Fish Guide

Contents 1 Introduction 2 Fake or pseudo-aquarium plants 3 Listed alphabetically by scientific name 4 Freshwater Plant Images Gallery 4.1 Photos 4.2 Illustrations 5 See also

Introduction

Aquatic plants are used to give the aquarium a natural appearance, oxygenate the water, and provide habitat for fish, especially fry (babies) and for invertebrate species. Some aquarium fish and invertebrates also eat live plants. Recently, there has been a movement in the hobby to use aquatic plants as part of aesthetic aquarium design and aquascaping, spearheaded by Japanese aquarist Takashi Amano.

Most of these plant species are found either partially or fully submersed in their natural habitat. Although there are a handful of obligate aquatic plants that must be grown in water (Cabomba sp., for example), most grow and thrive fully emersed if the soil is kept moist.

Fake or pseudo-aquarium plants

Several species of land plants such as umbrella pine and aluminum plant (Pilea cadairei) are also frequently sold as "aquarium plants". While such plants are beautiful and can survive for some time under water, they will eventually die and must be removed so their decay does not contaminate the aquarium water.

Listed alphabetically by scientific name

As a very important note, the taxonomy of most aquatic plant genera is not final. Scientific names and classifications have changed often in the past years, creating confusion for most aquarists. Most of the old names are still in use today on some web sites.

Common aquarium plant species:

