will always be used in aquascaping. Christmas Moss is fairly common and still possibly the greatest addition to any aquascape. It is incredibly easy to grow in both high and low light setups. All moss have the unique ability of consuming the aquariums nitrates at rapid rates. Christmas Moss is no different, it will clean the tanks water while growing into a beautiful natural cover for rocks and substrates. The very fine leaves of Christmas Moss make it a key player in making new rocks and driftwood look ‘natural’. Easy to use and cheap to source it is a definite yes in any aquascape.

Needle Leaf Java Fern | Microsorum pteropus Narrow

Forget Java Fern, the big bushy leaves and very fast growth rates will dominate the aquarium and plague the tranquility. Needle Leaf Java Fern on the other hand is amazing. The thin leaves make that much difference. They can be stunning when attached to driftwood and allowed to grow sporadically into open water columns. They make for a very natural look. Unlike standard Java Fern they grow much slower and smaller. But like Java Fern they only need a low amount of light to keep healthy. They will also thrive in high lighting setups. Consider this plant as it is a great addition to any aquarium.

Anubias | Anubias Barteri

Anubias has and always will be a winner in the hobby. It is perfect in decorating wood and hardscape giving the aquarium a natural feel. It grows slowly, does well in all lighting conditions and can be easily propagated. It is also low priced and can be found at most fish specific stores. Pick up some Anubias for your aquarium, you will not regret it.