Vallisneria – Hardy Background Aquarium Plant
Overview:The Vallisneria (commonly known as Val, Tape Grass, or Eel Grass) is a classic aquatic plant that’s ideal for creating lush, green backgrounds in freshwater aquariums. With its long, ribbon-like leaves, Vallisneria adds a natural and elegant look to any aquascape while improving water quality by absorbing excess nutrients.
Key Features & Benefits:
✅ Beginner-Friendly – Extremely hardy and adaptable to a wide range of water conditions.✅ Ideal for Background Planting – Creates depth and provides a natural habitat for fish.✅ Oxygenates & Cleans Water – Helps reduce algae growth and keeps water clear.✅ Fast-Growing & Low Maintenance – Thrives in most light conditions and spreads quickly by runners.✅ Safe for All Fish & Invertebrates – Perfect for community tanks and planted aquariums.
Ideal Tank Conditions:
Tank Size: 40L and above
Temperature: 20°C – 28°C
pH: 6.5 – 8.0
Lighting: Low to Medium (better growth under moderate light)
Substrate: Nutrient-rich substrate recommended for optimal growth
Care Level:
Easy – Great for beginners or anyone looking for a low-maintenance plant that adds beauty and improves water quality.
Why Choose Vallisneria?
Perfect for background planting and aquascaping, Vallisneria creates a lush, underwater jungle effect that fish love. Its ability to oxygenate water and consume excess nutrients makes it both decorative and functional.
Quantity Options:
Sold Per Plant (with healthy root system)
Bundles Available for larger aquascapes
Important Note:
We ship only healthy, pest-free plants. Rinse before adding to your aquarium to maintain tank hygiene.
Bring your aquarium to life with our Mixed Assorted Aquarium Plants, hand-selected to offer variety, beauty, and natural balance to any tank. Each pack contains a unique mix of healthy aquatic plants, ideal for both beginner and experienced aquarists looking to create a lush underwater scape.
🪴 What’s Included:A carefully curated selection of fast-growing stem plants, background fillers, midground species, and sometimes even low-light epiphytes. Each order is different – no two bundles are the same!
🌿 Why Choose Our Mixed Plants?✔️ Great value for money✔️ Supports natural filtration✔️ Enhances fish health & reduces algae✔️ Adds movement, texture, and oxygenation to your tank✔️ Ideal for community tanks, shrimp tanks, or planted aquascapes
🔆 Tank Requirements:
Light: Low to medium
CO₂: Optional, but boosts growth
Substrate: Nutrient-rich substrate or plant-friendly gravel recommended
📦 Locally Grown in SA – Fresh, pest-free, and ready to root in your aquarium. Our plants are shipped with care to ensure they arrive in top condition.
Note: Plant selection will vary depending on availability, but we always include a balanced mix to create a stunning aquascape.
🌿 Duckweed (Lemna minor) – Natural Water Purifier & Fish Food Supplement
Duckweed, scientifically known as Lemna minor, is a tiny, free-floating aquatic plant that offers significant benefits to freshwater aquariums. Its rapid growth and nutrient absorption capabilities make it an excellent choice for maintaining a balanced aquatic environment.
🌟 Key Features
Natural Water Filtration: Duckweed absorbs excess nutrients like nitrates and phosphates, helping to reduce algae growth and maintain water clarity.
Fish Food Supplement: Rich in protein, duckweed serves as a nutritious food source for various fish species.
Provides Shelter: Its floating mat offers cover for shy fish and fry, promoting a stress-free environment.
Easy to Grow: Requires minimal care and can thrive in a variety of water conditions.
🪴 Care Guidelines
Lighting: Prefers moderate to high lighting; however, it can tolerate lower light conditions.
Water Parameters: Thrives in temperatures between 15–32°C, with a pH range of 6.0–8.0.
Water Flow: Best suited for calm or slow-moving water; strong currents can displace the floating mats.
Maintenance: Regularly remove excess duckweed to prevent overgrowth and ensure proper light penetration for other plants.
⚠️ Considerations
Rapid Growth: Duckweed can double its biomass in just 48 hours under optimal conditions. Regular maintenance is essential to prevent it from covering the entire water surface.
Potential Invasiveness: If left unchecked, duckweed can become invasive and may require controlled management.
Floating Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiotes)
Natural Filtration • Shade • Beautiful Floating Coverage - Picture for reference each
Bring balance and beauty to your pond or aquarium with Floating Water Lettuce, a popular aquatic plant loved for its soft rosette leaves, fast growth, and exceptional ability to improve water quality. Perfect for ponds, water features, and large aquariums, water lettuce adds a lush, natural surface cover while helping maintain a healthy ecosystem.
