Live Aquatic Plants for Freshwater Aquariums
Shop Live Aquatic Plants for Freshwater Aquariums
Transform your tank into a lush underwater garden with our hand-picked selection of live aquatic plants for freshwater aquariums. From iconic beginner favorites like Anubias, Java Fern, and Cryptocoryne to demanding carpet plants and vibrant stem plants, every specimen is grown under controlled conditions, inspected before shipping, and carefully packed for safe arrival.
Whether you're starting a low-tech beginner tank or building a high-end aquascape, the right live plants make your aquarium healthier, cleaner, and more beautiful.
Live Aquarium Plants • Low-Light Plants • Floating Plants • Carpet Plants • Stem Plants for Sale
🌿 Shop by Plant Type
- ✔ Low-light, easy-care plants — Anubias, Java Fern, Cryptocoryne, Bucephalandra; perfect for beginners
- ✔ Floating aquarium plants — Red Root Floaters, Amazon Frogbit, Salvinia; natural shade and nitrate control
- ✔ Carpet plants — Dwarf Hairgrass, Monte Carlo, S. repens for foreground aquascaping
- ✔ Stem plants — Ludwigia, Rotala, Bacopa for vibrant midground/background color
- ✔ Rhizome & moss plants — Java Moss, Christmas Moss, Anubias on driftwood
🐟 Perfect for Planted, Community & Shrimp Tanks
Live plants pair beautifully with peaceful fish and invertebrates. Try them with tetras, freshwater shrimp, snails, and other community livestock. Plants provide natural cover, reduce algae by outcompeting it for nutrients, and create a more stable, healthier environment for everything else in the tank.
⭐ Why Add Live Plants to Your Aquarium?
🌱 Naturally absorb ammonia, nitrate, and other waste compounds
💨 Oxygenate the water during the day
🐟 Provide cover, breeding sites, and natural behavior cues
🎨 Beautiful, ever-changing aquascapes
🛡 Help prevent algae outbreaks by outcompeting it
⚠️ Light, Substrate & CO₂
Most plants we sell thrive under standard LED aquarium lighting. Carpet and high-color stem plants benefit from stronger light and CO₂. Pair your plants with quality aquarium substrate — aquasoil for root-feeders, or inert sand/gravel for rhizome plants like Anubias and Java Fern (which must NOT be buried).
🛠 Planted Tank Setup Tips
- ✔ Light — 8–10 hours per day on a timer
- ✔ Substrate — Plant-friendly aquasoil for stem and root-feeders
- ✔ Filtration — Canister or strong HOB; see our aquarium filtration collection
- ✔ Fertilization — Liquid ferts for water-column feeders; root tabs for heavy root-feeders
- ✔ Patience — Most aquarium plants take 2–4 weeks to fully acclimate and start new growth
📍 Shop Local or Online
Based in Cheyenne, Wyoming, we ship live aquatic plants nationwide, carefully packed for safe arrival. Locals can stop in to see plants growing in tanks and hand-pick favorites in person.
🔍 Frequently Asked Questions
What aquarium plants are best for beginners?
Start with Anubias, Java Fern, Cryptocoryne, and Amazon Sword — all are low-light, low-maintenance, and forgiving. Browse our beginner plants and low-light plants collections for the full beginner-friendly lineup.
Do I need special lighting for live plants?
Most of our plants do well under standard aquarium LEDs. Carpet plants and demanding stem plants benefit from stronger lighting and supplemental CO₂.
Do live plants help control algae?
Yes — healthy live plants compete with algae for nutrients and light, so a well-planted tank typically has far less algae than a bare one.
Are your plants snail-free?
We do our best to rinse and inspect every plant, but a quick dip in a plant-safe rinse is recommended if you want to be 100% sure no hitchhikers come along.
Can I keep live plants with goldfish or large cichlids?
Some plants survive with these fish, but most will be eaten or uprooted. Stick to tough rhizome plants like Anubias attached to driftwood, or choose floating plants instead.
Do live plants have a Live Arrival Guarantee?
Our DOA guarantee is for livestock (fish, shrimp, and snails) and follows the terms on our Live Arrival Guarantee Policy page. Plants are different: they’re packed with care and inspected before shipping, but it’s normal for some plants to look limp or “melt back” after transit and then regrow over the following weeks. If a plant arrives in clearly poor condition, email us photos within 24 hours of delivery and we’ll make it right.
