Best Aquarium Plants For Beginners?

[Aventicks]

Hi, I recently got a betta and found my fake plants were tearing his fin so I took them out immediately. What new plants are good for a plant beginner like me, and what supplies will I need for it?

 

[Ed1957]

How big is the tank.

 

[UglyAsian]

Depending on the size, anubias, java fern, java moss, water wisteria are good for small tanks. And amazon swords. I have wisteria and an anubia in my minI planted tank(1 Gal)

 

[Bruxes and Bubbles]

What sort of lighting do you have?

 

[Zerologist]

Everything depends on the size of the tank and the lighting. I have found a good website link which I think will help you greatly. Almost everything is here:

 

[Prism]

Bettas really do love those marmio moss balls.
I would recommend them.

They are very easy to keep alive.

 

[fishychachki]

If you still want fake plants, silk plants look more realistic and are more safe for your fish than plastic ones.

Otherwise, I'll recommend any anubias or bucephalandra glued to driftwood/spongefilter/other decors and floaters like 1-2 water lettuce or frogbit. If you have sufficient substrate then some heavy rooters like amazon swords (will need some root tabs) or stem plants like cabomba.

 

[JamieXPXP]

Hi, I recently got a betta and found my fake plants were tearing his fin so I took them out immediately. What new plants are good for a plant beginner like me, and what supplies will I need for it?

I agree with everyone else it depends on the size of your tank and lighting. if you have high tech tank/lights then any plant will be fine but if you have low tech tank/lights then anubias, most mosses, java fern, hornwort, frogbit, marimo moss balls, etc. I'm not sure what kind of plants you can have if you have medium tech

 

[DuaneV]

Any type of java ferns like regular java, trident, windelov, narrow leaf, etc., are super easy and don't require much, just light 6-8 hours a day and water changes. Same thing with most of your basic anubias. If you don't have a lot of surface agitation then dwarf water lettuce is good. Amazon swords are easy too but I wouldn't put one in anything under a 10 gallon. Most ludgiwia is also super easy and hardy.

 

[Jitters]

Cabomba and crypts are fun. In no time you will have more plants than you will know what to do with.

 

[RonR]

You can do many creative things with Java moss and caring for it requires little to no effort.

 

[Jitters]

You can do many creative things with Java moss and caring for it requires little to no effort.

I agree with RonR. Get a bunch, get some clear fishing line, and tie it to anything. Put a thin layer of it on what ever and soon it will be all bushy. At that point, just trim it when you need too. At first, it doesn’t look the best, but it will grow and look great!

 

[Aventicks]

I really appreciate the explosion of comments to help the things I can give you is I'm a beginner with a 15 gallon and I guess normal lighting? I have lights that when I got a lid for my tank came with it. They are not removable so they are like glued on or something.

 

[MissCap]

I have a cycled 55 gallon. It currently has silk plants and 2 small anubis nana. I had no lights on my tank until my husband bought me some LED ones for an early Christmas present!

What are some good plants for beginners? I want a floating plant of some sort. I had java moss and HATED it so please don’t suggest it. I am still picking up it’s remnants.

My tank looks kind of bare at this point. My kids have picked out numerous things they want in the tank so there are a lot of ornaments though. I am looking to add to the silk plants. Not totally replace at this point.

My tankmates:

10 harlequin rasbora
1 sailfin molly
4 platy
3 ghost shrimp

Any suggestions on additions please let me know! I will be getting some corys this week. Thanks!

 

[delete999]

What happened with the java moss? If it died for no apparent reason, you may want to figure out why before adding more plants.

I like guppy grass and anacharis in my tanks.

 

[WTFish?]

Java fern is good!

 

[MissCap]

What happened with the java moss? If it died for no apparent reason, you may want to figure out why before adding more plants.

I like guppy grass and anacharis in my tanks.

I bought it, got it home and the inside was all brown. Probably about 80% was already dead. Then I had no lights on the tank. I have had my anubis nana for 6 months and they are super green!

 

[Rainy day]

Water wisteria is pretty easy to grow.

 

[AquaFranklin]

Lucky getting early Christmas presents. Ugh, I know my wife bought me a Finnex Stingray but I can have it till Christmas!!