Key Features
Excellent Natural Filter: Absorbs excess nutrients, helping reduce algae growth.
Provides Shade & Shelter: Creates comfortable shaded areas for fish and shrimp.
Fast-Growing & Easy: Ideal for beginners — thrives with minimal care.
Beautiful Floating Rosettes: Adds a lush, tropical look to ponds and aquariums.
Safe for Fish & Shrimp: Great for breeding setups and fry protection.
Care Requirements
Lighting: Moderate to bright, indirect light
Temperature: 20–30°C
Flow: Prefers gentle water movement
Placement: Floating only — roots hang down into the water
Spacing: Allow room to grow, as plants multiply quickly
Ideal For
Koi ponds
Goldfish ponds
Outdoor water features
Tropical aquariums
Shrimp tanks
Fry raising tanks
Why Choose Floating Water Lettuce?
Easy, attractive, and highly beneficial, water lettuce is one of the best natural solutions for clearer water and a healthier aquatic environment.
Price: R39.90
Bring life and natural beauty to your aquarium with Hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum), also known as Guppy Grass. This versatile aquatic plant is perfect for beginners and experienced aquarists alike.
🌿 Key Features:
Easy to Grow: Thrives in a wide range of water conditions.
Low Maintenance: Requires no substrate – can float freely or be anchored.
Excellent Cover: Provides shelter for fry (baby fish) and shrimp.
Natural Filtration: Helps absorb excess nutrients, reducing algae growth.
Each purchase includes a healthy 200mm strand ready to add to your aquarium. Simply place it in your tank and watch it flourish!
✨ Perfect for guppy breeders, shrimp tanks, and any freshwater setup.
Create a lush, natural underwater world with Java Moss (Taxiphyllum barbieri) – one of the most popular and versatile live plants in the aquarium hobby.
Java Moss is loved for its dense, vibrant green growth, easy care requirements, and endless aquascaping potential. Whether you’re carpeting the substrate, covering driftwood, or creating a moss wall, this hardy moss is a go-to plant for aquarists of all skill levels.
Key Features:
🌿 Super Easy to Grow – Ideal for beginners; thrives in low light and doesn’t require CO₂.
🐠 Fish & Shrimp Favorite – Provides excellent cover and breeding areas for fry and shrimp.
🌱 Aquascaping Essential – Use it to carpet, drape, or create lush moss walls and bonsai trees.
🌡️ Highly Adaptable – Tolerates a wide range of water parameters and tank conditions.
🔗 Attach Anywhere – Can be tied or glued to wood, rocks, mesh, or left free-floating.
Plant Specifications:
Scientific Name: Taxiphyllum barbieri
Type: Moss
Light Needs: Low to moderate
CO₂ Requirement: Not needed
Growth Rate: Fast
Placement: Foreground, midground, or attached to hardscape
Size: Can spread 1–4 inches thick, depending on trimming
Available As: Loose portion, on mesh, or pre-attached to driftwood/rock
Care Tips:
Trim regularly to maintain shape and prevent overgrowth.
Use fine thread, mesh, or aquarium-safe glue for attachment.
Grows faster with liquid fertilizers but still thrives in low-tech setups.
Rinse thoroughly before adding to your tank to remove any loose debris.
Perfect For:✔ Shrimp Tanks✔ Betta Tanks✔ Breeding Setups✔ Aquascaping Projects✔ Nano & Community Tanks
Why Choose Our Java Moss?
✅ Live Arrival Guarantee✅ Pest-Free & Aquarium Safe✅ Fast Shipping – Carefully Hand-Packaged✅ Excellent Quality Moss, Always Fresh & Green
Bring your aquascape to life with the lush, vibrant texture of Java Moss – a must-have for any freshwater aquarium. Order now and transform your tank the easy way!
Combo 5 Pack – Red Aquarium Plants
Transform your aquarium into a vibrant underwater jungle with our Combo 5 Pack of Red Plants. This hand-selected assortment includes five different species of stunning red aquatic plants, perfect for adding bold colour, contrast, and depth to your aquascape. Ideal for both beginner and advanced aquarists, this pack makes it easy to achieve that professional planted tank look.
✅ Key Features
5 Varieties Included – A curated selection of striking red plants.
Enhances Aquascapes – Creates contrast against green plants and driftwood.