• Acorus calamus
  Acorus gramineus
  Aglaonema modestum
  Aglaonema simplex
  Alisma gramineum
  Alternanthera bettzichiana
  Alternanthera lilacina
  Alternanthera philoxeroides
  Alternanthera reineckii "rosaefolia"
  Alternanthera sessilis
  Ammannia gracilis
  Ammannia latifolia
  Ammania senegalensis
  Anubias afzelii
  Anubias barteri var. barteri
  Anubias barteri var. nana
  Anubias barteri var. nana 'Petite'
  Anubias congensis
  Anubias frazeri
  Anubias gilletti
  Anubias gracilis
  Anubias hastifolia
  Anubias heterophylla
  Anubias lanceolata
  Aponogeton appendiculatus
  Aponogeton bernierianus
  Aponogeton boivinianus
  Aponogeton capuronii
  Aponogeton crispus
  Aponogeton decartyi
  Aponogeton desertorum
  Aponogeton dioecus
  Aponogeton distachyos
  Aponogeton elongatus
  Aponogeton fenestralis
  Aponogeton henkelianus
  Aponogeton junceus
  Aponogeton longiplumulosus
  Aponogeton loriae
  Aponogeton madagascariensis (Madagascar laceleaf, lace plant)
  Aponogeton natans
  Aponogeton rigidifolius
  Aponogeton tenuispicatus
  Aponogeton ulvaceus
  Aponogeton undulatus
  Armoracia aquatica
  Azolla caroliniana
  Azolla filiculo�des
  Azolla pinnata
  Bacopa amplexicaulis
  Bacopa australis
  Bacopa caroliniana (lemon bacopa, water hyssop)
  Bacopa crenata
  Bacopa monnieri (water hyssop)
  Bacopa myriophylloides
  Bacopa rotundifolia
  Baldellia ranunculoides
  Barclaya longifolia
  Barclaya motleyi
  Blyxa aubertii
  Blyxa echinosperma
  Blyxa japonica
  Blyxa novoguineensis
  Blyxa octandra
  Bolbitis heteroclita
  Bolbitis heudelotii
  Cabomba aquatica
  Cabomba caroliniana
  Cabomba furcata
  Cabomba palaeformis
  Caldesia parnassifolia
  Calla palustris
  Callitriche hamulata
  Callitriche hermaphroditica
  Callitriche palustris
  Callitriche stagnalis
  Cardamine lyrata
  Cardamine rotundifolia
  Ceratophyllym demersum
  Ceratophyllum submersum
  Ceratopteris cornuta
  Ceratopteris pteridoides
  Ceratopteris thalictroides
  Chlorophytum bichetii
  Cladophora aegagropila
  Crassula aquatica
  Crassula helmsii
  Crinum calamistratum
  Crinum natans
  Crinum purpurascens
  Crinum thaianum
  Cryptocorine moehlmanni
  Cryptocoryne affinis
  Cryptocoryne alba
  Cryptocoryne albida
  Cryptocoryne aponogetifolia
  Cryptocoryne auriculata
  Cryptocoryne axelrodii
  Cryptocoryne balansae
  Cryptocoryne beckettii 'petchii'
  Cryptocoryne blassii
  Cryptocoryne bogneri
  Cryptocoryne bullosa
  Cryptocoryne ciliata
  Cryptocoryne cognata
  Cryptocoryne cordata
  Cryptocoryne crispatula
  Cryptocoryne cruddasiana
  Cryptocoryne diderici
  Cryptocoryne elliptica
  Cryptocoryne ferruginea
  Cryptocoryne fusca
  Cryptocoryne grabowskii
  Cryptocoryne gracilis
  Cryptocoryne griffithii
  Cryptocoryne huegelii
  Cryptocoryne legroi
  Cryptocoryne longicauda
  Cryptocoryne lucens
  Cryptocoryne lutea
  Cryptocoryne minima
  Cryptocoryne nevillii
  Cryptocoryne nurii
  Cryptocoryne parva
  Cryptocoryne petchii
  Cryptocoryne pontederiifolia
  Cryptocoryne purpurea
  Cryptocoryne retrospiralis
  Cryptocoryne siamensis
  Cryptocoryne spiralis
  Cryptocoryne thwaitesii
  Cryptocoryne tonkinensis
  Cryptocoryne undulata
  Cryptocoryne usteriana
  Cryptocoryne venemae
  Cryptocoryne versteegii
  Cryptocoryne walkeri
  Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Tropica'
  Cryptocoryne willisii
  Cryptocoryne zewaldae
  Cryptocoryne zonata
  Cryptocoryne zukalii
  Cyperus alternifolius
  Cyperus helferi
  Cyperus papyrus
  Damasonium alisma
  Dracaena sanderiana
  Didiplis diandra
  Echinodorus africanatus
  Echinodorus amazonicus
  Echinodorus andrieuxii
  Echinodorus angustifolius
  Echinodorus argentinensis
  Echinodorus aschersonianus
  Echinodorus barthii
  Echinodorus berteroi
  Echinodorus bleheri
  Echinodorus bolivianus
  Echinodorus brevipedicellatus
  Echinodorus cordifolius (spade leaf sword)
  Echinodorus fluitans
  Echinodorus grandiflorus
  Echinodorus horemanii
  Echinodorus horizontalis
  Echinodorus humilis
  Echinodorus latifolius
  Echinodorus longiscapus
  Echinodorus macrophyllus
  Echinodorus martii
  Echinodorus opacus
  Echinodorus osiris
  Echinodorus 'Ozelot'
  Echinodorus palaefolius
  Echinodorus paniculatus
  Echinodorus parviflorus
  Echinodorus pelliscidus
  Echinodorus quadricostatus
  Echinodorus radicans
  Echinodorus rigidifolius
  Echinodorus 'Rubin'
  Echinodorus rubra
  Echinodorus schlueteri
  Echinodorus subalatus
  Echinodorus tenellus
  Echinodorus tunicatus
  Echinodorus uruguayensis
  Egeria densa
  Egeria naias
  Eichhornia crassipes
  Eichhornia diversifolia
  Elatine hydropiper
  Elatine macropoda
  Eleocharis acicularis
  Eleocharis dulcis
  Eleocharis minima
  Eleocharis obtusa
  Eleocharis parvula
  Eleocharis vivipare
  Elodea canadensis
  Elodea nuttallii
  Elodea occidentalis
  Eriocaulo sp.
  Eusteralis stellata
  Fittonia argyroneura
  Fontinalis antipyretica
  Glossadelphus zollingeri
  Glossostigma diandrum
  Glossostigma elatinoides
  Gymnocoronis spilanthoides
  Hemianthus callitrichoides
  Hemianthus micranthemoides
  Hemigraphis colorata
  Heteranthera dubia
  Heteranthera reniformis
  Heteranthera zosterifolia
  Hippuris vulgaris
  Hottonia inflata
  Hottonia palustris (water violet)
  Hydrilla verticillata
  Hydrocharis morsus-ranae
  Hydrocleis nymphoides