-
Rotala Hra – Orange Red Aquarium Stem Plant
Regular price $9.99Regular priceSale price $9.99 -
Ludwigia inclinata var. verticillata (Pantanal)
Regular price $9.99Regular priceSale price $9.99 -
Hygrophila lacustris – Fast Growing Green Aquarium Stem Plant
Regular price $8.99Regular priceSale price $8.99 -
Alternanthera Tricolor – Red Pink Aquarium Stem Plant
Regular price $7.99Regular priceSale price $7.99 -
Rotala rotundifolia Wayanad Live Freshwater Aquarium Plant
Regular price $9.99Regular priceSale price $9.99 -
Rotala macrandra Mini Pink Live Freshwater Aquarium Plant
Regular price $9.99Regular priceSale price $9.99 -
Anubias barteri var. nana Live Freshwater Aquarium Plant
Regular price $7.99Regular priceSale price $7.99 -
Marsilea crenata Dwarf Four Leaf Clover Aquarium Plant
Regular price $6.99Regular priceSale price $6.99 -
Echinodorus Chocolate Marble Unique Sword Aquarium Plant
Regular price $12.99Regular priceSale price $12.99 -
Rotala Red Cross Rare Vibrant Red Aquarium Stem Plant
Regular price $8.99Regular priceSale price $8.99 -
Nesaea Golden
Regular price $8.99Regular priceSale price $8.99 -
Bolbitis Narrowleaf – Live Aquarium Fern
Regular price $8.99Regular priceSale price $8.99 -
Echinodorus 'Yellow Sun'
Regular price $10.99Regular priceSale price $10.99 -
Echinodorus 'Small Bear'
Regular price $10.99Regular priceSale price $10.99 -
Staurogyne bihar – Compact Green Aquarium Plant
Regular price $8.99Regular priceSale price $8.99 -
Hygrophila Red Vibrant Aquarium Plant for Freshwater Tanks
Regular price $6.99Regular priceSale price $6.99 -
Ludwigia palustris Super Red – Easy Red Aquarium Stem Plant
Regular price $9.99Regular priceSale price $9.99 -
Echinodorus ‘Red Flame’ Aquarium Plant
Regular price $11.99Regular priceSale price $11.99 -
Echinodorus Red Devil Fiery Red Amazon Sword Hybrid
Regular price $12.99Regular priceSale price $12.99 -
Echinodorus Big Bear Large Amazon Sword Plant
Regular price $11.99Regular priceSale price $11.99 -
Bolbitis Asiatica – Compact Aquatic Fern Aquarium Plant
Regular price $9.99Regular priceSale price $9.99 -
Lagenandra meeboldii Red Round Rare Bronze-Red Aquatic Plant
Regular price $9.99Regular priceSale price $9.99 -
Cryptocoryne Florida Sunset Rare Pink & Gold Aquarium Plant
Regular price $12.99Regular priceSale price $12.99 -
Anubias Nana Dark Moon
Regular price $8.99Regular priceSale price $8.99 -
Bucephalandra Wire Mat – Low Light Buce Aquarium Plant
Regular price $16.99Regular priceSale price $16.99 -
Anubias afzelii Hardy Rhizome Aquarium Plant
Regular price $6.99Regular priceSale price $6.99 -
Hygrophila pinnatifida Unique Fern-Like Aquarium Plant
Regular price $8.99Regular priceSale price $8.99 -
Ludwigia Green Freshwater Aquarium Stem Plant
Regular price $7.99Regular priceSale price $7.99 -
Purple Waffle Plant – Hemigraphis alternata
Regular price $9.99Regular priceSale price $9.99 -
Echinodorus Klenier Bar Compact Sword Aquarium Plant
Regular price $7.99Regular priceSale price $7.99 -
Christmas Moss on X-Small Wood Live Aquarium Plant
Regular price $12.99Regular priceSale price $12.99 -
Crinum thaianum Water Onion Aquarium Plant
Regular price $19.99Regular priceSale price $19.99 -
Rose Sword Plant Echinodorus
Regular price $9.99Regular priceSale price $9.99 -
Rose Sparkle Sword Plant Live Freshwater Aquarium Plant
Regular price $7.99Regular priceSale price $7.99 -
Tropica Lobelia Hardy & Compact Aquarium Plant
Regular price $6.99Regular priceSale price $6.99 -
Tropica Anubias gracilis Elegant Broadleaf Aquarium Plant
Regular price $9.99Regular priceSale price $9.99