Plant · Rhizome

Java fern

Microsorum pteropus · Southeast Asia · also Leptochilus pteropus

Photo: Tsunamicarlos (English Wikipedia), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Tie it to wood or rock with thread or glue; burying the rhizome rots it. It grows slowly in almost any light, and the black dots under the leaves are spores, not disease.

At a glance

Light

Low light

CO₂

No CO₂

Growth

Slow growth

Where it goes

On wood, rock

Temperature

20–28°C

5–8

Height in a tank

15–30 cm 6–12 in

Difficulty

Easy

What it does for your tank

Shy fish and fry hide in it; its tough leaves survive tanks where other plants get eaten.

Fish that eat or uproot it

Almost nothing eats it, even goldfish and cichlids, though plecos may graze algae off the leaves.

Growing more

Plantlets grow on old leaves; split the rhizome.

Java fern

Plant · RhizomeEasy

Low light
No CO₂
Slow growth
On wood, rock
20–28°C

Shy fish and fry hide in it; its tough leaves survive tanks where other plants get eaten.

Java fern

Microsorum pteropus

Southeast Asia

Temperature: 20–28°C
pH: 5–8
Height: 6–12 in · 15–30 cm
Light: Low
CO₂: Not needed
Growth: Slow
Goes: On wood or rock
Difficulty: Easy

More plants. Plantlets grow on old leaves; split the rhizome.

Almost nothing eats it, even goldfish and cichlids, though plecos may graze algae off the leaves.

Full care guide

Photo: Tsunamicarlos (English Wikipedia), Public domain

Sources

The care values on this page come from these sources.

Grows well with

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

Amazon frogbit

Plant · FloatingEasy

Low light
No CO₂
Fast growth
Floats
20–27°C

Long dangling roots shelter fry, bettas and gouramis, and the plant soaks up nitrate fast.

Amazon frogbit

Limnobium laevigatum

Central and South America

Temperature: 20–27°C
pH: 5–8
Height: 2–6 in · 5–15 cm
Light: Low
CO₂: Not needed
Growth: Fast
Goes: Floating
Difficulty: Easy

More plants. Sends out runners with new plants that break off on their own.

Goldfish and some snails eat the spongy leaves; strong filter flow pushes it under and kills it.

Full care guide

Photo: Cardex, Public domain

Amazon sword

Plant · RosetteEasy

Low light
No CO₂
Steady growth
Middle
20–28°C

A big, classic centrepiece whose broad leaves give shade and are used by angelfish and other egg-layers for spawning.

Amazon sword

Echinodorus grisebachii 'Bleherae'

Central and South America

Temperature: 20–28°C
pH: 6–8
Height: 8–20 in · 20–50 cm
Light: Low
CO₂: Not needed
Growth: Medium
Goes: Middle
Difficulty: Easy

More plants. Baby plants grow on long flower stems; let them root, then cut them free and plant them.

Goldfish, silver dollars and large cichlids tear or uproot it, and some plecos rasp holes in the leaves.

Full care guide

Photo: Salvatore vitale, Public domain

Cryptocoryne wendtii

Plant · RosetteEasy

Low light
No CO₂
Steady growth
Middle
22–28°C

A hardy low-light plant whose leaves give cover to bottom fish and shrimp.

Cryptocoryne wendtii

Sri Lanka

Temperature: 22–28°C
pH: 5–8
Height: 4–12 in · 10–30 cm
Light: Low
CO₂: Not needed
Growth: Medium
Goes: Middle
Difficulty: Easy

More plants. Sends out runners under the gravel; dig up the new plants and replant them.

Rarely eaten, but goldfish, big cichlids and digging fish can uproot it.

Full care guide

Photo: Haplochromis, CC BY 2.5

Duckweed

Plant · FloatingEasy

Low light
No CO₂
Fast growth
Floats
6–30°C

Shades the tank, gives fry cover and soaks up nitrate.

Duckweed

Lemna minor

Nearly worldwide, including Canada

Temperature: 6–30°C
pH: 6.5–8
Height: 0.4–0.8 in · 1–2 cm
Light: Low
CO₂: Not needed
Growth: Fast
Goes: Floating
Difficulty: Easy

More plants. Each tiny leaf splits into new plants on its own.

Goldfish, koi, silver dollars and many other plant-eating fish eat it.

Full care guide

Photo: Kostka Martin, CC0

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