  Hydrocotyle leucocephala
  Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides
  Hydrocotyle verticillata
  Hydrocotyle vulgaris
  Hydrothrix gardneri
  Hydrotriche hottoniiflora
  Hygrophila augustifolia
  Hygrophila corymbosa 'siamensis'
  Hygrophila difformis (water wisteria)
  Hygrophila guianensis
  Hygrophila lacustris
  Hygrophila lancea
  Hygrophila natalis
  Hygrophila polysperma
  Hygrophila salicifolia
  Hygroryza aristata
  Isoetes lacustris
  Isoetes malinverniana
  Isoetes velata
  Isolepis setracea
  Juncus repens
  Lagarosiphon madagascariensis
  Lagarosiphon major
  Lagenandra insignis
  Lagenandra koenigii
  Lagenandra lancifolia
  Lagenandra nairii
  Lagenandra ovata
  Lagenandra thwaitesii
  Lemna gibba
  Lemna minor
  Lemna paucicostata
  Lemna perpusilla
  Lemna trisulca
  Lilaeopsis brasiliensis
  Lilaeopsis carolinensis
  Lilaeopsis macloviana
  Lilaeopsis mauritiana
  Lilaeopsis novae zelandiae
  Lilaeopsis ruthiana
  Limnobium laevigatum
  Limnobium spongia
  Limnocharis flava
  Limnophila aquatica
  Limnophila aromatica
  Limnophila glabra
  Limnophila heterophylla
  Limnophila indica
  Limnophila sessiflora
  Limnophila sessiliflora
  Lindernia rotundifolia
  Littorella uniflora
  Lobelia cardinalis (cardinal flower)
  Lobelia dortmanna
  Ludwigia alternifolia
  Ludwigia arcuata
  Ludwigia glandulosa
  Ludwigia helminthorrhiza
  Ludwigia inclinata
  Ludwigia inclinata var. verticellata 'Cuba'
  Ludwigia mullertii
  Ludwigia natans
  Ludwigia palustris
  Ludwigia pulvinaris
  Ludwigia repens
  Luronium natans
  Lycopodium inundatum
  Lysimachia nummularia (moneywort)
  Marsilea crenata
  Marsilea drummondii
  Marsilea hirsuta
  Marsilea pubescens
  Marsilea quatrifolia
  Mayaca fluviatilis
  Mayaca vandellii
  Micranthemum umbrosum
  Microsorum pteropus (Java fern)
  Monosolenium tenerum
  Myriophyllum alterniflorum
  Myriophyllum aquaticum
  Myriophyllum elatinoides
  Myriophyllum heterophyllum
  Myriophyllum hippuroides
  Myriophyllum matogrossense
  Myriophyllum proserpinacoides
  Myriophyllum scabratum
  Myriophyllum spicatum
  Myriophyllum tuberculatum
  Myriophyllum ussuriense
  Myriophyllum verticillatum
  Myriophylumm oguraense
  Najas graminea
  Najas guadelupensis
  Najas indica
  Najas marina
  Najas minor
  Najas pectinata
  Nesaea crassicaulis
  Nitella capillaris
  Nitella flexilis
  Nitella gracilis
  Nomaphila siamensis
  Nomaphila stricta
  Nuphar advenum
  Nuphar japonica
  Nuphar luteum
  Nuphar pumilum
  Nuphar sagittifolium
  Nymphaea alba
  Nymphaea lotus
  Nymphaea micrantha
  Nymphaea pubescens
  Nymphaea pygmea
  Nymphaea stellata
  Nymphaea zenkeri 'lotus'
  Nymphoides aquatica
  Nymphoides humboldtiana
  Nymphoides indica
  Nymphoides peltata
  Ophiopogon japonicus
  Orontium aquaticum
  Ottelia alismoides
  Ottelia mesenterum
  Ottelia ulvifolia
  Phyllanthus fluitans
  Pilularia americana
  Pilularia globulifera
  Pistia stratiotes
  Pogostemon helferi
  Pogostemon stellatus
  Pontederia cordata
  Potamogeton coloratus
  Potamogeton crispus
  Potamogeton densus
  Potamogeton filiformis
  Potamogeton gayi
  Potamogeton gramineus
  Potamogeton lucens
  Potamogeton malaianus
  Potamogeton natans
  Potamogeton perfoliatus
  Proserpinaca palustris
  Ranunculus aquatilis
  Ranunculus limosella
  Regnellidium diphyllum
  Riccia fluitans
  Ricciocarpus natans
  Rorippa aquatica
  Rotala indica
  Rotala macrandra
  Rotala rotundifolia
  Rotala wallichii
  Ruppia maritima
  Sagittaria chapmani
  Sagittaria eatonii
  Sagittaria filiformis
  Sagittaria graminea
  Sagittaria guyanensis
  Sagittaria iso�tiformis
  Sagittaria latifolia
  Sagittaria microfila
  Sagittaria montevidensis
  Sagittaria natans
  Sagittaria papillosa
  Sagittaria platyphylla
  Sagittaria pusilla
  Sagittaria sagittifolia
  Sagittaria subulata
  Salvinia auriculata
  Salvinia cucullata
  Salvinia minima
  Salvinia natans
  Salvinia oblongifolia
  Salvinia rotundifolia
  Samolus floribundus
  Samolus parviflorus
  Samolus valerandi
  Saururus cernuus
  Selaginella sp.
  Shinnersia rivularis
  Spathiphyllum wallisii
  Spiranthes romanzoffiana
  Spirodela polyrhiza
  Stratiotes aloides
  Subularia aquatica
  Syngonium podophyllum
  Synnema triflorum
  Taxiphyllum barbieri
  Tonina fluviatilis
  Trapa natans
  Triglochin maritima
  Triglochin palustre
  Triglochin striata
  Typha angustifolia
  Typha latifolia
  Utricularia gibba
  Utricularia graminifolia
  Utricularia minor
  Utricularia vulgaris
  Vallisneria americana
  Vallisneria asiatica
  Vallisneria gigantea
  Vallisneria neotropicalis
  Vallisneria rubra
  Vallisneria spiralis
  Vallisneria tortissima
  Versicularia dubyana (Java moss)
  Wolffia arrhiza
  Wolffia microscopica
  Wolffiella floridana
  Zannichellia palustris

Freshwater Plant Images Gallery

Photos

Acorus calamus	Anubias barteri var. nana	Aponogeton distachyos	Bacopa monnieri
Damasonium californicum	Echinodorus cordifolius	Elodea canadensis	Eriocaulon decangulare
Elodea densa	'	'	'
'	'	Nymphaea lotus	Nymphoides Peltata
Ranunculus aquatilis	Sagittaria sagittifolia	Sagittaria latifolia
			Utricularia vulgaris (Common Bladderwort)
Vallisneria americana

Illustrations

Eleocharis dulcis

Hippuris vulgaris

Hottonia palustris

Isoetes lacustris

See also

List of freshwater aquarium fish species