Flora & Fauna

Pogostemon Stellatus is a majestic background stem plant that produces whorls of up to eight narrow leaves per node, creating a star-burst pattern. Under intense light the leaves develop beautiful pinkish-purple tones. It grows tall and is best positioned in the background. Nutrient-hungry and demanding of CO2 but rewarding when conditions are right.

An elegant Limnophila with longer, finely serrated leaves arranged in whorls. Under intense light the leaves turn vivid pink to purple, creating striking colour columns for Dutch and Nature Aquarium style. Requires CO2 and good fertilisation for the best colour expression but grows vigorously once established.

Narrow-leaved Ludwigia that turns deep maroon-purple under high light. One of the most intensely coloured aquatic plants available. Slow-growing but spectacular. Requires CO2 and strong light to stay compact.

Echinodorus Tenellus, the Pygmy Chain Sword, is a dwarf sword plant that forms a low, grass-like foreground carpet via prolific runners. Its narrow, strap-like leaves rarely exceed 10 cm, making it one of the few true sword plants suitable for foreground use. Under good lighting and CO2 it spreads rapidly; without CO2 growth is slower but still achievable.

Feathery stem plant that turns vivid red under high light and good fertilisation. One of the best red background plants for Nature-style aquascapes. Needs CO2 and macro/micro nutrients to colour up.

The red tiger lotus produces large, dramatic maroon-red leaves with speckled patterns. Without high light and CO2 it will send leaves to the surface; regular trimming of surface leaves encourages bushy underwater growth. An impressive centrepiece plant for larger tanks.

A floating liverwort made famous by Takashi Amano, who pioneered the technique of tying Riccia to rocks and driftwood using hairnets to create lush, bright green carpet-like surfaces. Left floating, it forms a thick mat at the water surface that provides excellent cover for fry and shrimp. When submerged and attached, it releases oxygen bubbles in a process called pearling, creating a spectacular visual effect. It is not a true moss but behaves similarly and is essential in the competition aquascaping world.

Limnophila aromatica is a stunning stem plant with leaves that shift from green to vibrant purple-red under high light and good iron supplementation. Used extensively in Dutch-style aquascaping, it provides brilliant colour contrast in the background.

Beautiful foreground or midground plant with distinctive clover-like leaves. Grows in a compact mound. Prefers slightly cooler water and good flow. One of the most unique-looking aquascaping plants.

A stunning variegated cultivar of H. polysperma with white to pink venation against a light green or pinkish leaf. The coloration intensifies under bright light. Despite its exotic appearance it is just as easy as the parent species and grows quickly. Invasive in outdoor ponds in some US states.

Compact Rotala with thick stems and rounded leaves that blush deep red under intense light. Rarely grows tall — ideal for creating low, dense red accent patches in aquascapes.

One of the most intensely coloured Rotala varieties available, producing deep blood-red to crimson stems and leaves that stand out dramatically in any scape. Requires the highest light levels and CO₂ of any commonly kept Rotala, along with careful nutrient management. Under suboptimal conditions the colour fades to dull orange or pink. Grown well, it creates an arresting, almost unreal red that elevates competition-level scapes.

Rotala H'ra is a popular cultivar producing small, narrow leaves that shift from green at their bases to vivid orange-red at the tips under high light, creating a stunning gradient effect in background plantings. It is less demanding than R. macrandra but rewards CO2 injection and iron dosing with exceptional coloration. Its fine texture and warm orange tones make it one of the most sought-after rotala varieties in competitive aquascaping.

Rotala Indica is an easy-going stem plant with small, oval leaves that display a pleasing pink to light-red coloration on their undersides even under moderate light — making it one of the few rotala species that beginners can achieve colour from without high-intensity lighting. It grows upright with a delicate, feathery texture and is often used as a softer alternative to R. rotundifolia in low-tech setups.

A miniaturised form of the famously demanding Giant Red Rotala, producing smaller, narrower leaves but retaining the same intense red-pink colouration when kept in optimal conditions. Requires high light, CO₂, and balanced macro and micro nutrients — particularly iron — to achieve its best colour. Grows slower than the standard species but is equally sensitive to nutrient deficiencies, which show as pale or washed-out leaves. Best kept by experienced planted tank hobbyists.

A feathery, needle-leaved Rotala from Brazil producing hair-fine, almost pine-needle-like leaves in green-orange to reddish tones. The extremely fine leaf texture creates a soft, cloud-like effect in the midground or background that is highly distinctive in competition aquascaping. Demands high light, CO₂, and soft, acidic water to thrive and colour up. One of the most visually unique stem plants in the hobby — a collectors' favourite.

A delicate stem plant with small, narrow leaves that form feathery, bright green whorls. Under high light and CO2 it develops a slight pinkish tint at the growing tips. It grows vigorously and is a great mid-to-background filler, tolerating a wide range of conditions better than most Rotala species.

Rotala rotundifolia is a classic stem plant for the background and upper midground of aquascapes, producing pink to reddish tones under high light and elevated CO2. Regular pruning encourages bushy side-shoot growth. Under low light the stems grow leggy and remain green.

