Freshwater aquarium plant species
Aquatic plants are used to give the
aquarium a realistic appearance, oxygenate the water, and provide habitat for fish, especially fry (babies) and for invertebrate species. Some aquarium fish and invertebrates also eat live plants. Many commonly-used plant species come from the rivers of
South America.
- Anubias
- Cabomba (fanwort)
- Ceratophyllum (hornwort)
- Cryptocoryne
- Echinodorus (sword plant)
- Elodea
- Lemna (duckweed; floating plants)
- Microsorum
- Pistia (water lettuce; floating plant)
- Vallisneria
- Vesicularia dubyana ("Java moss")
Several species of land plants such as umbrella pine and aluminum plant (
Pilea cadairei) are also frequently sold as "aquarium plants". While such plants can survive for a few weeks immersed, they will eventually die and must be removed so their decay does not contaminate the aquarium water.
