Best Fish for a Planted Aquarium
Choosing the best fish for a planted aquarium means finding species that thrive alongside live plants, leave them alone, and look stunning against a green backdrop. The good news: most peaceful community fish are perfect plant companions. This guide covers the top tetras, rasboras, corydoras, and shrimp for a planted tank, plus how to pick plants and fish that work together.
What Makes a Fish Good for a Planted Aquarium?
The best fish for a planted aquarium are peaceful, stay small to medium, and do not dig up or eat plants. Avoid large cichlids, goldfish, and most big plecos, which uproot or shred greenery. Instead, look for schooling fish and bottom dwellers that appreciate the cover plants provide. If you are building the tank itself, our beginner’s guide to a planted aquarium walks through setup from scratch, and the aquascaping substrate guide helps you pick a base that feeds plants and roots.
Best Tetras for a Planted Aquarium
Tetras are the classic planted-tank fish — small, colorful, and tight-schooling, their colors pop against green leaves. Neon and cardinal tetras are the most iconic; congo tetras suit larger tanks. Start with our tetra care basics, then read up on the neon tetra, cardinal tetra, and congo tetra care guides. Browse our tetras collection to see what is in stock.
Best Rasboras for a Planted Aquarium
Rasboras rival tetras for planted tanks and often suit nano setups even better. Chili rasboras are tiny living embers among mosses, while emerald dwarf rasboras add subtle patterning. See the chili rasbora and emerald dwarf rasbora care guides, and check the rasboras for sale collection for current livestock.
Best Corydoras for a Planted Aquarium
No planted community is complete without a bottom crew. Corydoras catfish are peaceful, social, and constantly sift the substrate for leftover food — keeping the bottom of a planted tank clean without disturbing rooted plants. Our corydoras care guide and the more detailed Corydoras species guide cover schooling, diet, and substrate. See available fish in the corydoras collection.
Shrimp: The Ultimate Planted-Tank Cleanup Crew
Freshwater shrimp belong in nearly every planted tank. They graze biofilm and algae off leaves, hardscape, and substrate, and they are mesmerizing among mosses. Neocaridina (cherry) shrimp are the easiest entry point — read the cherry shrimp care guide, the Amano shrimp care guide (a top algae eater), and dial in your numbers with the shrimp water parameters guide. Not sure which type to keep? Our Neocaridina vs Caridina Shrimp comparison helps you choose. Browse the freshwater shrimp collection to get started.
Best Plants to Pair With Your Fish
The right plants make fish colors glow and give fry and shrimp shelter. Low-tech favorites like anubias, java fern, and mosses thrive without CO2. For shrimp-safe choices see our best plants for shrimp tanks guide, and for easy starters try our easy beginner plants and best low-light plants. Shop the live plants collection or the beginner plants collection.
Putting It All Together: A Sample Planted Community
A reliable planted community in a 20-gallon tank might be a school of 10–12 neon or cardinal tetras, a group of 6 corydoras along the bottom, and a colony of cherry shrimp among the mosses. Add a carpet of java moss and a few anubias on driftwood and you have a low-maintenance, living aquascape. Keep parameters stable, feed lightly, and let the plants and cleanup crew do the rest.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest fish for a planted tank? Neon tetras and harlequin-type rasboras are hardy, peaceful, and plant-safe — ideal first choices.
Will fish eat my aquarium plants? Most small community fish do not. Avoid silver dollars, large goldfish, and many cichlids, which graze or uproot plants.
Can I keep shrimp with tetras and corydoras? Yes, in a well-planted tank. Dense plants and moss give shrimplets cover; just avoid larger fish that hunt shrimp.
How many fish can I add to a planted tank? Stock gradually and lightly. Planted tanks process waste well, but adding fish slowly protects your cycle and water quality.