Best Plants for Nano Aquariums
In a nano aquarium, a plant that looks modest in a large tank can quickly dominate the entire layout. These plants are marked nano suitable in PlantLab and tend to make more sense when space is limited.
Plants in this collection.
Midground
anubias-nana
Anubias barteri var. nanaA slow-growing, hardy rhizome plant that works well in low-light and low-tech freshwater aquariums.
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Midground
Alternanthera reineckii 'Mini'
Alternanthera reineckiiA compact, vibrant red plant perfect for the foreground or midground.
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Floating
Amazon Frogbit
Limnobium laevigatumA popular floating plant with round leaves and very long, trailing roots.
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Epiphyte
Anubias 'Nangi'
Anubias barteri var. nana x gilletiiA compact hybrid anubias with reddish new leaves.
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Epiphyte
Anubias 'Stardust'
Anubias barteri var. nanaA tiny nana with striking white-veined leaves.
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Epiphyte
Anubias barteri var. nana 'Coin Leaf'
Anubias barteri var. nanaA round-leaved dwarf nana with a coin-like look.
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Epiphyte
Anubias barteri var. nana 'Golden'
Anubias barteri var. nanaA lime-gold nana whose new leaves glow yellow-green.
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Epiphyte
Anubias barteri var. nana 'Pinto'
Anubias barteri var. nanaA premium white-and-green variegated dwarf anubias.
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Foreground
Anubias Nana Petite
Anubias barteri var. nana 'Petite'A miniature version of Anubias nana, perfect for nano tanks.
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Midground
Bacopa 'Colorata'
Bacopa monnieriA pink-purple bacopa that colors under strong light.
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Midground
Bacopa 'Compact'
Bacopa monnieriA dwarf, slow bacopa with tightly stacked round leaves.
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Foreground
Banana Plant
Nymphoides aquaticaA novelty plant with banana-like tubers and heart-shaped leaves.
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Midground
Blyxa japonica
Blyxa japonicaA grassy rosette that bronzes red under strong light.
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Midground
Bucephalandra 'Brownie Ghost'
Bucephalandra sp.A rare Buce variety known for its intense purple and blue hues.
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Foreground
Bucephalandra 'Catherine'
Bucephalandra sp.A very small Buce with extremely narrow, dark leaves.
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Epiphyte
Bucephalandra 'Green Wavy'
Bucephalandra sp.An easy wavy-leaved buce with fine white flowers.
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Midground
Bucephalandra 'Kedagang'
Bucephalandra sp.A premium epiphyte with dark, narrow leaves and a reddish stem.
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Foreground
Bucephalandra 'Lamandau Mini Red'
Bucephalandra sp.A small Buce variety with reddish-brown wavy leaves.
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Epiphyte
Bucephalandra 'Red Mini'
Bucephalandra sp.A tiny red-toned buce for detailed nano hardscape.
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Epiphyte
Bucephalandra 'Theia'
Bucephalandra sp.A popular buce with dark leaves and violet sheen.
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Midground
Bucephalandra 'Wavy Green'
Bucephalandra sp.A slow-growing epiphyte with dark, wavy leaves and tiny white spots.
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Midground
Christmas Moss
Vesicularia montagneiA popular moss that grows in triangular, fir-tree-like fronds.
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Epiphyte
Coral Moss
Riccardia chamedryfoliaA dense, coral-like liverwort for detailed hardscape.
View plant guide →Cryptocoryne beckettii 'Petchii'
Cryptocoryne beckettiiA compact olive-bronze crypt for low to medium light.
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Midground
Cryptocoryne lutea
Cryptocoryne luteaA hardy midground plant with bright green to bronze leaves.
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Foreground
Cryptocoryne parva
Cryptocoryne parvaOne of the smallest Cryptocoryne species, ideal for foreground carpeting.
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Midground
Cryptocoryne undulata
Cryptocoryne undulataA beautiful rosette plant with wavy, dark green to brown leaves.
