Species Catalogue

Dense, bushy stem plant with tiny paired leaves. Creates an incredibly fine texture. Turns reddish-brown under high light. Great for nano scapes.

Nymphaea lotus Green is a stunning aquatic lily with deep green, rounded leaves that can reach 4-6 inches in diameter. This rooted stem plant produces both submerged and emergent foliage, making it an excellent focal point for midground to background placement. Under good lighting, it may produce delicate white or pink flowers above the water surface.

Hemianthus callitrichoides 'Cuba' (HC Cuba) holds the record as the smallest-leaved aquatic carpeting plant, with each leaf barely 0.5 mm across and stems rarely exceeding 3 cm. Under optimal conditions of high light, CO2, and soft water it forms an impossibly dense, bright-green lawn that is the holy grail of foreground carpets in aquascaping. Extremely demanding and unforgiving of parameter fluctuations, it is best suited to experienced, high-tech setups.

A delicate stem plant with tiny, round-to-oval bright green leaves growing in whorls of 3–4 around thin stems. Often confused with H. micranthemoides but has slightly larger leaves and a more upright growth habit. Grows quickly with CO₂ and high light, producing dense, bushy clumps that work well as a background planting. Without CO₂ it grows slowly and may become leggy. Regular trimming encourages compact, lush growth.

A popular stem plant producing tiny, round, bright green leaves in whorls of three to four, creating a fine-textured, dense appearance. It can be grown as a mid-ground bush or as a foreground carpet with regular trimming. Easier to maintain than HC Cuba but provides a similar compact, fine-leaved look.

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.

Hornwort is one of the most adaptable aquatic plants available, surviving in a wide range of conditions from cold ponds to tropical tanks. It requires no substrate and can float or be anchored. It grows rapidly, absorbing nutrients, and provides excellent cover for fry.

A compact variant of pennywort that produces small, neatly round, bright green leaves on short stems. Unlike the faster-growing H. tripartita, it has a more controlled growth habit and can be used as a delicate foreground or mid-ground filler. It adapts readily to CO2 and non-CO2 tanks alike.

Hydrocotyle tripartita is a fast-growing stem plant with unique three-lobed leaves that create a lush, dense carpet or mid-ground cluster. With CO2 and high light it forms tight mounds. Without CO2 it grows taller and more open. Very popular in aquascaping.

A robust cultivar with unusually wide, wavy-edged leaves that give a bold, architectural presence in the background. The large leaf surface collects bubbles during pearling, making it a favourite for photography. Very easy to grow and tolerant of low-tech conditions.

A variegated cultivar with creamy white, pink, and green patterning on the leaves — the colours intensify under stronger light. A favourite in Dutch and community planted tanks for adding colour without the difficulty of true red plants. Stays compact and bushy with regular trimming.

A narrow-leaved Hygrophila with long, willowy green leaves held in whorls along upright stems. Grows faster than most Hygrophila species and provides a graceful, flowing texture in the background. The fine leaf texture contrasts well with broad-leaved plants like Anubias or Cryptocoryne. Easy to grow in most conditions — one of the few Hygrophilas that maintains its narrow, elegant leaf form even in low tech.

Hygrophila corymbosa (Temple Plant or Giant Hygrophila) is a fast-growing, robust stem plant with broad, lance-shaped leaves that can reach impressive size in large tanks. It is exceptionally easy to grow and tolerates a wide range of conditions, making it a staple background plant for beginners and experienced aquarists alike. Its vigorous growth is useful for nutrient export in new or high-bioload tanks.

A cultivar of the Temple Plant with shorter internodal spacing, producing a denser, bushier plant than the standard species. Large, bright green leaves are held close to the stem, giving it a robust, architectural look in the midground or background. One of the easiest stem plants to grow — thrives in low-tech tanks and is very forgiving of neglect. A great beginner plant that still looks impressive in mature scapes.

An ultra-compact cultivar of H. lancea that stays exceptionally small — typically under 5 cm — making it one of the few true foreground stem plants. Leaves are tiny, needle-like, and can blush red or pink under strong lighting and good CO2. Ideal for nano tanks and detailed foreground work in competitive aquascapes.

