Live Aquarium Plants: Benefits & Best Easy Plants for Beginners
, by Elmarie Seymour, 8 min reading time
Live plants clean the water, fight algae and give fish shelter. The easiest plants for beginners, how to plant them, and what they need to keep growing.
Updated October 2026 · Written by the Dorry Pets team in Centurion
Live plants are one of the easiest ways to make an aquarium healthier and better looking. They soak up fish waste, help keep algae down, give fish places to hide and make a tank look natural. And you don't need CO2 or expensive equipment to start: many beautiful aquarium plants grow happily in a normal tank with a basic LED light.
This guide covers why live plants help, the easiest plants for beginners, and what they need to keep growing.
Why add live plants to your aquarium?
- Cleaner water. Plants feed on ammonia and nitrate from fish waste, so they work like a natural filter alongside your real one.
- Less algae. Healthy plants compete with algae for light and nutrients. A well-planted tank usually has far fewer algae problems.
- Oxygen. Plants release oxygen while the lights are on. (At night they use a little, so keep good surface movement in heavily planted tanks.)
- Calmer, healthier fish. Plants give fish cover and break up sight lines, which reduces stress and bullying. Many fish and shrimp also breed and graze among plants.
- A natural look. Nothing beats the movement and colour of real plants. Plastic plants don't do any of the above.
The best easy aquarium plants for beginners
These plants grow in most freshwater tanks with standard lighting and no CO2, which makes them a reliable choice for a first planted tank:
| Plant | Where in the tank | Why it's easy |
| Java moss (Taxiphyllum barbieri) | On wood and rocks | Grows in low light, needs no soil, and shrimp and baby fish love it |
| Anubias nana | Foreground, tied to wood or rock | Almost indestructible, low light, and most fish won't eat it |
| Java fern (Microsorum pteropus) | Midground, tied to wood or rock | Low light, very hardy and long-lived |
| Cryptocoryne wendtii | Foreground to midground | Low to medium light and slow, steady growth once settled |
| Amazon sword (Echinodorus) | Background centrepiece | Big, bold leaves. Feed the roots and it thrives |
| Water wisteria (Hygrophila difformis) | Background | Fast-growing, soaks up nutrients and helps beat algae |
| Hygrophila polysperma | Background | One of the hardiest stem plants and quick to fill a tank |
| Ludwigia repens | Midground to background | Easy stem plant that turns red under good light |
| Rotala rotundifolia | Background | Soft, bushy stems with pink tips under stronger light |
| Marsilea hirsuta | Foreground carpet | One of the easiest carpeting plants, with no CO2 needed |
Our plant stock changes regularly as new batches arrive. See everything currently available in our live aquarium plants range.
Java moss and Amazon sword: two of the easiest plants to start with.
How to plant aquarium plants
Plants fall into a few groups, and each one goes in differently:
- Rhizome plants (Anubias, Java fern): don't bury the thick horizontal stem (the rhizome) or it will rot. Tie them to wood or rock with cotton thread or fishing line, or use a dab of aquarium-safe glue such as Epic Aquatics Plant Glue.
- Mosses: spread a thin layer over wood or rock and tie or glue it in place. It will grip on its own within a few weeks.
- Rooted plants (Cryptocoryne, Amazon sword): remove the pot and most of the rock wool, then push the roots into the substrate up to the base of the leaves.
- Stem plants (Water wisteria, Ludwigia, Rotala): remove any lead weight or foam, separate the stems and plant them individually, a few centimetres apart and about 3–5 cm deep.
Rinse new plants in dechlorinated water before planting, and check them for snails if you don't want any.
What aquarium plants need to grow
Light
Most easy plants are happy with a good LED light on for 6–8 hours a day. Use a timer so the day length is the same every day. Longer is not better: too much light is the most common cause of algae. If your current light came with a basic kit, a planted-tank LED such as the Aquael Leddy Slim Duo Sunny & Plant makes a big difference. Browse our planted tank lights.
Substrate
Mosses, Anubias and Java fern don't need any substrate at all. Rooted plants such as Amazon swords and Cryptocoryne grow best in a nutrient-rich aquarium soil such as UNS Controsoil, or in plain gravel or sand with root fertiliser tablets pushed in near their roots. See our planted tank soils.
Fertiliser
In a lightly stocked tank, fish waste won't feed plants fully. A weekly liquid fertiliser keeps stem plants growing and green. If leaves turn yellow, pale or see-through, read our guide to aquarium plant deficiencies. Browse plant fertilisers.
CO2
Every plant in the beginner list above grows without added CO2. CO2 injection speeds up growth and lets you keep more demanding plants, such as dense carpets and bright red stem plants. It's a great next step once you're comfortable. Have a look at our CO2 equipment.
Common aquarium plant problems
- Cryptocoryne leaves melting: very common after planting or moving them. Leave the roots in place and new leaves usually grow back within a few weeks.
- Yellow or pale leaves: usually a nutrient shortage, often iron or nitrogen. Add a fertiliser or root tabs.
- Algae on leaves: too much light, too few plants or leftover food. Cut the light period back to 6 hours and see our guide to controlling algae.
- Tall, leggy stems with big gaps: not enough light. Move them closer to the light or upgrade the light.
- Plants floating up: weigh them down with a small rock until the roots grip, or switch to plants you can tie on.
- Fish eating or uprooting plants: goldfish, large cichlids and silver dollars can be tough on plants. Stick to Anubias and Java fern, which they usually leave alone.
Plants, fish and shrimp
Most community fish do best in a planted tank. Bottom-dwellers like Corydoras love open sand between plants (see our Corydoras care guide), and shrimp graze on the tiny food that grows on moss and leaves. Plants also help keep water quality stable, which matters most when something goes wrong, like overfeeding.
In South Africa, keep a heater running in winter. Most tropical plants slow right down when the water drops below about 20 °C on cold Highveld nights. During power cuts, a few hours without light won't harm your plants.
Aquarium plant FAQs
What are the easiest aquarium plants for beginners?
Java moss, Anubias, Java fern, Cryptocoryne wendtii, Amazon sword and Water wisteria. They all grow with basic lighting and no CO2.
Do aquarium plants need CO2?
No. Easy plants grow fine without it. CO2 is only needed for fast, high-light setups and more demanding plants.
Do I need special soil for aquarium plants?
Not for every plant. Mosses, Anubias and Java fern grow on wood and rock. Rooted plants do best in aquarium soil, or in gravel with root fertiliser tablets.
How long should the aquarium light be on for plants?
About 6–8 hours a day, on a timer. More than that usually grows algae, not plants.
Are live plants better than plastic plants?
Yes. Live plants clean the water, help prevent algae and give fish real shelter. Plastic plants only look decorative.
Why are my new plants melting?
Many plants, especially Cryptocoryne, shed leaves while adjusting to a new tank. Leave the roots alone and new growth normally follows.
Shop this guide
- Live aquarium plants: our current range
- Java moss tub, Anubias nana and Amazon sword: easy starters
- Epic Aquatics Plant Glue: attach moss, Anubias and Java fern to wood or rock
- UNS Controsoil: nutrient-rich soil for rooted plants
- Aquael Leddy Slim Duo Sunny & Plant and other planted tank lights
- Plant fertilisers and CO2 equipment
Planning a planted tank? Visit our Centurion store to see the plants in person, or contact us. Tell us your tank size and light, and we'll help you choose plants that will thrive.