View plant guide →Cryptocoryne walkeri
Cryptocoryne walkeriA compact, dependable green crypt closely related to lutea.
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Midground
Cryptocoryne wendtii
Cryptocoryne wendtiiA popular rosette plant with ruffled leaves in various colors.
View plant guide →Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Green'
Cryptocoryne wendtiiThe classic easy green crypt for low-light midgrounds.
View plant guide →Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Pink Flamingo'
Cryptocoryne wendtiiA prized pink cultivar crypt that needs light and CO2 to hold color.
View plant guide →Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Red'
Cryptocoryne wendtiiA hardy red-brown rosette crypt that thrives in low to medium light.
View plant guide →Cryptocoryne willisii
Cryptocoryne willisiiA small, grassy crypt for foreground-to-midground carpets.
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Foreground
Crystalwort
Riccia fluitansA versatile liverwort that can be floated or tied down as a carpet.
View plant guide →Didiplis diandra
Didiplis diandraA fine needle-leaved stem with orange-red tips.
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Foreground
Downoi
Pogostemon helferiA unique foreground plant with highly crinkled, star-shaped leaves.
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Foreground
Dwarf Hairgrass
Eleocharis parvulaA popular carpeting plant that looks like a miniature lawn.
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Foreground
Dwarf Sagittaria
Sagittaria subulataA hardy, grass-like plant that forms a thick foreground carpet.
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Foreground
Dwarf Water Clover
Marsilea crenataA very small, clover-like carpeting fern.
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Floating
Dwarf Water Lettuce
Pistia stratiotesA floating plant with fuzzy, rosette-shaped leaves and long roots.
View plant guide →Echinodorus 'Kleiner Bar'
Echinodorus x barthiiA smaller red sword with bright red new leaves.
View plant guide →Echinodorus 'Reni'
Echinodorus sp.A compact sword with pink-red young leaves.
View plant guide →Eriocaulon 'Vietnam'
Eriocaulon sp.A larger starburst pipewort prized in aquascaping.
View plant guide →Eriocaulon cinereum
Eriocaulon cinereumA small starburst rosette pipewort for soft-water high-tech tanks.
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Floating
Fairy Moss
Azolla carolinianaA tiny, fast-growing floating fern that can turn red under high light.
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Midground
Flame Moss
Taxiphyllum sp. 'Flame'A unique moss that grows vertically, resembling green flames.
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Floating
Floating Fern
Salvinia natansA small floating fern with slightly folded, water-repellent leaves.
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Foreground
Glosso
Glossostigma elatinoidesA classic, fast-growing carpeting plant with small, tongue-shaped leaves.
View plant guide →Gratiola viscidula
Gratiola viscidulaA fine-textured stem that creeps and can be trimmed low.
View plant guide →Guppy Grass
Najas guadalupensisA fast, rootless tangle plant that's superb fry and shrimp cover.
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Midground
Hairgrass
Eleocharis acicularisA taller variety of hairgrass, great for midground or background.
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Foreground
HC Cuba
Hemianthus callitrichoidesThe smallest carpeting plant available, forming a dense, bright green mat.
View plant guide →Helanthium bolivianum
Helanthium bolivianumA low chain sword that spreads into a grassy carpet-like patch.
View plant guide →Helanthium bolivianum 'Vesuvius'
Helanthium bolivianumA compact chain sword with corkscrew-twisted leaves.
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Floating
Hornwort
Ceratophyllum demersumA rootless, fast-growing floating or stem plant.
View plant guide →Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides
Hydrocotyle sibthorpioidesA tiny-leaved creeping pennywort for foreground mats.
View plant guide →Hydrocotyle Tripartita
Hydrocotyle tripartitaA fast-growing, creeping plant with clover-like leaves.
View plant guide →Hygrophila corymbosa 'Compact'
Hygrophila corymbosaA low, dense hygro that grows outward as a midground bush.
