Freshwater Aquarium Plants

Plants play a very important role in aquarium as they produce oxygen and keep the ecological balance by maintaining nitrogen cycle. Other than producing oxygen plants are hiding places for some of the fishes and for some species they’re occasionally a source of food. Some fishes even use plants as a place to lay their eggs as it covers them from big fishes. Plants also put a good show in aquarium and make tank look more natural.

Not all plants are taken from aquatic condition. Some of the plants which are for sale in aquarium shops  are grown in specialist firms. In aquarium you can put aquatic plants or such cultivated plants. Unless you want new variety you can keep plants which are small and let them grow over time. As almost every plant grows in the tank and they adopt the environment quite quickly.

Types of Freshwater Aquarium Plants

• Mosses– If you’re planning to breed some of the fish species then mosses are essential as many species use mosses to lay eggs. They’ve tufted appearance and stem is not much visible. They attach themselves to get a support.
• Stemmed Plants – They grow quite fast and are easy to cut if overgrown. They’re suitable for aquatic condition but can be grown outside water as well.
• Floating Plants – If they’re in sufficient light they’ll grow fast. They’re prefect shelter for many small fishes and even hiding place for fry. Because of it’s floating nature roots are visible and leaves spread over the surface.
• Plants (without stem but with root/bulb) – They’re relatively slow at the growth and only spread by separation of base. They’re quite sturdy and the leaves grow very large.
• Unburied root plants – Root of these plants is not buried in the aquarium bed. They grow slowly in comparison to other plants. They attach to rock, artificial decor or wood for their support.
• Egeria Densa -Egeria densa is also known as large flowered waterweed. It is a species of egeria which is native to warm region of south america. This aquatic plant grows upto 4m deep in water. It’s one of the stunning appearance plant that will even help keep invertebrates around them.

Plants with fine leaves are used by small fishes as hiding places and even sometimes as a place to lay eggs.There are some plants which can adopt in almost any type of water, for example fern plant can adopt itself in freshwater condition.

If you’re planning to purchase aquarium plants then do a bit research on what type of fish and invertebrate you’re going to place in your tank. Consult with experienced aquarist and aquarium shop owners before experimenting with any type of plant.