A Taiwanese-bred cultivar with slightly broader leaves than the Araguaia form and notably more vivid red-pink coloration. Stays compact and dense with regular trimming and responds well to high light and CO2 by turning a deep wine-red. A sought-after plant in the ADA-style planted tank community.

One of the most unique Hygrophila species, with deeply lobed, pinnate leaves that have a reddish-brown underside. It is equally at home growing emersed on hardscape or submerged in the water column. Runners grow along the substrate or attach to wood and rock, creating a natural, spreading effect prized in Nature Aquarium style.

Hygrophila polysperma is arguably the most beginner-friendly stem plant available — it grows rapidly in almost any conditions with minimal fertilisation or CO2. It can be used as a temporary background plant while slower species establish. Note that it is considered invasive in some US states and should not be released into natural waterways.

Very small-leaved Hygrophila that creeps along the substrate. One of the few Hygrophilas suitable as a foreground/carpet plant.

A compact, attractive cultivar of Hygrophila siamensis with narrower, slightly undulated leaves that are bright green on top and pale on the underside. Very hardy and fast growing, it works well as a mid-background filler and helps suppress algae through nutrient uptake. Trims well and stays bushy.

Striking Hygrophila with dark veins creating a tiger-stripe pattern on green leaves. Low-maintenance and eye-catching.

The base species of the popular lancea group. A delicate, fine-stemmed plant with small, narrow lance-shaped leaves that grow in tight whorls around the stem. Under high light the leaves develop attractive reddish-pink tones. More compact and slower growing than most Hygrophilas, making it well-suited for the midground of Nature Aquarium and Iwagumi layouts.

Compact Hygrophila with narrow, pointed leaves. Reddish-brown under high light. Stays smaller than most Hygrophilas — great for nano tanks.

Delicate stem plant with rounded, lobed leaves on long stems. Prefers cool water — one of the best plants for temperate and coldwater aquascapes. Sends floating leaves to the surface when established.

Java fern is one of the most forgiving aquatic plants, thriving under low light without CO2 injection. It must be attached to hardscape rather than planted in substrate, as burying the rhizome will cause it to rot. New plantlets emerge from the edges of mature leaves, making propagation effortless.

Dwarf Java Fern about half the size of standard. Dense, compact growth. Perfect for nano tanks and small aquascapes. Very hardy.

Java Fern Narrow Leaf is a cultivar of the standard Java Fern with significantly narrower, lance-shaped leaves that create a finer, more graceful texture in aquascapes. It reaches 20–30 cm in height and works beautifully as a midground plant where a more delicate silhouette is desired. Care is identical to regular Java Fern — attach to hardscape, never bury the rhizome, and it will grow steadily under low to medium light.

Very narrow, grass-like Java Fern variety. Creates a unique wispy texture when attached to hardscape. Extremely low maintenance.

Unusual Java Fern with split, hammer-shaped leaf tips. Rare and eye-catching variety. Same easy care as standard Java Fern.

Elegant Java Fern variety with narrow, forked (trident-shaped) leaf tips. More refined look than standard Java Fern. Very hardy.

Java Fern Windelov is a distinctive cultivar with finely branched, feathery leaf tips that give it a lacy, coral-like appearance unlike any other aquatic plant. Named after Tropica founder Holger Windelov, it is a classic of the hobby. The ornate leaf structure adds exceptional texture to midground hardscape and is particularly striking when highlighted from above. Care is identical to standard Java Fern.

Java moss is an incredibly versatile moss that can be tied to driftwood, rocks, or left free-floating. It provides excellent cover for fry and shrimp and serves as a natural grazing surface. It tolerates a very wide range of conditions and requires no CO2 or specialised fertilisation.

Green form of Lagenandra meeboldii with thick, textured leaves. Very different look from crypts despite being related. Hardy once established.

Stunning Indian aroid with broad, waxy red-purple leaves. Looks like a large, colourful Anubias. Slow-growing centrepiece plant.

Large, arrow-shaped leaves with dark green to olive colouring. A dramatic specimen plant that grows slowly and stays beautiful.

Narrow-leaved micro sword that creates dense carpets. Slightly taller than L. brasiliensis. Spreads by runners across the substrate.