Top 16 Background Plants for Easy Aquascaping

Establishing a thriving aquarium environment isn’t just about selecting the right fish; it also involves curating a variety of plants that not only enhance the aesthetic appeal but also contribute to a balanced ecosystem.

Background plants play a vital role in this setup, adding depth, providing shelter, and contributing to water quality.

For beginners, it’s best to start with plant species that are hardy, versatile, and easy to maintain. The right background plants can help fish feel more at home by mimicking their natural environment and offering hiding spaces.

The plants also absorb excess nutrients, helping prevent the growth of harmful algae. In addition, plants are essential for oxygenating the water and providing a surface for beneficial bacteria to grow.

Here’s a list of suitable background plants for beginner aquariums that strike a balance between ease of care and visual appeal.

Each of these plants has its own unique characteristics and growth patterns, but they all share the common trait of being beginner-friendly, ensuring a positive start to your aquascaping journey.

Table of Contents

Adaptability: Capable of thriving in various water conditions, exhibiting good resilience.
Placement: Prefers being planted in the substrate, but doesn’t require it to be nutrient-rich.
Growth: Typically slow-growing, which allows for easy control of its spread in the tank.
Lighting: It does well under low to medium light, reducing the risk of unwanted algae growth.
Size: Can reach up to 12 inches (30 cm), making it suitable for mid-ground or background positioning in smaller tanks.
Maintenance: Requires minimal maintenance, often just needing occasional pruning to maintain desired shape and size.

Water Wisteria (Hygrophila difformis)

Water Wisteria is a highly adaptable and attractive plant that beginners will find easy to grow in an aquarium. With its beautiful, lacy leaves and easy-care requirements, Water Wisteria is a popular choice for adding greenery and density to aquarium backgrounds.

Adaptability: Adjusts well to various water conditions, showcasing a strong tolerance to changes.
Placement: Prefers being planted in a nutrient-rich substrate for optimal growth and development.
Growth: It’s a fast grower, rapidly filling the aquarium with its feathery foliage.
Lighting: Can thrive under moderate to high light levels but can tolerate lower light conditions.
Size: Can reach up to 20 inches (50 cm), suitable for background placement in medium to large tanks.
Maintenance: Due to its rapid growth, periodic trimming might be necessary to control its size and spread.

Hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum)

Hornwort is an undemanding aquatic plant that is perfect for beginners due to its rapid growth and flexibility in placement. Hornwort is an excellent choice for filling in the background of your aquarium swiftly, offering both visual appeal and creating an environment beneficial to the tank’s inhabitants.

Hardiness: Can withstand a variety of water conditions, proving its robust nature.
Placement: Can either float freely or be anchored in the substrate, depending on your preference.
Growth: Rapid growth rate, quickly providing a dense, green backdrop in your tank.
Lighting: Adapts well to varying light conditions, from low to high intensity.
Size: Can reach a height of 24 inches (60 cm) or more, excellent for creating a lush background.
Maintenance: Requires regular pruning to control its fast growth and maintain the desired shape.

Ludwigia repens

Ludwigia Repens is an attractive and adaptable plant, offering a splash of color to aquariums. Its easy growth pattern makes it a preferred choice among beginners. With its striking red-green leaves and manageable growth, Ludwigia Repens offers a visually distinct and easy-care option for beginner aquariums.

Versatility: Grows well in a range of water conditions, showing significant adaptability.
Placement: Prefers being planted in the substrate, where it can anchor its roots.
Growth: It’s a moderate to fast grower, creating a lush green and red backdrop in the aquarium.
Lighting: It flourishes under medium to high light, which brings out the red color in the leaves.
Size: Can grow up to 20 inches (50 cm), suitable for mid-ground or background positioning.
Maintenance: Requires occasional pruning to keep its size under control and maintain a dense appearance.

Cabomba (Cabomba caroliniana)

Cabomba, also known as fanwort, is an appealing aquatic plant known for its delicate, fan-like leaves. Its moderate growth rate and easy maintenance make it a beginner-friendly option. Cabomba’s unique, feathery appearance can add depth and interest to the background of any aquarium, while also providing cover for aquatic creatures.

Resilience: Exhibits tolerance to a variety of water conditions, displaying notable hardiness.
Placement: Needs to be planted in the substrate, where it can establish a strong root system.
Growth: Grows at a moderate pace, filling the aquarium with its feather-like foliage.
Lighting: Prefers medium to high light intensity to thrive and maintain vibrant coloration.
Size: Can reach up to 20 inches (50 cm), making it suitable for background placement.
Maintenance: Requires occasional pruning to keep the plant in shape and prevent overgrowth.

Bacopa (Bacopa monnieri)

Bacopa is a versatile aquatic plant that’s appreciated by beginners due to its adaptability, easy growth, and beautiful, round leaves. Bacopa’s attractive foliage and low maintenance requirements make it a wonderful choice for beginners looking to add greenery and depth to their aquariums.

Adaptability: Thrives in a broad range of water conditions, showcasing strong resilience.
Placement: Needs to be planted in the substrate, where it can root firmly and flourish.
Growth: Grows at a moderate rate, contributing to a dense and lush green backdrop in your tank.
Lighting: Can thrive under a variety of light levels, from low to high, providing flexibility in tank placement.
Size: Can reach up to 12 inches (30 cm), suitable for mid-ground or background placement.
Maintenance: Requires occasional pruning to maintain a neat appearance and manage its spread.