A compact Rotala with narrow, lance-shaped leaves that turn a warm orange-red under good light and CO₂. Slower and more compact than R. rotundifolia, making it easier to maintain as a neat midground or background plant without constant trimming. The red-orange colouration develops even at moderate light levels with CO₂, making it more accessible than demanding species like R. macrandra. A versatile choice for adding red tones to mid-sized scapes.

Rotala sp. 'Green' is a popular, fast-growing, bright green stem plant with small, oval leaves. Unlike the pinkish tones of R. rotundifolia, it stays consistently lime-green even under high light, providing excellent contrast with red-leaved plants. Undemanding and fast, it is a reliable background filler for any planted tank.

One of the most sought-after Rotala species in competitive aquascaping. Produces fine, needle-like leaves and deep pink-to-red colouring. Requires pristine water, high light, CO2, and regular trimming to maintain shape.

Compact stem plant with small, rounded bright-green leaves. Forms a bushy, dense growth habit that holds shape well without constant trimming. Excellent for filling midground gaps in planted aquascapes.

Salvinia is a fast-growing floating fern that creates dense surface cover. Its tiny textured leaves repel water, forming a green carpet on the surface. Excellent for nutrient export and providing shade for light-sensitive plants and fish below.

A compact, narrow-leafed variant of H. corymbosa popular in Dutch-style planted tanks. The smaller leaf size makes it easier to fit into midground positions. Very tolerant and undemanding.

Singapore Moss is a fine-leaved aquatic moss with a slightly more organised, fan-like branching structure than Java Moss. It grows into dense mounds on hardscape and creates effective moss walls on mesh. Fast-growing and undemanding, it is a popular beginner moss for aquascaping and a favourite refuge for shrimp and fry.

Soft Hornwort is the more delicate relative of the common Hornwort (C. demersum) with even finer, softer leaves. It floats freely in the water column, requiring no substrate or roots. Grows rapidly and absorbs ammonia and nutrients aggressively. Excellent for cycling tanks, fry tanks, and shrimp tanks where it provides cover and nutrient absorption.

Spiky Moss forms distinctively pointed, spiky tufts that radiate outward from attachment points, giving it a starburst appearance. It grows readily on rock, wood, or mesh and is easier to shape than Java Moss due to its tidier, more structured growth habit. Popular in Nature Aquarium styling.

Also known as stargrass, heteranthera zosterifolia has compact star-shaped leaf clusters around each stem, creating a distinctive texture unlike most aquarium plants. It branches freely when trimmed and creates lush, dense mid-background clusters under good lighting.

Distinctive for the sharp, spine-like stipules at each node that give it a starfish or thorny appearance. The leaves are narrow and light green. While not commonly seen in the trade, it creates a striking architectural element in natural-style aquascapes.

Staurogyne repens is a compact, low-growing stem plant with small, bright-green, slightly glossy leaves on creeping stems. Unlike most foreground carpet plants it tolerates moderate rather than high light, and does not require CO2 injection — though both improve density and lateral growth. It can be used as a carpeting plant in lower-tech setups or as a foreground bush, making it one of the most versatile and accessible 'carpet' plants for planted aquariums.

A stringy, long-stranded moss with thin, delicate shoots that grow in loose, flowing tangles — giving it a wild, natural look unlike the denser Christmas or Java moss. Often used to create shaggy, overgrown effects on driftwood or as a hiding place for fry and shrimp. Also used in Wabi-kusa style arrangements. Grows faster than many mosses and can be difficult to manage if left untrimmed but is very undemanding.

A robust, fast-growing species native to the Americas with broad, oval leaves and prominent veins. It adapts well to a wide range of water conditions and is commonly found in paludariums and low-tech setups. Produces beautiful purple flowers when grown emersed.

Often mistaken for a moss, Süsswassertang (German for 'freshwater seaweed') is actually a fern prothallus — the juvenile phase of a fern. It produces small, bright green, tear-drop-shaped cells that cluster into irregular clumps or sheets. Grows slowly and does not need to be attached — it can float freely or be loosely placed on hardscape. Very popular in shrimp tanks and nano setups due to its low-maintenance nature and the intricate hiding spaces it creates for juvenile shrimp.

Taiwan Moss is characterised by densely packed, small, round-tipped fronds that grow in a drooping or cascading habit, making it ideal for creating natural-looking hanging mosses on hardscape overhangs. Its fine texture creates a gentler, softer effect than Christmas Moss.

One of the most popular and forgiving stem plants. Large, bright-green leaves grow in opposite pairs up a thick stem. Thrives in a wide range of conditions and grows fast, making it ideal for beginners and as a background filler.

The Tiger Lotus is a bulb plant with striking, broadly ovate leaves that are green or red, patterned with dark maroon spots. Without pruning it quickly sends large lily pads to the surface; regular removal of floating leaves keeps the submerged growth dense and compact. A dramatic, high-impact focal plant for mid-tanks.