Plants are the life of the aquarium. They give out oxygen and make the aquarium look lively. Not only do plants have lots of benefits, but they also become hiding places for various fish. Majorly, when tetras lay eggs, they tend to go near the plants so that their eggs stick to them. So, you must look forward to knowing the best aquarium plants for your tetra.
You must think that any plant is suitable for an aquarium. However, this is not the case for every fish. Some of them may not work well with plants that have rough texture as it might hurt their soft body. Some plants like Java fern, Java moss, Pennywort, etc are the best aquarium plants for your tetra fish. These plants not only have the same water parameter needs as your tetra but also are quite easy to maintain.
Today I will be talking about various plants that tetras will love in your aquarium.
| Image | Plants for tetra aquarium | Link |
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Java Moss |  |
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Amazon Sword | |
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Hornwort | |
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Java Fern | |
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Anubias Petite | |
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Ludwigia Repens | |
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Anacharis | |
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Brazilian Pennywort | |
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Christmas Moss | |
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Cryptocoryne Wendtii | |
Do Tetras Need Plants?
It is not a hundred percent necessary to have plans for your tetra aquarium. However, if you add some plants, your tetra will be happy about it.
Besides, there are some advantages that plants have in the aquarium. Some of which are mentioned below:
- Plants are a source of oxygen in the tank.
- Likewise, neon tetras feed on plants sometimes. It is also a source of food.
- Tetras may hide from other aggressive fish in the plants.
- Plants help to protect the privacy of fish as well.
- Moreover, some of the neon tetra fish lay eggs on plants so that it sticks onto them.
- Some live plants have to purify the water of the aquarium.
- Beneficial bacteria may grow in the presence of plants.
- Believe it or not, the plants enhance the beauty of the aquarium and make it look more realistic.
Do Tetras Eat Live Plants?
I have mentioned that tetras eat plants. However, it is the case only for certain types of tetras. Tetras like Buenos Aires Tetras love to munch on live plants.
Even though a lot of Tetra species eat live plants, you have to be careful that tetra fish do not overeat. Moreover, if you feed your Tetras enough, they should not eat away the plants in your aquarium.
So, this article will help you to get the right plants that your tetras will not munch upon.
What Are The Best Aquarium Plants To Choose for Tetras?
Here are the best aquarium plants that your tetras will love in the aquarium. Besides, it’s not only famous for tetras but also for people as it enhances the look of the aquarium. So, let us have a look at it.
Java Moss
Java Moss is one of those resilient and easy to grow plants that deem to be perfect for tetra aquarium.
The Java Moss can grow in low light conditions which are perfect for your tetra. It can grow to a couple of inches. But, it is a carpeting plant which you can use in the mid-ground or foreground of your aquarium.
The plant gives an adequate amount of hiding spaces for tetras to seek privacy. It can be a perfect floating plant if you partially immerse it.
Amazon Sword
Another good live plant for your tetra aquarium is Amazon Sword. The plant grows to be around 6 inches in maximum lighting. However, it can grow only a couple of inches tall if grown in subpar lighting.
The Amazon Sword is a medium level in case of ease of maintenance. The very feature makes it a good plant for both your tetra and you.
You will find that it is not one of the hardy plants. A positive point is that it can live in the same water parameters as the tetra fish which is the main point here.
Though you might need to provide it a sufficient amount of light to grow to the right height.
As for its looks, Amazon Sword has bright green leaves that seem to be flat and broad. Your tetra will love the way it sits on the aquarium as it creates good hiding and resting spots.
You might find your tetra trying to nibble on the leaves but it is not to an amount you need to worry about.
Hornwort
A convenient plant to grow in a tetra aquarium is hornwort. It is the best floating plant available that helps the tetra to have the correct amount of shade in the aquarium.
Moreover, hornwort is easy to care for and survive in the water conditions that are applicable for tetras.
They can grow up to 1.5 inches. It is appropriate to say that the dark green leaves are the perfect hiding place for tetras. Sometimes, you might find your tetra nibbling on them. However, it is not much of a problem.
Java Fern
Java Fern is probably the easiest plant to care for. If you are a beginner, I would suggest you use Java Fern as your first aquarium plant for tetras.
Not only does it require moderate lighting needs but it also does well with the same water parameters as Tetras. Moreover, the plants are fairly resilient.
You will have a rough estimate of 10 inches plant in your aquarium. It proves to be a good background or midground plant in Tetra tanks that you own. Make sure that Java Fern does not grow as wide as it grows tall. That is how you know the plant is healthy for your tetras.
As I have already made it clear, the plant requires very low maintenance. Moreover, Java Fern is a plant having long leaves making it better for good hiding spots for Tetra fish. The plants are tall enough and not a favorite dish for the tetras to have.
Anubias Petite
If you are an aquarist, you probably already know about Anubias. It is a very popular plant in the fishkeeping world. Popularity is the result of its hardy and easy to care for nature.
