Save the Little Fish

Sign in
African water fern, Bolbitis heudelotii

Plant · Rhizome

African water fern

Bolbitis heudelotii · Tropical Africa · also Congo fern, creeping fern

Photo: Tsunamicarlos, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Tie it to wood or rock with fishing line until it grabs on; burying the rhizome makes it rot. It likes soft, slightly acidic water with good flow, and grows slowly.

At a glance

Light

Medium light

CO₂

CO₂ helps

Growth

Slow growth

Where it goes

On wood, rock

Temperature

22–26°C

pH

6–7

Height in a tank

15–40 cm 6–16 in

Difficulty

Some care

What it does for your tank

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

Fish that eat or uproot it

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

Growing more

Split the creeping rhizome.

Grows well with

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

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

Bacopa caroliniana

Bacopa caroliniana

Plant · StemEasy

  • Medium light
  • No CO₂
  • Slow growth
  • Middle
  • 20–26°C

A tidy, upright plant that rarely needs trimming and gives mid-water fish cover.

Southeastern United States

Bacopa caroliniana

Bacopa caroliniana

Southeastern United States

Temperature
20–26°C
pH
5–7.5
Height
4–12 in · 10–30 cm
Light
Medium
CO₂
Not needed
Growth
Slow
Goes
Middle
Difficulty
Easy

More plants. Cut a side shoot or the top of a stem and plant it.

Goldfish and plant-eating cichlids may nibble it; most fish leave its thick leaves alone.

Full care guide

Photo: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0

← All plants