Anyway, currently have the following plants in a 20 gallon and a 5g:

• Water Sprite
• Java Moss
• Sunset Hygrophila
• Cryptocoryne
• Java Fern
• Marimo Moss Balls

My philosophy with plants: If it doesn't require high light or CO2, then throw it in and see what happens. You many find something you like and you didn't know it. I'm always on the look out for plants.

 

[AustinE]

Are you looking for background, mid-ground, foreground, or all three? Java ferns are incredibly easy. Just make sure you don't bury the rhizome or else it will rot. A prettier alternative to java moss is christmas moss, and is also very easy. Cabomba (not red) is easy and the shrimp should like it. If you want some red, ludwigia repens can give some, and is simple to care for. Just a few that come to mid.

 

[Jocelyn Adelman]

Quick question.... the LED lighting... is it plant specific? Do you know the model info?

Anubias are the hardiest, come in tons of different shapes, sizes, textures...

Java ferns, water Sprite, water wisteria, Brazilian pennwort, most hygrophilas, most crypts are pretty easy, however, all of these will need fertilizers as well. Depending on the plant some need root tabs, others need liquids, some need both...

 

[MissCap]

Quick question.... the LED lighting... is it plant specific? Do you know the model info?

Anubias are the hardiest, come in tons of different shapes, sizes, textures...

Java ferns, water Sprite, water wisteria, Brazilian pennwort, most hygrophilas, most crypts are pretty easy, however, all of these will need fertilizers as well. Depending on the plant some need root tabs, others need liquids, some need both...

No, the LEDs are not plant specific. I will need easy plants that don’t need a specific light.

Are you looking for background, mid-ground, foreground, or all three? Java ferns are incredibly easy. Just make sure you don't bury the rhizome or else it will rot. A prettier alternative to java moss is christmas moss, and is also very easy. Cabomba (not red) is easy and the shrimp should like it. If you want some red, ludwigia repens can give some, and is simple to care for. Just a few that come to mid.

Thanks!! I will look all of those up.

Lucky getting early Christmas presents. Ugh, I know my wife bought me a Finnex Stingray but I can have it till Christmas!!

Anyway, currently have the following plants in a 20 gallon and a 5g:

• Water Sprite
• Java Moss
• Sunset Hygrophila
• Cryptocoryne
• Java Fern
• Marimo Moss Balls

My philosophy with plants: If it doesn't require high light or CO2, then throw it in and see what happens. You many find something you like and you didn't know it. I'm always on the look out for plants.

The main reason why I got it early is because my husband didn’t want to wrap the super long box. Haha. I am ok with that!!

Thanks for the ideas! I will check them out.

 

[Dexter84]

Bacopa caroliniana and Rotala rotundifolia are 2 plants I use and they area easy atleast with low(t8) lightning. Should grow pretty good with led. Christmans moss is awesome compare to java moss like Austin said. If u have to much light without ferts or c02 don't get slow growing plants like Anubias or java fern, my anubias is covered in algaes but that's cus the tank get some sunlight.

 

[Timmy1027]

I have Amazon sword, money wort and ludwigia w/o co2 and w/ medium light. They are good looking and easy to care.

 

[Jocelyn Adelman]

Best plants for stock lighting are anubias and Marimo moss balls tons of shapes/sizes for anubias, and very low fert needs as well...

 

[UglyAsian]

This is the light on my 55

There is a part here he tlks about par on his 55.
I also have a 55.
I want to know the best foreground, midground and background plants.
Thanks-

BTW it is 4000k

 

[abcdefghi]

Jungle Val's, anubias, Java Fern, Java moss, Amazon swords, Crypts.

Those are so easy to grow

 

[UglyAsian]

I really want a nice background of jungle vals. I will look for some. What about carpeting plants?

 

[abcdefghi]

No experience with carpeting plants, I just gave away a ton of jungle vals recently. May have some more in a few weeks if you don't already have some.

 

[UglyAsian]

Can you possibly give me some?

 

[Joey S.]

I really want a nice background of jungle vals. I will look for some. What about carpeting plants?

