Top 8 Live Aquarium Midground Plants to Spruce Up An Aquarium

The best types of  midground plants for your aquarium include stem plants, as they’re easy to maintain and, with pruning, can be kept at a medium height. If you’re looking for a midground plant that will look pretty in your aquarium and spruce up the general look of your underwater display, you probably want plants with beautiful colors and unique shapes. Check out this list of our prettiest midground plants for your aquarium to find the perfect flora for an amazing waterscape!

1. Ludwigia Peruensis

Striking in both shape and color, the ludwigia peruensis has burgundy and purple spade-shaped leaves. The more  lighting and fertilization you give this plant, the more intense its reddish coloring will appear.

2. Ammania Senegalensis

Another reddish plant, the ammonia senegalensis is unique due to the splashes of green that intertwine with its burgundy hue. More  light means more color for this plant, so make sure you give this midground plant plenty of light in your aquarium.

3. Banana Plant (Nymphoides Aquatica)

The leaves of the banana plant may be a simple kelly green, but their shape is reminiscent of the floating lily pads you see in many lakes and ponds. It has root-like protrusions at the bottom of the stem which look a bit like bananas — hence the name! These shouldn’t be buried in the substrate; rather, they should be displayed above the ground to balance out the heart-shaped leaves above!

4. Cryptocoryne Wendtii Red

If you’re looking for a fern-like plant with green to red to brown leaves, the cryptocoryne wendtii red is your top choice! This midground aquarium plant may sometimes produce subtle hints of yellow and red in its leaves, depending on  fertilizer and lighting conditions.  The plant will produce more intensely red colored leaves if provided with iron fertilizer.

5. Rotala Wallichii

Looking for something truly unique? One of the best midground plants for your aquarium is the rotala wallichii. Delicate, needle-like leaves bunch together on each stem to form green feathered strands with red tips. Since these  live plants are so wispy, they will dance with every undulation of the water and add an entrancing element of movement to your tank.

6. Aponogeton Madagascar

The aponogeton madagascar is known by many as the lattice leaf plant because each of its leaves looks like it was precision-cut to create a trellis design. This aquarium plant for the midground does best in moderate lighting and  temperate water that ranges between 68-75°F.

7. Aponogeton Longiplumulosus

The aponogeton longiplumulosus has two unique characteristics that make it stand out — the crinkled green leaves and the lavender flowers that grow at the top of the plant. Soft water and a rich  substrate encourage lots of growth for this aponogeton variety.

8. Cardinal Plant

Also known as scarlet lobelia, because of its purple leaves, the cardinal plant has thick, verdant leaves that lend a lot of rich life to your aquarium. It is a slow grower and does well as a foreground or midground plant.

Plants at Modern Aquarium

Modern Aquarium is proud to bring you one of the largest selections of live aquarium plants for midground,  foreground, and background needs. We even have floating plants and potted plants, as well as a variety of other high-quality aquarium accessories like driftwood. Explore our store today to find distinctive options that will liven up any aquarium!