Aquatic plants are used to give the freshwater aquarium a natural appearance, oxygenate the water, absorb ammonia, and provide habitat for fish, especially fry (babies) and for invertebrates. Some aquarium fish and invertebrates also eat live plants. Hobbyists use aquatic plants for aquascaping, of several aesthetic styles. Aquatic plants have a variety of different growth forms, with most species found either partially or fully submerged in their natural habitat. Although there are a handful of obligate aquatic plants that must be grown entirely underwater, most can grow fully emersed if the soil is moist. Though some are just living at the water margins, still, they can live in the completely submerged habitat. Freshwater plants can be obtained from a plethora of sources. These range from established nurseries to smaller sellers found on platforms like Amazon, Etsy, and EBay. For rarer plants, they may only be obtainable through niche forums or non-traditional sellers (eg: scientific supply companies). Occasionally, new plants may enter the market after being collected from the wild and propagated. This list includes all plants in a broad sense (Archaeplastida) grown and sold for intentional use in freshwater aquaria. Organisms not included are true plants that are undesirable in aquaria (eg: black beard algae) or other photosynthetic organisms (golden algae, diatoms, cyanobacteria) that have variable desirability but ultimately aren't plants. For those, see freshwater aquarium algae. Many of these species are dangerous invasives and should be disposed of in a way that guarantees that they will not enter local waters.
Complex red algae (Florideophyceae)
Order Batrachospermales
Order Ceramiales
Order Thoreales
Complex Chlorophyte green algae (Ulvophyceae)
Order Cladophorales
Complex Chlorophyte green algae (Charophyceae)
Stoneworts (Order Charales)
Mosses
Order Dicranales
Order Bryales
Order Hypnales
Liverworts
Order Marchantiales
Lycopods
Quillworts (Order Isoetales)
Ferns
Waterferns (Order Salviniales)
Filmy ferns (Order Hymenophyllales)
Common ferns (Order Polypodiales)
Flowering plants (Angiosperms)
Nymphaeales Trithuria austinensis Trithuria australis Trithuria inconspicua
Magnoliids
Order Piperales
Monocots
Ceratophyllales
Eudicots
By scientific name The taxonomy of most plant genera is not final. Scientific names listed here may, therefore, contradict other sources. This list is temporary and will be removed upon completion of the charts. Common aquarium plant species:
False aquatics or pseudo-aquarium plants Several species of terrestrial plants are frequently sold as "aquarium plants". While such plants are beautiful and can survive and even flourish for months under water, they will eventually die and must be removed so their decay does not contaminate the aquarium water. These plants have no necessary biology to live underwater.
Aglaonema modestum (Chinese evergreen) Aglaonema simplex Chlorophytum bichetii (Pongol sword) Dracaena sanderiana (Striped dragonplant) Fittonia argyroneura Hemigraphis colorata (Crimson ivy) Ophiopogon japonicus (Fountain plant) Pilea cadierei (Aluminum plant) non-aquatic Selaginella sp Sciadopitys verticillata) (Umbrella pine, koyamaki) Spathiphyllum tasson (Brazil sword) Syngonium podophyllum (Stardust ivy) Trichomanes javanicum
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Illustration
References
Hiscock, Peter (2003). Encyclopedia of Aquarium Plants. United States and Canada: Interpret Publishing. ISBN 0-7641-5521-0. text for the Italian ed. by Francesco Bianchini ... et al.; photos. by Giuseppe Mazza; American ed. edited by Michael K. Oliver (1976). Simon & Schuster's Guide to Freshwater and Marine Aquarium Fishes. New York, New York, United States: Simon & Schuster, Inc. ISBN 0-671-22809-9. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
See also
List of freshwater aquarium fish species