Pygmy chain swords and dwarf sag are low maintenance carpeting plants

 

[UglyAsian]

Ok, thanks. What about monte carlo and staurogyne?

 

[akcarroll12]

What are the best beginner plants for a medium lighted 29 gallon tank? There are no plants in it so far only silk plants with a dwarf gourmani, neon tetras, a snail and albino cories. I want to get amazon swords, duckweed, and java ferns so far. Thanks!

 

[Joshaeus]

Java fern, anubias, some cryptocorynes, and mosses are excellent beginner plants. Duckweed tends to make a pest of itself VERY fast - sticks to everything and grows too fast Swordplants can be good beginner plants if they get enough light.

 

[Zachhubb]

You need good substratum or a few root tabs for the sword. And most stem plants are easy like water wisteria

 

[aosuna11]

Some hygrophilia species, hornwort, fanwort, anubias, and jungle val are all good plants.

 

[Thunder_o_b]

Duck weed is from the dark side young padawan......Beware......

 

[Discus-Tang]

I agree, duckweed will haunt you. Water lettuce might be a better option.

 

[Thunder_o_b]

Crypts are a fairly easy plant.

 

[Bryangar]

I’m curious on what light you have, because a 29 is pretty deep and needs stronger light to be considered medium light.

With medium light, you’re open to much more stem plants like: rotala, ludwigia, hygrophila, and bacopa.

It would also depend on what substrate you have and if you’re open to using fertilizers. Many plants can grow in regular pea gravel with either adding just root tabs, liquid ferts or both.

For beginner plants for a 29, i’d recommend an amazon sword, water wistera, anubias sp., java fern/bolbitus sp., Cryptocoryne wendtiI green/green and various mosses like xmas moss.

oh and if you’re lucky, you’ll get some free duckweed hitchhike with your plants xd

 

[rainbowsprinkles]

I’ve always had bad luck with plants but then I discovered hornwort and water wisteria which grow fast and seem to survive in all my tanks. Dwarf Lilly bulbs seem to grow large fast and do well too in that size tank.

 

[akcarroll12]

I’ve always had bad luck with plants but then I discovered hornwort and water wisteria which grow fast and seem to survive in all my tanks. Dwarf Lilly bulbs seem to grow large fast and do well too in that size tank.

Ok thanks all! I’ve decided to do amazon swords, dwarf saga, java ferns, marmimo moss balls, salvinia minima, and crypto lucens along with root tabs and added vitamins. Is this a good plan?

 

[georgelee1000]

Don’t do duck weed. If you want to do a floating plant, go for water lettuce. Ebay has them. Easy plant. Very cool looking also.

 

[Cyberknight0517]

I really like anacharis, it's a cheap plant that doesn't even need to be rooted, it can float around and still do very well and you don't need a high tech tank for it either

 

[SmallFishGuy]

Water sprite grows really fast, ambulia is a beautiful easy plant to grow as is ludwigia repens diamond, in 2 weeks it’s pretty much quadrupled in size for me with root tabs and all in one fertiliser

 

[Reeferxbetta]

I’ve had both salt and freshwater aquariums for a while now, and for some reason I’m just now deciding to give freshwater plants a try! I’ve redone all my betta tanks to have a divided 20 long with 3 bettas, a 5 gallon with one betta, and another 20 with one betta. The 5 gallon and a 20 have cheap LED lights, and the 20 long has a T8 bulb. What are the best plants that are low maintenance, don’t require much supplementing, and don’t require any special lighting? Btw all tanks just have the PetSmart TopFin sand in them, I’d be fine with adding something like root tabs to it (I think they’re called that lol).

 

[Repolie]

Anubias. They're very hardy from my experience. My bettas also love resting on their broad leaves. Oh yeah and moss balls, you can't kill them.

 

[Bab Dat Fish]

I would go for Amazon swords or a Java fern

Or just search easy aquarium plants.

 

[JamieXPXP]

dwarf water lily, java fern, anubias, bucephlandra, crypts, java moss are some plants ive had and found to be easy

 

[imba]

Anubias, java ferns, Amazon swords, jungle vals, christmas moss and java moss