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Banana plant, Nymphoides aquatica

Plant · Lily

Banana plant

Nymphoides aquatica · Southeastern United States · also Banana lily, big floatingheart

Photo: Show_ryu, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The little bananas store food: bury them only about a third of the way, never all the way. It may send leaves to the surface like a small lily pad; trim them if you want it to stay low.

At a glance

Light

Medium light

CO₂

CO₂ helps

Growth

Slow growth

Where it goes

Front

Temperature

20–26°C

pH

6.5–7.2

Height in a tank

10–30 cm 4–12 in

Difficulty

Easy

What it does for your tank

An unusual, eye-catching plant that gives some shade under its round leaves.

Fish that eat or uproot it

Goldfish, silver dollars and snails may eat the leaves and the bananas.

Growing more

Grows new plants from runners, or split the root cluster.

Grows well with

Same light and temperature, but a different spot in the tank, so they fill it out together.

African water fern

African water fern

Plant · RhizomeSome care

  • Medium light
  • CO₂ helps
  • Slow growth
  • On wood, rock
  • 22–26°C

Dark, see-through fronds give cover and suit river-style tanks.

Tropical Africa

African water fern

Bolbitis heudelotii

Tropical Africa

Temperature
22–26°C
pH
6–7
Height
6–16 in · 15–40 cm
Light
Medium
CO₂
Helps
Growth
Slow
Goes
On wood or rock
Difficulty
Some care

More plants. Split the creeping rhizome.

Almost nothing eats its tough fronds; plecos and cichlids usually leave it alone.

Full care guide

Photo: Tsunamicarlos, Public domain

Ambulia

Ambulia

Plant · StemEasy

  • Medium light
  • CO₂ helps
  • Fast growth
  • Back
  • 22–26°C

Its soft, feathery stems give fry and small fish cover and soak up nutrients that algae would use.

South and Southeast Asia

Ambulia

Limnophila sessiliflora

South and Southeast Asia

Temperature
22–26°C
pH
6–7.5
Height
6–16 in · 15–40 cm
Light
Medium
CO₂
Helps
Growth
Fast
Goes
Back
Difficulty
Easy

More plants. Cut off the top of a stem and push it into the substrate; it also sends out runners.

Goldfish, silver dollars and other plant-eating fish will graze the soft leaves.

Full care guide

Photo: kajuko, CC BY-SA 3.0

Anacharis

Anacharis

Plant · StemEasy

  • Medium light
  • No CO₂
  • Fast growth
  • Back
  • 16–24°C

Fast growth soaks up nutrients and helps keep algae down in a new tank.

Southeastern South America (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay)

Anacharis

Elodea densa

Southeastern South America (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay)

Temperature
16–24°C
pH
6–8
Height
16–39 in · 40–100 cm
Light
Medium
CO₂
Not needed
Growth
Fast
Goes
Back
Difficulty
Easy

More plants. Cut a piece of stem and plant it or let it float; it roots anywhere.

Goldfish, silver dollars, many cichlids and crayfish eat it readily.

Full care guide

Photo: Ernst Schütte, CC BY-SA 3.0

Aponogeton crispus

Aponogeton crispus

Plant · BulbEasy

  • Medium light
  • No CO₂
  • Fast growth
  • Back
  • 24–30°C

Long wavy leaves fill the back of a big tank and often flower in the aquarium.

Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh

Aponogeton crispus

Aponogeton crispus

Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh

Temperature
24–30°C
pH
6–7.5
Height
12–24 in · 30–60 cm
Light
Medium
CO₂
Not needed
Growth
Fast
Goes
Back
Difficulty
Easy

More plants. Split the bulb or grow it from seed after it flowers.

Goldfish, silver dollars and some cichlids eat the soft leaves; plecos may rasp them.

Full care guide

Photo: Drhyperlaur at English Wikipedia, Public domain

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