Marimo Moss Ball

Aegagropila linnaei

Tank Mates

Shrimps can graze on Marimo Moss balls.

Notes

Cryptocoryne Petchii

Tank Mates

Popular foreground plant for shrimps, snails and bottom feeders.  Avoid fish that may shift the soil or uproot it.

Notes

Easy growing plant that's expected to melt in the initial stages of planting underwater.  Feed it root tabs and occasionally supplement with liquid fertilizers including Iron which can help promote coloration.

Lemnoideae

Tank Mates

Shrimp, snails, guppies, gouramis, betta, tetras, rasboras, danios

Notes

Duckweed is one of the most hardy and easy floating plants.  Under high lighting, it grows fast and extends its roots several inches into the water column.  Shrimp love to rest on the roots and baby fry love to hide in the plants.  The floating nature provide some shade and coverage while slowing down surface water movement.  Be sure Duckweed does not overgrow and labyrinth fish have some areas to come up and breathe.

Eleocharis Acicularis

Tank Mates

Great carpet plant.  Creates a lush looking lawn

Notes

Dwarf Hairgrass look like Microswords but are much more thin and fine in appearance. These can create a nice and compact grass appearance in any foreground. Without CO2, they will grow much slower and a little sparse. Strong lighting will help it densify and fine soil will prevent uprooting.

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

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.

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.