Aquarium Plants That Are Easy to Take Care Of

Posted by AFA Admin on Jun 27, 2025

If you're new to the world of aquascaping, taking care of underwater plants might feel overwhelming. They need the right light, substrate, nutrients, carbon dioxide (CO2) and water conditions to thrive. Starting out with some low-maintenance aquarium plants helps so you can focus more on learning the art of aquascaping.

Explore some of the best aquatic plants for beginners to help you start your journey. Most of them need minimal light and can survive without a CO2 system.

Easy Foreground Plants

Foreground plants should be low-growing ones that line the bottom of the tank. They'll add texture to the front without blocking the view behind them. Consider these easy aquarium plants for the foreground of your aquascape.

1. Christmas Moss

Christmas moss (Vesicularia montagnei) is a great way to add textured green patches to your aquascape. You can place it along the substrate to create a carpet or attach it to hardscape elements throughout your tank. It's incredibly low-maintenance as it can grow on any surface, doesn't need CO2 injection and thrives in low light.

2. Hansen's Nardoo

Hansen's Nardoo (Marsilea hirsuta) is an aquatic fern, but don't let the name fool you — this carpeting plant has leaves that rather resemble small four-leaf clovers. It can grow in low light and CO2 conditions, but medium light and CO2 injection can enhance its growth. Another plant called dwarf four-leaf clover (Marsilea crenata) looks the same but has slightly smaller leaves.

3. Monte Carlo

Monte Carlo (Micranthemum tweediei) is a popular foreground plant with small, brightly colored leaves. It grows quickly into a lush carpet, especially with medium to high light levels and extra CO2. It'll still grow well in low light without CO2 injection, but growth may be slower and less dense. You might also want to add some fertilizer to help the plant maintain its bright color.

4. Java Moss

Java moss (Taxiphyllum barbieri) is a hardy moss many Nature Aquarium enthusiasts like to include in their aquascapes. It looks great attached to rocks and driftwood, and you can easily propagate and move it around. It can grow easily in varying water conditions and doesn't need much light or any additional CO2.

5. Dwarf Sagittaria

Dwarf Sagittaria (Sagittaria subulata) is an undemanding grass-like plant that quickly forms a thick carpet on an aquarium substrate. It does well in various water conditions and only requires medium lighting, so it's perfect for beginners. While it doesn't need CO2 injection, it can still benefit from it. You may also want to fertilize it regularly to promote healthy growth. If it ever grows too high, you can trim it or move it to the background.

Easy Midground Plants

Medium-sized plants in the middle of your tank can help smooth the transition between the tall ones at the back and the shorter ones in the front. They help create more visual appeal and depth. Here are a few hardy beginner aquatic plants for the midground of your aquascape.

6. Anubias Nana

Anubias is a genus of aquatic flowering plants with thick, broad leaves. They're a popular choice for aquascaping due to their hardiness and ability to grow on hardscapes. The most common type is Anubias nana (Anubias barteri var. nana), which grows well in low-light conditions without CO2 injection. Its slow growth rate also means you can prune it less frequently than other plants.

7. Java Fern

Java fern (Microsorum pteropus) is one of the easiest aquarium plants, thanks to its ability to grow in most lighting and water conditions. It has long, dark green leaves and grows best attached to rocks or driftwood with low to medium light levels. If you need more for your tank, Java fern is easy to propagate as it grows small plantlets on its leaves. Simply remove them and attach them to another surface!

8. Wendt's Water Trumpet

Cryptocoryne plants like Wendt's water trumpet (Cryptocoryne wendtii) are widely available and highly resilient aquatic plants. They grow in most lighting conditions and don't need CO2 injection. You can plant them in the nutrient-rich substrate in the middle of your tank, even in shaded areas. They also come in different color variations like green, brown and red.

9. Green Wavy

Green wavy (Bucephalandra pygmaea 'Bukit Kelam') is a unique aquatic plant with long green leaves that have wavy edges and tiny white spots. It has a rhizome that doesn't do well when covered, so ensure you attach it to a hardscape element in your tank. Green wavy is pretty hardy and prefers low light levels, making it easy to care for.

10. Dwarf Chain Sword

Dwarf chain sword (Echinodorus tenellus) is a grass-like plant that makes a great midground option as it forms a slightly taller, dense grassy carpet. It's suitable for beginners because it can adapt to various aquarium conditions, including low light levels. It's best to give it medium lighting and some CO2 injection, though. It also benefits from a nutrient-rich substrate and regular fertilization.

Easy Background Plants

The background of your tank can become an immersive, lush backdrop with the right background plants. Most aquascape artists use stem plants because they grow quite tall and can hide equipment from view, but any tall, large aquatic plant will do. Try out these plants if you're a beginner.

11. Amazon Sword

Amazon sword (Echinodorus amazonicus) is an easy, popular aquarium plant. It has long green leaves and grows quite large, making it an excellent choice for the background of your tank. It needs medium lighting to thrive, a nutrient-rich substrate and no additional CO2. It grows slowly but may need to be trimmed once it reaches its full height.

12. Dwarf Rotala

Dwarf rotala (Rotala rotundifolia) is a gorgeous aquatic plant that develops red leaves when it gets high light levels, but it can grow well with medium lighting. It's relatively easy to care for but does need CO2 injection and regular fertilization to grow healthy and maintain its color. It's fast-growing, giving you a colorful backdrop in a short time.

13. Guppy Grass

Guppy grass (Najas indica) is a beginner-friendly, fast-growing stem plant. It only needs low to medium light levels and doesn't require additional CO2. It's very forgiving and can even survive floating in the tank, but you can plant it in substrate, too. Fish and shrimp love the shelter this plant provides.

14. Red Ludwigia

Red Ludwigia (Ludwigia repens) needs a little extra attention than some of the other plants on this list, but it's still relatively easy to care for. With the right care, it develops a vibrant burgundy color, which can add a splash of color to your tank. Make sure you give your Red Ludwigia medium to high light levels, and consider using CO2 injection to brighten the leaf color. It also needs regular fertilization.

15. Pearl Weed

Pearl weed (Hemianthus micranthemoides) is a classic Nature Aquarium background plant with small, light green leaves. It's a bit more demanding to care for, so consider this one a challenge for when you're ready. With high light levels, CO2 injection, fertilizer and regular trimming, pearl weed creates a compact bush that can grow quite tall.

Buy Easy Aquarium Plants From AFA

At AFA, we stock a wide range of the highest-quality aquatic plants for aquariums. We are passionate about aquascaping and helping others enjoy the hobby, especially Nature Aquarium. We're the official distributor of Aqua Design Amano (ADA) products, a premium line of Nature Aquarium products from Japan. We've got everything you need to create a thriving, picturesque aquascape.