10 Low-Light Freshwater Aquarium Plants for Beginners

Creating a healthy and balanced freshwater aquarium will require you to carefully choose what plants you want to put inside. The best option is choosing aquatic plants that will not require much artificial light. Low-light aquarium plants are those which need much fewer watts and maintenance in order to thrive in your aquarium. 

Tips for First-time Aquarium Keepers

You must not forget to maintain your aquatic ecosystem and keep it in good condition. Whether you will do it yourself or ask your local aquarium maintenance specialist, do not forget that:

• There are certain conditions for every freshwater aquarium. Your fish and plants deserve to have good water circulation and a great lighting system.
• The overall condition of your fish tank and its ecosystem depend on choosing the ideal equipment for its size and inhabitants. You will also need to regularly complete cleaning and conditioning chores.
• It’s important to trim your plants, remove any dying foliage, and remove any floating particles, fish waste, and plant parts from the water, as they will clog your water circulation system and burn it up.

10 Low-Light Freshwater Aquarium Plants for Beginners

Java moss is certainly the first choice for planting a freshwater aquarium. This adaptable aquatic plant will create the perfect hideout for fish and a safe place for them to lay their eggs. It will create a gentle green carpet-like covering, and quickly spread itself. Java moss is easy to plant and can adjust itself to multiple water conditions. 

Another good choice of a beginner is anubias. It can adjust itself to sudden water condition changes, needs less lighting, and will strongly attach its roots. It’s distinguishable with oval, healthy green leaves and reddish stems. There are several types of anubias with different characteristics.

Java fern is yet another aquatic plant with great adaptation abilities and low requirements. There is a large variety of java ferns, all of which are beautiful and hardy plants. However, you have to sew them to wherever you want them to grow with a cotton thread. The java fern will thrive and grow fast in a high-lighting and high CO2 aquarium, yet will do just fine in low lighting and low C02.

Vallisneria is an underwater aquatic plant that looks much like grass. It will create a meadow-like covering in your aquarium, sprouting with clusters of long green leaves with round tops and dark veins. This plant will adjust itself to low-light and CO2 but will grow slower. There are few types of Vallisneria, all of which have distinguishable beauty.

Sagittaria is an elegant grass-like aquatic plant, with long, slender runners in a light green color. There are different Sagittaria plants, but all will do fine in a beginner’s aquarium. This aquatic plant can be raised at different levels of the aquarium depending on the species.

A helpful aquatic plant, Hornwort is often used to adjust water quality and save the aquarium from dangerous ammonia levels. This freshwater aquarium plant is among the most largely sold plants compatible with all fish. It’s a good hideout for baby fish and eggs and thrives in almost any temperature or lighting levels. It can be rooted in the tank, yet it prefers to float freely. Its stem and “spikes” are reminiscent of a fir tree sprout.

Cryptocoryne or crypts are a variety of different color aquatic plants of Asian origin. They need some time to adjust and may start to “melt” if there are sudden changes in the water condition. However, once they get used to it, they thrive. Crypts form beautiful clusters of club-like leaves and a big deep root system.

A low-requirement aquatic plant, anacharis will thrive in medium to high lighting. This is a wonderful addition to any fish tank as it is a “cleaner” plant. It eats off the fish waste, which will reduce the water changing needs for the aquarium. It’s often added to ponds to help with aeration and prevent algae accumulation. Anacharis can be floated or rooted and grows with long stems and small needle-like leaves. This plant is part of the vegetation diet of many fish.

Aponogetons are possibly the most familiar aquatic plants’ species. Although they prefer large aquariums, they are often planted even in smaller ones. The varieties of aponogetons are also known as “betta bulbs” and have long narrows leaves and flowers above surface level. They have medium water conditioning and lighting requirements. They can survive but will grow slower in low-light aquariums.

Bacopa caroliniana is the perfect newbie plant with low requirements. It will also thrive in optimal CO2 and lighting. This lotus-shaped aquatic plant is easy to maintain, and you can just cut and replant it when you want to increase the counts. It may change its color from green to copper depending on its position and distance from the light. It’s best planted in the background since it will grow vertically.

Planting your freshwater aquarium with low-light aquatic plants will help you maintain a better water quality, and will add to its natural beauty. These specific low-light freshwater aquarium plants are great and easy to take care of, making them ideal for first-time keepers.