Flora & Fauna

Striking background plant with long, narrow, wavy green leaves. Grows from a large bulb and can reach impressive heights. Very tolerant and long-lived. Low maintenance.

Stunning lily with red-spotted leaves. Grows from a bulb and alternates between broad, flat pads and long petioles reaching the surface. Remove surface leaves to keep it compact.

Amazon frogbit is a floating plant with round, slightly spongy leaves that provide excellent surface cover and diffuse lighting. Its dangling white roots absorb excess nutrients and provide refuge for fry and small shrimp. It grows rapidly in good light.

The amazon sword is a staple background plant in community aquariums, producing broad lanceolate leaves that provide shelter for fish. It is a heavy feeder that benefits greatly from root tab fertilisers. Given adequate nutrients and moderate light, it will grow large and produce runner plantlets.

Sometimes called Ambulia, this fast-growing stem plant produces dense whorls of fine, feathery leaves that resemble a soft green bottle brush. One of the most forgiving stem plants — it grows without CO2 injection and tolerates a wide pH range, making it ideal for beginner planted tanks.

Anubias barteri is a robust, slow-growing plant with dark-green, waxy leaves that are resistant to herbivorous fish. Like java fern, the rhizome must not be buried. It thrives under low light, though algae can colonise the leaves in high-light environments; shading by taller plants helps.

Anubias Coffeefolia features deeply corrugated, dark-green leaves with a pronounced bullate (puckered) texture that gives them the appearance of coffee leaves — hence the name. The new leaves often emerge with a reddish-bronze tint before darkening to deep green, adding colour interest even at low light levels. Its compact, low-spreading habit suits midground placement in low-tech planted tanks.

Anubias Congensis (often sold as Anubias lanceolata) produces elongated, lance-shaped leaves on tall petioles, reaching 30–40 cm in height and making it one of the larger anubias suitable for midground to background use. Its upright, narrow leaf profile creates vertical interest against broader-leafed plants. Like all anubias, the rhizome must remain exposed and anchored to wood or rock.

Anubias Gigantea is the largest species in the anubias genus, with broad, leathery leaves that can exceed 20 cm in length and reach 60–80 cm in total height in mature specimens. It makes a dramatic focal-point background plant in large aquariums and is equally at home emersed in paludariums. Despite its impressive size it shares the same forgiving, low-maintenance care profile as all anubias.

A distinctive species with arrowhead-shaped, triangular leaves held on long, elegant petioles above the rhizome. The leaf shape sets it apart from other Anubias species and gives the scape a more dynamic, textured look. Grows taller than A. nana but slower than A. barteri. Ideal for attaching to large pieces of driftwood or elevated rock structures.

Anubias hastifolia is one of the tallest anubias species, with long, spear-shaped leaves that make a dramatic background plant. Like all anubias it attaches to hardscape and is extremely tolerant of low light and neglect. Slow-growing and long-lived.

One of the larger Anubias varieties, featuring long lance-shaped leaves with prominent veining and a rich dark green colour. It grows on a thick rhizome and reaches 20–40 cm tall, making it a striking background or tall midground plant in larger tanks. Like all Anubias, it is extremely hardy, grows slowly, and must never be buried — attach it to rock or driftwood with thread or glue.

Anubias Mini Coin is a rare cultivar distinguished by its nearly circular, coin-shaped leaves on short petioles, giving it a distinctly rounded aesthetic not found in other anubias varieties. It is highly sought after by collectors and commands a premium price. Care requirements are identical to Anubias Nana Petite, and it performs best as a focal point on a small piece of hardscape.

Anubias Nana is the classic dwarf variety of Anubias barteri, producing compact rosettes of small, dark-green ovate leaves on a slow-creeping rhizome. Its diminutive size makes it one of the most popular choices for nano tanks and foreground planting on hardscape. Like all anubias it must be attached to wood or rock — burying the rhizome causes rot.

An ultra-compact cultivar of A. nana with smaller leaves and shorter internodal spacing, creating a dense, bushy mound on the rhizome. The 'Bonsai' name refers to its miniaturised, tree-like appearance when grown on a small piece of driftwood or stone. Perfect for nano tanks and desktop aquariums. Care is identical to A. nana — extremely forgiving.

Anubias Nana Petite is a cultivar even smaller than standard Nana, with leaves rarely exceeding 1.5 cm — making it the go-to foreground and carpeting anubias in nano aquascapes. Its slow growth means algae build-up on leaves is its biggest challenge; moderate flow and controlled nutrients help keep leaves clean. Exceptionally popular in Japanese Nature Aquarium style layouts.

A cultivar of A. nana with noticeably rounder, broader leaves and very short petioles, giving it a compact, dome-like silhouette. The rounded leaf shape is more pronounced than the standard nana and looks especially attractive when grouped. A popular choice for mid-foreground planting on rocks or driftwood in both small and large tanks.

Aponogeton ulvaceus produces large, translucent, ruffled leaves that add an elegant flowing quality to the aquarium. It grows from a bulb and may go dormant periodically. During active growth it can fill a large area of the tank with minimal care.

