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Christmas moss, Vesicularia montagnei

Plant · Moss

Christmas moss

Vesicularia montagnei · Asia and Australia

Photo: Storm from Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Tie it thinly onto wood or rock; it grows slower and fussier than Java moss and likes cooler, clean water. Trim it to keep the fir-tree branch shape and keep debris and algae out of it.

At a glance

Light

Medium light

CO₂

CO₂ helps

Growth

Slow growth

Where it goes

On wood, rock

Temperature

20–28°C

pH

5–7

Height in a tank

1–3 cm 0.4–1.2 in

Difficulty

Some care

What it does for your tank

A neat, tree-shaped moss that fry and shrimp hide and graze in.

Fish that eat or uproot it

Rarely eaten, though goldfish and big fish may pick at it.

Growing more

Cut off a piece and tie it onto wood or rock.

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

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