Amazon Sword

Echinodorus amazonicus

Tank Mates

Great for community fish and Angelfish, Discus, Gourami, Guppies, Apistogramma

Notes

Oscars, Cichlids, Goldfish and Plecos may damage swords

Hydrocotyle tripartita

Tank Mates

Low foreground plants are great for invertebrates and bottom feeders to graze and hide.

Notes

Hydrocotle Japan make great foreground and midground plants.  The clover-like appearance of this plant creates a unique carpet experience.  It’s very hardy, undemanding and can quickly cover your foreground.  High lighting will help this plant grow low and spread.  Insufficient lighting will have the clovers reaching for the sky.  CO2 again will help with density and compactness.

Hemianthus callitrichoides

Tank Mates

Great carpet plants.  Good for shrimp and fish laying eggs.

Notes

Dwarf Baby Tears look very similar to Monte Carlo, but smaller and finer in size. Unfortunately, their finer appearance requires a balanced combination of soil, lighting and CO2. They are very demanding initially, but will be less work once established in your tank.

Compare carpet plant options and select the next one for your planted tank

Rotala Rotundifolia

Tank Mates

Great for community fish, shrimp and snails

Notes

Rotala Rotundifolia is actually an easy plant to grow, but getting the red colors involves more CO2, lighting and iron dosing.  Propagating is at easy as trimming the top and replanting in the soil.  A good substrate will help with red colors and growth.

Rotala Wallichii

Tank Mates

Great for community fish, shrimp and snails

Notes

Rotala Macrandra provides outstanding red colors, but it is very demanding when it comes to nutrients.  The conditions must be perfect which includes a good substrate, iron and trace dosing, high lighting and CO2.  The PH for this plant should not exceed 7.0 as it prefers softer and acidic waters. 

Taxiphyllum barbieri

Tank Mates

Shrimps can graze and keep Java moss clean of algae.  In return, baby fry love to nest and hide in it.

Notes

As the name states, Java Moss is actually a moss and is a type of plant that has no roots. Their nutrients do not come from the substrate but rather the water column. This is probably one of the most hardy and versatile plant species you can ever grow. You can tie or glue them to rocks and wood and let them create a nice foreground. Some will tie them to shaped mesh and mimic a carpet appearance on the ground.