A compact, small-leaved Bacopa from southern Brazil, producing round to oval light-green leaves on reddish stems. Grows slower and stays shorter than B. caroliniana, making it better suited to midground placement or smaller tanks. Under high light, the stems take on a reddish-orange tint that adds warmth to the scape. One of the most beginner-friendly stem plants available — it rarely melts and grows reliably even without CO₂.

A larger-leaved Bacopa with attractive, broadly oval leaves. Under high light, the foliage develops a beautiful pinkish-purple coloration that makes it a standout mid-ground or background accent. More colourful than B. monnieri and responds well to fertilisation.

The banana plant is named for its distinctive cluster of banana-shaped storage roots at the base. It sends up floating leaves and white flowers when mature. It is an unusual, undemanding midground plant that does not require substrate planting — it can float freely.

Echinodorus Bleheri, the Broad-Leaf Amazon Sword, is the quintessential large background plant of the freshwater aquarium. It produces broad, bright-green lanceolate leaves that can reach 50 cm, creating a dramatic focal point in larger tanks. It is a heavy root feeder and benefits greatly from nutrient-rich substrate or regular root tab fertilisation.

A round-leaved Bucephalandra variety named for its broad, almost circular apple-green leaves with a softly ruffled margin. New growth often emerges with reddish or pinkish tones before settling to a bright green, adding seasonal colour variation. One of the more recognisable Buces due to its distinctive leaf shape. Works beautifully attached to smooth stones in a Nature aquarium layout.

A sought-after Bucephalandra variety with small, elliptic leaves that shimmer between dark purple-green and metallic blue-green depending on lighting angle. Like all Bucephalandras it attaches to rock and driftwood and grows very slowly. Iridescent spots on the leaves catch light beautifully in high-spec setups.

One of the larger Bucephalandra varieties, producing broad, dark green to nearly black leaves with subtle blue-purple iridescence along the margins. The name reflects its size relative to most Buces. Its bold, wide leaves create strong contrast in a scape when positioned alongside finer-leaved plants. Attaches readily to driftwood and rock with superglue gel.

Bucephalandra Kedagang is one of the most popular buce varieties, featuring rounded to elliptic dark-green leaves with a distinctive blue-green iridescent shimmer visible under good lighting. Like all bucephalandra it is endemic to Borneo, growing on rocky stream beds, and must be attached to hardscape rather than buried in substrate. Growth is slow but it is surprisingly tolerant once established.

Bucephalandra Mini Catherine is a miniature buce cultivar with tiny, elongated leaves typically under 2 cm, making it ideal for nano aquascapes and detailed foreground hardscape work. Its leaves display a subtle dark-green to blue-green iridescence. Extremely slow growing, a single plant can take many months to form a small cluster, which only adds to its collector appeal.

One of the first formally described Bucephalandra species, with elongated, slightly undulating dark green to brownish-green leaves that display a purple-blue iridescence in good light. A classic in the Buce world and widely considered a reference variety. Slightly larger than many hobbyist Buces and forms attractive clumps over time. Excellent for attaching to larger driftwood branches.

The smallest Bucephalandra species, producing tiny lance-shaped leaves 1–3 cm long with an intense metallic blue iridescence. It creeps slowly along rock surfaces and is ideal for detailed foreground work in nano tanks. The compact growth and iridescent leaves make it one of the most visually interesting foreground plants available. Does well in low-tech setups once acclimated.

One of the most popular Bucephalandra varieties, known for its oval to elliptical dark green leaves with a striking blue-green iridescent shimmer when light catches the leaf surface. Slower growing than many stem plants but extremely durable once established. Like all Buces, it must be attached to hardscape — burying the rhizome will cause rot. A must-have for collectors of rare epiphytes.

Wavy Green is one of the more distinctive Bucephalandra varieties, with small to medium leaves that have notably undulated, wavy margins. The bright green foliage with subtle white iridescent spotting makes it a prized accent plant attached to hardscape. Extremely hardy and forgiving once established.

Cabomba is a feathery, fan-like stem plant that creates a delicate texture in the background. It grows quickly under moderate to high light and provides excellent cover for small fish and fry. Best suited to tanks without very strong flow.

Christmas Moss is named for the overlapping, triangular frond arrangement of its branches that closely resembles the silhouette of a Christmas tree — each stem droops with layered side branches in a distinctive tiered pattern. It attaches readily to hardscape and creates elegant draping textures on driftwood. It grows slightly slower than Java Moss and benefits from moderate light and CO2 for the best dense, lush growth.

One of the most beginner-friendly red plants. Green on top, red underneath — intensity increases with light. Extremely adaptable and fast-growing. Perfect for adding a pop of colour to any planted layout.

A slender Cryptocoryne with narrow, strap-like leaves that range from olive-green to brownish-red depending on light intensity. Submerged leaves are typically narrower and more reddish than the emersed form. Grows to a manageable 15–20 cm and is suited to the midground of smaller tanks or the foreground of larger setups. Tolerates a range of water conditions and is one of the easier narrow-leaved Crypts.

Cryptocoryne Balansae is a dramatic, tall-growing crypt producing strap-like leaves with deeply ruffled, crinkled edges that can reach 40–60 cm in length. Its striking vertical texture makes it one of the most visually distinctive background plants available without requiring high tech. Once established it is robust and spreads into an impressive stand via runners.