View plant guide →Hygrophila lancea 'Araguaia'
Hygrophila lanceaA compact hygro with fine bronze-red leaves for high-tech tanks.
View plant guide →Java Fern
Microsorum pteropusA hardy epiphyte fern that thrives attached to rocks or wood.
View plant guide →Java Moss
Taxiphyllum barbieriA versatile moss that provides excellent cover for fry and shrimp.
View plant guide →Lace Java Fern
Microsorum pteropus 'Windelov'A variety of Java Fern with finely branched, lace-like leaf tips.
View plant guide →Lemon Bacopa
Bacopa carolinianaA hardy stem plant with thick leaves that smell like lemon when crushed.
View plant guide →Lilaeopsis mauritiana
Lilaeopsis mauritianaA hardy grassy carpet, thicker-bladed than dwarf hairgrass.
View plant guide →Lindernia rotundifolia
Lindernia rotundifoliaAn easy round-leaved stem with a bright, bushy look.
View plant guide →Lobelia cardinalis 'Small Form'
Lobelia cardinalisA slow, easy stem with round green leaves and purple undersides.
View plant guide →Ludwigia arcuata
Ludwigia arcuataA fine needle-leaved ludwigia that flushes orange-red.
View plant guide →Ludwigia brevipes
Ludwigia brevipesA fine-leaved ludwigia that bronzes under good light.
View plant guide →Ludwigia inclinata var. verticillata 'Cuba'
Ludwigia inclinata var. verticillataA demanding whorled ludwigia in vivid pink and orange.
View plant guide →Ludwigia inclinata var. verticillata 'Pantanal'
Ludwigia inclinata var. verticillataA stunning but difficult whorled ludwigia in pink and red.
View plant guide →Ludwigia ovalis
Ludwigia ovalisA creeping ludwigia with rounded pink-flushed leaves.
View plant guide →Ludwigia Palustris
Ludwigia palustrisA stunning, intensely red stem plant that is surprisingly easy to grow.
View plant guide →Ludwigia palustris 'Super Red'
Ludwigia palustrisOne of the easiest true-red stems, red even without CO2.
View plant guide →Ludwigia senegalensis 'Guinea'
Ludwigia senegalensisA trendy pink ludwigia with heavily textured leaves.
View plant guide →Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea'
Lysimachia nummulariaA golden round-leaved creeper that brightens the midground.
View plant guide →Marimo Moss Ball
Aegagropila linnaeiA unique spherical algae that is extremely easy to care for.
View plant guide →Marsilea Hirsuta
Marsilea hirsutaA hardy, clover-like fern that makes a great low-tech carpet.
View plant guide →Marsilea quadrifolia
Marsilea quadrifoliaA clover-like carpet fern that tolerates low tech.
View plant guide →Micranthemum umbrosum
Micranthemum umbrosumA bright-green stem of tiny round leaves; a fuller 'baby tears'.
View plant guide →Micro Sword
Lilaeopsis brasiliensisA grass-like carpeting plant with slightly thicker blades than hairgrass.
View plant guide →Moneywort
Bacopa monnieriA hardy, bright green stem plant that grows straight up.
View plant guide →Monte Carlo
Micranthemum tweedieiA popular, bright green carpeting plant with small round leaves.
View plant guide →Myriophyllum 'Red'
Myriophyllum sp.A feathery whorled milfoil that flushes red on top.
View plant guide →Peacock Moss
Taxiphyllum sp. 'Peacock'A moss with feathery fronds and a bluish-green sheen.
View plant guide →Pearl Weed
Hemianthus micranthemoidesA versatile, fast-growing stem plant with tiny leaves.
View plant guide →Pearlweed (Micranthemum)
Micranthemum sp.A tiny-leaved carpeting Micranthemum for bright foregrounds.
View plant guide →Pellia
Monosolenium tenerumA thick, brittle thalloid liverwort with a lush look.
View plant guide →Phoenix Moss
Fissidens fontanusA premium moss with delicate, feather-like fronds.
