Tall Aquarium Plants

Tall plants are good for the fish in your aquarium. They take the carbon dioxide produced by the fish and, through the photosynthetic process, produce oxygen for the fish. They give the fish comfort by providing a place for them to sleep and breed. They even benefit aquarium owners, because they look nice in the tank and can be used to cover up filters, heaters, hoses and tank apparatus.

  1. Java Fern

    • Best for low-light tanks, Java ferns add beauty to tanks and are relatively easy to care for. Java ferns have an interesting and attractive reproductive cycle: The parent plant grows fragile daughter plants which cling to the edge of the leaves until they are big enough to detach themselves, at which point you can move them to other rocks or walls and attach them.

    Giant Red Rotala

    • For bright tanks rich in carbon dioxide, the giant red rotala, known as "Red Butterfly" in China, is a good choice for a tall tank plant. Low amounts of nitrogen help keep the leaves pink. This plant will grow quickly to provide ample foliage in the middle or back of the tank. Choose a plant that already has internodal roots starting. The roots will quickly grow to the bottom of the tank and stabilize the plant.

    Star Grass

    • One plant that works well in tetra tanks is star grass. It is a vivid green and contrasts well with plants that are red. Star grass is easy to grow but requires moderate to high light and frequent pruning to allow light to reach the bottom branches. Owners report that it is a great plant for fish to swim and breed in. If leaves begin to melt or are often consumed by fish, increase the light in the tank. According to Fish Profiles, this plant will grow blue flowers if allowed to reach the top of the water.

    Dwarf Ambulia

    • If you have dwarf gourami fish, a dwarf ambulia plant is a good choice for your tank. They are very easy to grow, and the fish like them. In fact, the gourami nibble them for material to build their bubble nests. Adventuresome convict fry fish also love them because they can hide in the plant's lacy branches. These plants grow so quickly that you can cut them back to a few inches when pruning and they will grow back in a matter of weeks.

    Sunset Hygro

    • Pink and red plants are not always the easiest to grow, but the Sunset Hygro is both low-maintenance and fast-growing. It is tolerant of different levels of light and is fish-friendly. Owners report that corydoras like to hide in Sunset Hygro plants during the daytime, bettas like to sleep on it, and tetras like hiding in it when they need a break. Increasing the amount of light heightens the coloring of this plant.