How to choose aquarium plants
Match plants to your light, CO2, and layout before you buy. If you run a low-tech tank — moderate light, liquid fertilizer, no injected CO2 — start with beginner plants like Anubias, Java Fern, and aquatic mosses. Most of our plants come as bunched stems, which give you the most plant for your money: each bunch separates into individual stems you plant about an inch apart. Potted and rhizome plants suit growers who want established root systems or plants that attach to driftwood and rock instead of substrate. Place short foreground species up front and taller stems and swords toward the back. Red plants bring color but most want stronger light to stay red, and floating plants shade the water and soak up excess nutrients, which helps keep algae down. Species-by-species parameters live in our care guides.
Live aquarium plant FAQs
What are the easiest aquarium plants for beginners?
Anubias, Java Fern (Microsorum pteropus), and aquatic mosses are the easiest live plants to keep. All grow in low to moderate light with no CO2 injection and tolerate a wide range of water parameters. Anubias and Java Fern attach to driftwood or rock rather than planting in substrate, so they work even in bare-bottom tanks. Hardy Cryptocoryne varieties like Cryptocoryne wendtii, Lutea or Lucens also do well for beginners — just know that not every crypt is beginner-safe, and crypts often "melt" their leaves after shipping or replanting. That melt is normal: the roots survive and new growth returns within a few weeks. Other great beginner-friendly species include: Anacharis, Wisteria, Red Tiger Lotus, Amazon Sword, Bacopa, Moneywort, Water Sprite, Narrow-Leaf Pogostemon, and Ludwigia Repens.
Do aquarium plants need CO2?
No — many popular aquarium plants grow without injected CO2, including Anubias, Java Fern, mosses, and most stem plants. A low-tech planted tank uses moderate light, liquid fertilizer, and no CO2 system, and it can stay lush for years. Injected CO2 is only required for demanding carpeting plants and for maximum growth speed and color — most red plants, for example, develop stronger reds under high light with CO2. If you're unsure, start low-tech; you can always add CO2 later without restarting the tank.
How much light do aquarium plants need?
Most aquarium plants do best with 6–8 hours of light per day. Longer photoperiods rarely speed up plant growth — they mostly feed algae. Low-light species like Anubias, Java Fern, and hardy crypts thrive under standard aquarium LEDs, while carpeting plants and most red stems need stronger, plant-rated lighting. Run your light on a timer so the photoperiod is consistent every day; irregular lighting is one of the most common causes of algae outbreaks in new planted tanks.
How do I prepare live plants before adding them to my tank?
For bunched plants — remove the rubber band or lead weight at the base, separate the bunch into individual stems, trim a half inch off each stem's bottom, and plant them about an inch apart so each stem gets light and flow. For potted plants, slide the plant out of the pot and peel away all of the rock wool around the roots before planting. For rhizome plants like Anubias, Java Fern, and Bucephalandra, never bury the thick horizontal stem — attach it to driftwood or stone. Some melting may occur in the first two weeks as plants adapt to your water parameters. Established roots will recover.
