5 Easy Live Aquarium Plants For Beginners

If you want to create a  natural-looking tank with a complete, functioning ecosystem, adding live plants is a great way to do it. Planted tanks can be a challenge for new aquarium owners, but with some easy live aquarium plants for beginners, you can soon create a thriving waterscape for your fish. Explore this list of five of the best aquarium plants for beginners from Modern Aquarium.

1. Anubias

Anubias is an incredibly unique plant that has broad, robust leaves. These can range in color from deep to light green. Their height is just as variable, so you can find anubias plants for the foreground or background of your tank. Since these plants are so hardy and versatile, they will happily grow in pea gravel, on rocks and driftwood, and even on tank ornaments.

This live aquarium plant for beginners may grow a little more slowly, but it can survive in nearly any condition — even if it has  low light and minimal nutrients. We also recommend this plant for aquarium enthusiasts who have fish that like to eat plants. Because the leaves are so tough and rigid, they are much more difficult to damage.

2. Java Moss

One of the best aquarium plants for beginners is Java Moss because it is so easy to keep and maintain! No matter the light intensity, fertilization, or location — Java Moss will grow well. We love letting it create a carpeting effect as it grows across the tank floor, making it an ideal foreground plant. It’s the perfect hiding place for baby fish and shrimp, and it even keeps nitrate and phosphate levels in your tank low! Review each product page to discover the best conditions to ensure the rampant growth of your Java Moss.

3. Java Fern

Just like Java Moss, the Java Fern is a hardy plant that’s easy to maintain. Since it grows in nearly any setting, you don’t have to worry too much about tank conditions. One benefit of Java Ferns over moss is the variety and specimens available. You can find this live plant for beginners with verdant, broad leaves, narrow fronds, or even delicate lacy patterns. When you plant it in your tank, attach it to  driftwood, rocks, or your ; substrate (but do not bury the rhizome) and watch as it grows ever taller!

4. Cryptocoryne

If you’re looking for the best aquarium plants for beginners and you want a little variety in color, size and texture, Cryptocoryne specimens are your best bet. These plants are available in everything from a traditional green hue to deep reddish-brown tones and even light yellow colors. They also have a huge range of leaf sizes and shapes. Plant them in a tank that has medium to low light as well as zero to minimal CO2 and fertilization for amazing results. We recommend Cryptocorynes as a midground or background plant in smaller aquascapes and as a foreground plant in larger tanks.

5. Jungle Vallisneria

Called Vals for short, the Jungle Vallisneria is a tall, grass-like plant that grows easily in almost any tank setup. They uptake nutrients very quickly because they grow so fast and do a great job of reducing phosphates and nitrates in your tank. When they grow too tall, they tend to lay across the surface of the water, so frequent trimming may be required for these live aquarium plants for beginners although many of us here at Modern Aquarium prefer just to let the leaves float on top of the water surface.

Now that you have a few options to add to your tank, it’s time to choose from among the various specimens available at Modern Aquarium. Shop our selection of live aquarium plants for beginners today and discover the benefits of adding real plants to your tank ecosystem!