5 Low-Maintenance Aquatic Plants for Beginners

                    Oftentimes setting up your very first aquarium is easy said than done. When it comes to choosing plants for your aquarium, natural plants are always recommended. Apart from the aesthetic appeal they render to aquariums, natural plants are beneficial to the fishes in many ways such as food, safety, reproduction, etc. ‘

The most common mistake that aquarists commit is by selecting the wrong plant for their aquarium. A misfit plant in your aquarium can be demanding in nature, make the aquarium look sloppy and pose a threat to fishes if incompatible. Among thousands of species available, it becomes a herculean task to choose the right plant for your aquarium.

There are three categories of aquatic plants for aquariums: foreground, midground, and background. Several factors like light intensity, nutrients, temperature, pH and water hardness affect the growth of aquatic plants. Following are the top 5 low maintenance aquatic plants for beginners:

1) Java moss: The least demanding and popular aquarium plant for beginners, Java moss grows fast into a dense luxuriously green carpet in aquariums. Java moss is a beautiful addition to aquariums of all shapes and sizes. Caring for Java moss is absolutely fuss free and is adaptable to all kinds of water. Apart from the low maintenance benefits, Java moss is extremely beneficial to fishes in many ways. From protecting tadpoles and small fry from bigger carnivorous fishes to letting them snack on smaller leaves, Java moss does it all. The clinging nature of Java moss enables aquarists to grow them on walls of aquarium or as moss balls and moss trees. Propagation is simple and via proliferation. Apart from the high-intensity lighting requirement, it has no special demands for maintenance.

2) Vallisneria gigantea: Another sturdy plant that is fairly undemanding in nature as well as a great option for beginners is Vallisneria gigantea. These plants grow in still freshwater bodies like ponds and lakes as well slow moving rivers and streams. The leaves of Vallisneria gigantea can grow up to 1 m in length and therefore, slightly larger aquariums are ideal to accommodate them. This plant is adaptable to a wide range of water pH levels and grows well when exposed to the moderate or high intensity of light. Vallisneria gigantea thrives under tropical temperatures and that makes it extremely viable to aquarists. When planted in groups, Vallisneria provides natural habitat to fishes and birds. By cleverly concealing filters and pipes, it increases the aesthetic appeal of aquariums. Vallisneria gigantea is compatible with rougher fishes like goldfish and controls the growth of free-floating algae formation on the water surface.

3) Mayaca fluviatilis: Extremely popular among aquarists owing to it’s versatile properties in aqua scaping, Mayaca fluviatilis is yet another great choice for beginner’s who are planning to set up their very own aquarium. It’s fast yet controlled growth is a major advantage for them. It blends easily in either a Dutch or a Japanese style aquascape. By changing hues, the leaf of this plant is a helpful indicator of iron deficiencies in water.

4) Amazon Sword plant: One of the most popular freshwater aquatic plants sold worldwide, the Amazon Sword plant is an excellent option for beginners who are looking for easy to maintain and fuss-free plants for their aquarium. This versatile aquatic plant looks beautiful both as a background plant in solitary, and even work well when planted with other species. Apart from the requirement of strong lighting levels for maintaining it’s luxurious growth, the Amazon sword plant has no major demands for maintenance. Another unique feature of this plant is it’s amphibious nature, i.e., it’s adaptability to grow in both partially or totally submerged conditions. It’s lush green thick foliage conceals water filter pipes and heater tubes efficiently and thus increases the aesthetic appeal of aquariums.

5) Water wisteria: Water wisteria or Hygrophila difformis is a beautiful aquatic plant that requires minimal maintenance and is suitable for bigger fish tanks and aquariums due to its significantly larger size. They are ideally used as a mid-ground or background aquatic plant and are considered perfect beginner’s choice. It’s rapid growth prevents growth of algae in fish tanks.

 You search for beautiful yet easy to maintain plants for your aquarium ends here. All these aquatic plants mentioned above thrive at room temperature or slightly above. This can be achieved with a light bulb or heater to achieve their optimum growth.