Java Moss
Every aquarium hobbyist needs some java moss!
Why? Well, because it’s the perfect plant for fish breeders. Fry from livebearers or egg layers absolutely love it. Because not only is it a place to hide, it’s also a place to feed. Bits and pieces of food tend to get caught up in the moss, and your baby fish will be happy to nibble on it all day long. And heck, even if you’re not breeding fish, java moss just looks cool!
Java Fern
It’s the quintessential easy plant going back decades now.
But, don’t plant it in your substrate! Instead, stick it to a rock or a piece of wood (you can use string or super glue). It’ll quickly grab onto whatever you’ve stuck it to, and then it’ll gradually creep along as it grows. It has a great aesthetic.
Java Fern “Windelov”
Same as above in almost every way, except it looks a bit different.
The windelov variety of java fern has a bit of a frayed look to its leaves. Very cool.
Anubias Nana Petite
There are so many varieties of anubias. I honestly dig them all. But, my favorite is nana petite.
It just has such a cutesy kinda way about it. Like java fern and java moss, it’s a must have for aquarium hobbyists. And, like the others, buy it once, take care of it, and it’ll grow and grow and grow. You can then divide it and have all the anubias you need for all your tanks!
Monte Carlo
Monte carlo is the classic “carpeting” plant for your aquarium.
When you look at those awesome aquascapes online and see the lush looking lawn across the bottom of the tank, there’s a good chance it’s monte carlo. Now, before you buy this plant you want to do some research, because it’s not easy like a lot of the other plants on this page.
Vallisneria
Vallniseria is another classic! A timeless classic, in my opinion. This plant has been around in the hobby since the time of the dinosaurs. And it’s stuck around, because it’s a great plant. It might not be as easy as java fern or anubias, but it’s darn close.
It grows tall narrow leaves that, when they rearch the surface, kinda bunch up at the water. It’s a really cool aesthetic. You can use vall as a great background plant. It’ll grow and grow and grow, spreading along the back of your aquarium to give a real thick vegetation effect.
Bacopa Caroliniana
Bacopa caroliniana is a plant that’s near and dear to my heart. The reason for this is that it kinda reminds me of a terrestrial mint plant. I’ve always loved mint plants.
B. caroliniana is a really nice stem plant. They have that “terrestrial” plant kinda look to them because of their stems. In my opinion, in a good aquascape, you need some stem plants for the visual variety they provide.