View plant guide →Pogostemon Erectus
Pogostemon erectusA beautiful stem plant with fine, bright green, pine-like needles.
View plant guide →Proserpinaca palustris
Proserpinaca palustrisA stem whose leaves turn saw-toothed and orange underwater.
View plant guide →Purple Bacopa
Bacopa salzmanniiA stunning purple-hued stem plant.
View plant guide →Pygmy Chain Sword
Helanthium tenellumA grass-like plant that forms a dense foreground carpet.
View plant guide →Ranunculus inundatus
Ranunculus inundatusA creeping plant with unique umbrella-shaped lobed leaves.
View plant guide →Red Root Floater
Phyllanthus fluitansA highly sought-after floating plant with bright red roots and leaves.
View plant guide →Rotala 'Mini Butterfly'
Rotala sp.A dwarf rotala with tiny leaves and pink-cream tops.
View plant guide →Rotala 'Nanjenshan'
Rotala sp. "Nanjenshan"A needle-leaved green rotala with a soft, feathery look.
View plant guide →Rotala Hra
Rotala sp. 'Hra'A variant of Rotala rotundifolia that turns intensely orange-red.
View plant guide →Rotala Indica
Rotala indicaA classic stem plant with small, round leaves that grow densely.
View plant guide →Rotala macrandra 'Green'
Rotala macrandraA delicate large-leaved green macrandra for high-tech scapes.
View plant guide →Rotala mexicana 'Bangladesh'
Rotala mexicanaA fine-leaved rotala turning fiery orange-red on top.
View plant guide →Rotala rotundifolia
Rotala rotundifoliaA fast-growing stem plant that forms dense, colorful bushes.
View plant guide →Rotala rotundifolia 'Blood Red'
Rotala rotundifoliaA compact, intensely red rotala for high-tech tanks.
View plant guide →Rotala rotundifolia 'Bonsai'
Rotala rotundifoliaA dwarf, tightly-noded rotala for compact midground bushes.
View plant guide →Rotala rotundifolia 'Colorata'
Rotala rotundifoliaA warmer-toned rotundifolia with orange-pink tops.
View plant guide →Rotala rotundifolia 'Green'
Rotala rotundifoliaAn easy, fast green stem that bushes out readily.
View plant guide →Rotala Wallichii
Rotala wallichiiA delicate stem plant with fine, needle-like leaves that turn pink.
View plant guide →Spiky Moss
Taxiphyllum sp. 'Spiky'A robust moss similar to Christmas Moss but with larger, spikier fronds.
View plant guide →Stargrass
Heteranthera zosterifoliaA fast-growing stem plant that forms dense, star-like clusters.
View plant guide →Staurogyne Repens
Staurogyne repensA compact, bushy foreground plant with sturdy green leaves.
View plant guide →Syngonanthus 'Belem'
Syngonanthus sp.A delicate soft-water rosette for advanced blackwater scapes.
View plant guide →Taiwan Moss
Taxiphyllum alternansA tidy, drooping moss that forms neat triangular fronds.
View plant guide →Tonina fluviatilis
Tonina fluviatilisA demanding whorled blackwater stem for expert soft-water tanks.
View plant guide →Trident Java Fern
Microsorum pteropus 'Trident'A smaller Java Fern with narrow, multi-lobed leaves.
View plant guide →Utricularia graminifolia
Utricularia graminifoliaA grassy carnivorous carpet plant for high-tech tanks.
View plant guide →Water Spangles
Salvinia minimaA very popular floating fern with tiny, stiff hairs on its leaves.
View plant guide →Weeping Moss
Vesicularia ferrieiA beautiful moss known for its distinct downward, weeping growth habit.
View plant guide →Whorled Pennywort
Hydrocotyle verticillataA unique plant with round, umbrella-like leaves on vertical stems.
View plant guide →Willow Moss
Fontinalis antipyreticaA cool-water moss with a willow-like, drooping look.
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