Healthy, Farm-Grown Stock – Strong root systems and vibrant colours.
Great for Background & Midground – Provides structure and depth to your layout.
Beginner Friendly – Most species adapt well to a range of aquarium conditions.
📦 Pack Includes
A mix of 5 red species (depending on availability), such as:
Alternanthera reineckii
Ludwigia repens
Rotala rotundifolia (red variety)
Hygrophila polysperma ‘Rosanervig’
Ammania gracilis
(Exact species may vary based on stock, but all will be high-quality red plants suitable for aquascaping.)
🌱 Care Guidelines
Light: Medium to High for best colouration
CO₂: Recommended for intense reds, but not always required
Substrate: Nutrient-rich soil for healthy growth
Placement: Midground to background depending on species
Growth Rate: Moderate to fast
❓ FAQs
Do I need CO₂ for these plants?Not always. They’ll grow in low-tech tanks but will show richer red tones with CO₂ and stronger lighting.
Are these plants suitable for beginners?Yes! This pack is selected to be versatile, easy to grow, and rewarding.
Can I combine them with green plants?Absolutely – the red plants will make your greens pop with contrast.
🔥 Elevate your aquascape with the Combo 5 Pack of Red Plants – the perfect mix for bold colour and natural beauty. Available now at Aquatic Pets SA.
Ceratopteris Cornuta, commonly known as Water Sprite, is a beautiful and fast-growing aquatic fern loved by aquarists for its lacy, bright green foliage and flexible use. Whether planted in substrate or floating at the surface, Water Sprite adds texture, depth, and natural shelter to any freshwater aquarium.
✅ Quick Specs:
Scientific Name: Ceratopteris cornuta
Common Name: Water Sprite
Growth Height: 20–50 cm
Lighting: Low to High
CO₂: Not required
Temperature: 22–28°C
Placement: Midground, Background, or Floating
Growth Rate: Fast
Skill Level: Beginner-friendly
🌱 Why You'll Love It:
Grows fast and adapts easily
Can be planted or floated—ideal for all setups
Excellent for fry and shrimp hiding spots
Helps absorb excess nutrients and reduce algae
Adds lush, feathery texture to aquascapes
💡 Care Tips:
Works in both low-tech and high-tech tanks
Trim regularly to manage size and encourage bushy growth
Float it for a natural canopy or plant in nutrient-rich substrate
Easy to propagate from side shoots or floating plantlets
📦 Sold Individually – Healthy and Ready for Planting or Floating!Perfect for planted tanks, community aquariums, breeding setups, and beginners.
🌿 Micranthemum umbrosum – Lush Baby Tears for Foreground & Carpeting
Micranthemum umbrosum, commonly called Baby Tears, is a delicate, fast-growing carpeting plant ideal for foreground use in aquascaping. With its tiny, round, bright green leaves and bushy growth, it creates a lush, natural-looking carpet or soft midground mound when trimmed regularly.
This versatile plant can grow submerged or emersed, making it perfect for planted aquariums, nano tanks, and even paludariums.
✅ Quick Specs:
Scientific Name: Micranthemum umbrosum
Common Name: Baby Tears
Height: 3–10 cm (carpeted); taller when grown emersed
Lighting: Medium to High
CO₂: Recommended for compact, lush growth
Temperature: 20–28°C
Placement: Foreground or Midground
Growth Rate: Fast
Skill Level: Intermediate
🌱 Why You'll Love It:
Bright green, round leaves add softness and vibrance
Excellent for carpets, low mounds, or nano aquascapes
Can be grown submerged or emersed
Fast growth makes it great for filling in bare areas
Perfect for high-tech or CO₂-enriched tanks
💡 Care Tips:
Regular trimming helps maintain compact, carpet-like form
CO₂ injection and good lighting encourage tighter growth
Can be planted in bunches or allowed to spread naturally
Anchor well when planting to prevent floating
📦 Sold Individually – Fresh, Bunched, and Ready to Plant!Ideal for aquascaping, nano tanks, foreground coverage, and lush green contrast.
Bring life, color, and natural beauty to your aquarium with our Assorted Freshwater Shrimp! These active little creatures are not only fascinating to watch but also help maintain a cleaner, healthier tank by feeding on algae and leftover food.
Our assorted selection may include a mix of popular shrimp species such as Cherry Shrimp, Blue Velvet Shrimp, and other vibrant varieties—perfect for adding diversity to your aquatic setup. Each shrimp boasts its own unique color pattern, making your tank a lively underwater display.