Like with any other plants in this list, a minimum of 2 to 3 watts will be sufficient for the plant to grow to its ideal size. The plants have broader leaves which makes it popular among Bloodfin tetras.
The perfect hiding place for tetras will be in the background of the aquarium behind these plants.
Anubias can grow between 72 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit temperatures making it ideal for tetra tank.
Ludwigia Repens
If you want a fast-growing stem plant, Ludwigia Repens is your go-to. The popular coloring plant has a deep-set greenish-red tint to its leaves. If you are a beginner, it is a pretty easy plant to grow, maintain, and care which makes it ideal for you.
As per the requirements of light, it can survive in any lighting. The easy-to-care plant can survive in the tetra tank with moderate lighting of 2 to 3 watts per gallon effortlessly!
However, the plant is tall. So, you will have to find the perfect place in your aquarium for it to grow. They can grow as tall as 19 inches. Hence, making it a background plant in your aquarium. The next option for you is to let it float in the tank.
The leaves do the magic for the plants which makes it even more interesting to look after it as it grows on its own.
You can leave this plant at a temperature of 60 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes it an ideal plant for the tetra tank as the range of 70 to 80 under the same category.
Anacharis
Another fast-growing stem plant for the aquarium is Anacharis. The plant is perfect for you if you have Guppies in your tetra tank. Like other plants in this list, Anacharis is easy to look after.
It is the ideal plant for beginners as it can move along with a wide range of water parameters. The best oxygenating plants for your tetra tank is undeniably Anacharis. You can trust me on this with closed eyes.
For lighting, this plant takes up to 2 watts per gallon which is a generously moderate amount. If you fail to provide it minimum lighting as such, the plants might die. Similarly, higher lighting can result in algae growth.
The correct way to place Anacharis in your aquarium is by planting it in a substrate as a background plant. A good hiding spot that your tetras will love is in between the Anacharis plants you may plant together in your aquarium.
Like Ludwigia Repens, you can even let it float which will provide appropriate shades for your tetras. The water parameters also match that of the neon tetra.
Brazilian Pennywort
Brazilian Pennywort is a good floating plant that will be the favorite hiding spot for your tetras. It is quite fast-growing and easy to care for.
Brazilian pennywort will grow a couple of inches every week if you keep it under high lights. A moderate lighting system is quite right for the Pennywort considering the tetra’s living conditions.
You can keep the plant in the mid or background of the aquarium considering how high it grows. It is rather a tall plant though, under the lighting conditions of the tetra, you might find it growing a lot less.
Moreover, the plant is better with the quality of floating on the aquarium to provide the perfect shade appropriate for your tetra.
Christmas Moss
The fast-growing hardy plants are more suitable if you have shrimps in your aquarium. The perfect beginner-friendly aquarium plant provides the perfect hiding spot for your tetras.
Although low lighting can cause its growth to stop, moderate lighting of 2 to 3 watts per gallon is more than enough for it.
You can keep the plant on the surface of the rock in-stream or just let it float and vibe with your tank. Moreover, it makes it even better if you attach it to decorations in your tetra tanks like rocks or driftwoods. It is just a matter of creativity!
Cryptocoryne Wendtii
The Cryptocoryne Wenditii is an infamous freshwater plant that comes with a wide variety of color and size variations.
Another easy-to-keep plant in the list has an unusual leaf size range from 5 to 18 inches.
You can choose from a variety of red, green, and brown colors. I suggest you use the green one to have an aesthetic look for your small aquarium.
In contrast, a red one will give your bigger aquarium a submarine vibe. In both cases, the plants can be kept in the middle ground or background as per your liking.
You can easily grow the plant at a temperature of around 72 to 82 Degree Fahrenheit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are The Water Parameters Required By The Aquarium Plants For Tetra?
The parameters essential for the plants in tetra aquarium is a minimum of 6 to 8 pH tolerance.
The ideal water temperature for the plants to grow in a tetra aquarium is 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
What Are The Substrate Requirements Of Aquarium Plants For Tetra?
Some plants require substrate but some may not require substrate at all. But a rich in nutrients substrate for a gravel substrate would be perfect for the plants that I have mentioned in this article.
What Should Be The Lighting Condition Of Aquarium Plants For Tetra?
The lighting conditions should be from 2 Watts to 3 Watts per gallon. Tetras do not like bright light. Moreover, highlighting conditions may also cause some diseases in the tetra.
Hence, plants requiring a lighting condition of higher than this amount may not be perfect for the tetra. However, some plants might survive both in high light and low light. So, you have to check hardy plants which are easy to care for.
Last Words
Hence, these are some live plants and freshwater plants that are easy to keep and perfect for tetras. Most of the plants that I have mentioned in this article are beginner-friendly.
If you want to keep other plants than those mentioned above, it is a perfectly fine decision. However, I would suggest you check the water parameters, amount of substrate, fertilizers, etc before you make a purchase.
I hope that the article was helpful to you. I wish you good luck with your tetra aquarium. You can comment below on how your aquarium turned out to be with the plants I have mentioned above.
