An aquarium with only fishes can look quite dull no matter how beautiful the fishes maybe. This is why most people choose to add plants to their fish tank as well. Not only the plants can make your aquarium look lively and attractive, they also offer natural filtration for the water. Furthermore, they can help keep your fishes healthy and comfortable, serve as hiding places for them, and also can help you breed your fishes.
So, there are quite a few advantages of introducing plants to your tank. But, there are so many plants that can be added to a tank, which one should you choose? Well, if you are a beginner, you must opt for those plants that are easy to take care of. And, to make things easier for you, we are about to share a list of 10 such best aquarium plants that make a great choice for beginners.
1. Java Moss
This is one of the favorites for most beginners. It is difficult to kill, is low maintenance, and grows fast. Java Moss appears fuzzy and has a carpet-like growth pattern.
Though this plant grows well in any kind of lighting, medium-high lighting will ensure faster growth. You can use this plant for carpeting, decoration, substrate covering, and to breed some types of fishes.
2. Dwarf Hairgrass
With this plant, your aquascaping possibilities are almost endless. It contrasts perfectly well with soil or dark sand, and looks attractive next to stone as well. Also, it is so easy and quick to grow that you might have to trim them now and then.
Bright lighting conditions are best for Dwarf Hairgrass and they will give an appearance of small to medium-sized grass strands in your tank. You can use them for accenting hardscape features like wood and stone, for carpeting, decoration, and also protection.
3. Dwarf Baby Tears
Dwarf Baby Tears are an amazing carpeting plant. It is tough, grows well, and is suitable for most aquascaping styles. What is also amazing is that if they produce oxygen, then you will get to notice beautiful little bubbles forming on their leaves.
Bright lighting conditions are ideal for Dwarf Baby Tears, and you can use them for substrate stabilization and covering, decoration, protection, and carpeting.
4. Amazon Sword
Amazon Sword is yet another aquarium plant that you will find in many beginner tanks. These plants grow fast, are easy to maintain, and when arranged properly, they make your aquarium look beautiful.
One thing you need to remember is that Amazon Sword grows pretty big, so you must ideally place them in the mid-background section. You can use them for background decoration, for hiding your hardware, and to offer protection.
5. Marsilea Minuta
This wonderful plant looks great next to stones and they even contrast perfectly well with soil or dark sand. These are easy to grow and you may need to trim them quite often.
Marsilea Minuta grows in almost all types of lighting conditions but medium lighting is most suitable. These plants carpet quite fast and you can use them to aquascape hardscape features, as a decoration, and to offer your fishes some protection.
6. Anubias Nana
Anubias Nana is an appealing mid-ground plant and easily tolerates almost all types of environment and water quality. Owing to their big semi-round leaves and curved stems, they can complement the stone aquascaping in most aquariums and that too beautifully.
Medium lighting is best for Anubias Nana and most beginners use them in their tank for protection and decoration.
7. Java Fern
Java Fern is quite a low-maintenance plant and its unique look attracts most beginner aquarists. The best thing about Java Fern is that you can plant them in any part of your aquarium, and they will look good.
Low-medium lighting conditions are most suitable to Java Ferns and you can use them for decoration and protection as well.
8. Pygmy Chain Sword
This plant is very similar to the usual lawn grass, and this is perhaps why many people do not opt for it. However, it is a great choice for beginners, and if trimmed properly, it looks amazing.
It is almost impossible to accidentally kill Pygmy Chain Sword and you can use it in your tank for protection and decoration. Medium-bright lighting will be most ideal for this beginner aquarium plant.
9. Dwarf Sagittaria
Dwarf Sagittaria is an easy to maintain aquarium plant that grows a maximum of 4-6 inches and thus is ideal for mid-ground aquascapes. The best place to plant these will be around driftwood or stonework.
Medium lighting will be perfect for Dwarf Sagittaria, and it serves as a good decoration element and offers protection as well.
10. Pogostemon Helferi
This is among the most beautiful foreground plants for beginner aquarists. Its leaves have a zig-zag shape and they grow in a blooming pattern.
You can easily grow Pogostemon Helferi in medium lightning and use them for protection, and also to decorate your aquarium in a beautiful way.
To Conclude –
No matter which plant you choose from the list, be sure, your beginner tank will look beautiful. You will not even have to worry much about taking care of these plants. And, what is best is your fishes will love them a lot. They will find a place to hide and rest and will keep swimming around them in glee.