Pogostemon stellatus ‘Octopus’

Pogostemon Stellatus ‘Octopus’ is a unique aquatic plant that brings a beautiful, textured look to the aquarium. Its forgiving nature and distinctive appearance make it a favored choice for beginners. With its long, thin leaves that resemble tentacles, Pogostemon Stellatus offers an exciting, easy-care option for creating an engaging aquarium background.

Versatility: Demonstrates a high tolerance to a range of water conditions, proving its adaptability.
Placement: Best planted in the substrate, allowing it to establish a strong root system.
Growth: It’s a fast-growing species, rapidly creating a thick, green curtain in the aquarium.
Lighting: Thrives under medium to high light levels, enhancing its vibrant green color.
Size: Can grow up to 20 inches (50 cm), making it an ideal backdrop plant in medium to large tanks.
Maintenance: May require regular trimming due to its rapid growth, helping maintain its ‘octopus’ look.

Brazilian Pennywort

Brazilian Pennywort is a fast-growing, versatile aquatic plant that’s perfect for beginners looking to add a touch of lush green to their aquariums. The fast growth and beautiful, round leaves of Brazilian Pennywort make it an excellent choice for adding instant greenery and depth to your aquarium.

Adaptability: This plant thrives in a variety of water conditions, showcasing its hardiness.
Placement: Can either float freely or be planted in the substrate, providing flexibility in aquascaping.
Growth: Grows at a rapid pace, quickly adding greenery to your aquarium.
Lighting: Can grow under low to high light conditions, making it adaptable to various tank setups.
Size: Can reach a height of 24 inches (60 cm) or more, suitable for creating a dense background.
Maintenance: Regular trimming is necessary to control its fast growth and maintain an orderly appearance.

Water Sprite

Water Sprite is a fern-like aquatic plant that’s an excellent choice for beginners due to its quick growth and ease of care. Water Sprite’s delicate, feathery leaves can create a beautiful, dense foliage, providing a comfortable habitat for fish and invertebrates while enhancing the aquarium’s aesthetic appeal.

Flexibility: This plant can adapt to a wide range of water conditions, demonstrating its robustness.
Placement: Can be either left floating or planted in the substrate, offering versatility in design.
Growth: It’s a fast-growing plant, quickly providing a lush, green backdrop or surface cover in the aquarium.
Lighting: Thrives under low to medium light, although it can tolerate higher light levels.
Size: Can grow up to 16 inches (40 cm) in height, suitable for both mid-ground and background placement.
Maintenance: Regular trimming may be needed due to its rapid growth, helping maintain a tidy look.

Pearl Weed

Pearl Weed is a small-leaved, fast-growing aquatic plant that’s appreciated for its versatile use and easy care, making it a favorite among beginners. It is well-loved for its dense, bright green foliage that adds a beautiful carpet effect or background in any aquarium, providing an ideal hiding spot for aquatic creatures.

Resilience: Demonstrates tolerance to a range of water conditions, proving its hardiness.
Placement: Can be planted in the substrate, and with the right trimming, it can be shaped to fit your aquascaping desires.
Growth: Rapid growth rate allows for a quick establishment in your tank, offering a lush, green setting.
Lighting: Thrives under medium to high light conditions, which promotes compact, bushy growth.
Size: Usually remains small in height but can be grown taller with less frequent trimming, making it suitable for mid-ground to background placement.
Maintenance: Regular trimming is needed to maintain its shape and prevent it from taking over the aquarium.

Tiger Lotus

If you’re looking for a plant that adds a burst of color and visual interest to your aquarium, Tiger Lotus might be the perfect choice. Despite its eye-catching appearance, it is quite beginner-friendly and manageable. With its uniquely colored, lily-pad-like leaves, the Tiger Lotus adds an exotic flair to any aquarium, while providing beneficial cover and resting spots for the tank’s inhabitants.

Resilience: It thrives in a variety of water conditions, displaying a strong hardiness.
Placement: As a rooted plant, it prefers being planted in a nutrient-rich substrate for optimal growth.
Growth: Exhibits a moderate to fast growth rate, quickly establishing itself as a centerpiece in your tank.
Lighting: Favors medium to high light levels, which encourage the brilliant red coloration of its leaves.
Size: Can grow up to 20 inches (50 cm) in height, making it a spectacular mid-ground or background plant in larger tanks.
Maintenance: Regular pruning is recommended to control its size and maintain the plant’s attractive shape.

Crinum Calamistratum

Crinum Calamistratum stands out with its long, curly leaves that bring a unique texture and depth to the aquarium. Even though it appears exotic, it’s a beginner-friendly plant that’s fairly easy to maintain. Crinum Calamistratum’s unique, wavy foliage adds a touch of drama to any aquarium, while its low maintenance nature makes it a popular choice among beginners.

Adaptability: Prospers in a broad range of water conditions, showing its remarkable resilience.
Placement: It’s a rooted plant and needs to be planted in the substrate to allow for healthy root development.
Growth: Its growth is relatively slow, which means less frequent trimming is required.
Lighting: It does well under low to medium light, allowing for flexibility in tank placement.
Size: Can reach up to 20 inches (50 cm) in height, perfect for creating visual interest in the mid-ground or background.
Maintenance: Due to its slow growth, it requires less pruning compared to fast-growing species.

In conclusion, the beauty of aquascaping lies in the variety and adaptability of aquatic plants available to you.

Whether you’re a beginner setting up your first aquarium or an experienced aquarist looking to add new life to your setup, these aquatic plants offer a mix of vibrant color, varied textures, and ease of care.

Remember, each plant has its unique needs and characteristics, so take the time to understand them.

With patience, creativity, and a bit of research, you’ll soon have a stunning underwater garden that’s a source of pride and tranquillity.