✅ Benefits:
Natural algae control and tank cleaning
Peaceful and community-friendly
Easy to care for – perfect for beginners and experts alike
Adds a splash of color to any aquarium
Care Requirements:
Temperature: 20–26°C
pH: 6.5–7.5
Diet: Algae, biofilm, and high-quality shrimp food
Tank Size: Minimum 10L with plants and hiding spots
💧 Price: Only R55 each – stock up and create a thriving shrimp colony!
Light up your aquarium with the Mixed Fluorescent Zebra Danio Collection, featuring a vibrant assortment of glowing colour morphs from the popular Danio rerio species. These genetically enhanced fish, often referred to as GloFish Zebra Danios, come in a dazzling array of neon colours—ranging from electric green, sunburst orange, cosmic blue, starfire red, and more!
Perfect for beginners and experienced aquarists alike, these energetic schooling fish are hardy, peaceful, and guaranteed to turn your tank into a living light show.
🌈 What’s Included:
Each purchase includes a variety of fluorescent colour morphs, selected at random. This means you'll receive a beautiful mix of colours such as:
Electric Green
Sunburst Orange
Starfire Red
Galactic Purple
Cosmic Blue
(Colours may vary based on availability, but all are fluorescent and high-quality.)
✨ Key Features:
Fluorescent Colouration: Each fish glows vividly under standard aquarium lighting—and shines even brighter under blue LED or actinic lighting.
Highly Active: These danios are fast swimmers and love to school together, creating a constant display of motion and light.
Peaceful & Social: Ideal for community aquariums; gets along well with other non-aggressive fish.
Incredibly Hardy: Suitable for both beginner setups and well-established aquariums.
🐟 Species Overview:
Scientific Name: Danio rerio (Fluorescent Morphs)
Common Name: GloFish / Fluorescent Zebra Danios
Adult Size: Up to 5 cm
Minimum Group Size: 5 or more for natural schooling behavior
Lifespan: 3 to 5 years
💧 Water Parameters & Care:
Temperature Range: 22°C – 26°C
pH Range: 6.5 – 7.5
Minimum Tank Size: 40L
Tank Setup: Open swimming space with soft lighting, plants, and gentle flow
Lighting Tip: Use blue or actinic LED lights to enhance the glowing effect
🍽 Diet:
Fluorescent Zebra Danios are omnivorous and thrive on a balanced diet of:
High-quality tropical flakes or micro pellets
Frozen/live foods (brine shrimp, daphnia, bloodworms)
Spirulina or veggie-based supplements for colour enhancement
🤝 Ideal Tank Mates:
These peaceful, fast-moving fish do well with:
Guppies
Tetras
Corydoras
Platies
Other GloFish or small community fish
Avoid aggressive or slow-moving tank mates, as Danios can be active feeders and outcompete less active species.
🛍️ Why Buy from Aquatic Pets SA?
✔️ Vibrant, healthy stock – locally acclimated✔️ Carefully selected colour mix with every order✔️ Safe live arrival packaging✔️ Fast nationwide delivery across South Africa✔️ Expert support before and after purchase
Add a colourful glow to your aquarium with our Mixed Fluorescent Zebra Danios. These hardy, beautiful fish bring non-stop movement and radiant colour to any freshwater setup. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned aquarist, they’re a glowing addition to your underwater world.
👉 Order now and create your very own living light show with Aquatic Pets SA!
Nerite Snail – Algae Eating Aquarium Helper
Description:The Nerite Snail is one of the most popular aquarium snails thanks to its incredible ability to clean algae without harming plants. Peaceful and easy to care for, Nerite snails make the perfect addition to both beginner and advanced aquariums. They stay small, have beautiful shell patterns, and do not reproduce uncontrollably in freshwater, making them a safe and hassle-free choice.
Key Features:
Excellent natural algae cleaner – keeps glass, plants, and décor spotless
Completely peaceful – safe with fish, shrimp, and live plants
Small and attractive with unique shell patterns
Cannot breed excessively in freshwater aquariums
Low maintenance and hardy
Care Requirements:
Tank size: Minimum 10L
Water parameters: pH 6.5 – 8.0 | Temperature 22 – 28°C
Diet: Primarily algae, but will also eat algae wafers or blanched veggies if food is scarce
Compatibility: Perfect for community tanks, planted tanks, and nano aquariums
Why Choose Nerite Snails?If you’re struggling with algae growth, the Nerite snail is one of the most effective natural solutions. They add beauty and balance to any aquarium while keeping maintenance low.