Alternanthera Sessilis is a bold and fast-growing stem plant known for its vivid red to purple foliage. Popular in both aquascaping and emersed (above-water) settings, this plant creates stunning color contrast in freshwater aquariums when provided with the right conditions. It's ideal for hobbyists looking to add vibrant color and vertical interest to their aquascapes.
Key Features:
🌿 Scientific Name: Alternanthera sessilis
📏 Growth Height: 20–40 cm (8–16 inches)
💡 Lighting Requirements: High for best color
💧 CO₂ Requirement: Strongly recommended
🌡️ Temperature Range: 22–28°C (72–82°F)
⚙️ Placement: Midground to Background
🐠 Aquarium Suitability: Best for high-tech, well-maintained planted tanks
Care Notes:
While Alternanthera sessilis can grow submerged, it thrives best in high-light, CO₂-injected tanks. Without strong lighting and nutrients, the plant may struggle to maintain its intense coloration and upright form. Frequent trimming encourages bushy, compact growth and prevents overshadowing of neighboring plants.
Why Choose Alternanthera Sessilis?
Eye-catching red-purple leaves add instant visual impact
Excellent for Dutch-style and contrast-heavy aquascapes
Encourages natural fish behavior and hiding
Can be grown emersed in paludariums or ripariums
⚠️ Note: This species is more demanding than other Alternantheras and may not be suitable for low-tech aquariums.
Add a touch of vibrant green to your aquascape with Alternanthera Species 'Green', a beautiful and less common variety of the popular Alternanthera genus. With its rich green leaves and compact growth habit, this plant brings a refreshing contrast to red-toned species and is perfect for both beginner and experienced aquascapers.
Key Features:
🌿 Scientific Name: Alternanthera sp. 'Green'
📏 Growth Height: 15–30 cm (6–12 inches)
💡 Lighting Requirements: Medium to High
💧 CO₂ Requirement: Recommended for optimal density and coloration
🌡️ Temperature Range: 22–28°C (72–82°F)
⚙️ Placement: Midground to Background
🐟 Great For: Natural-style aquascapes, nano tanks, planted displays
Care Notes:
Alternanthera 'Green' thrives in nutrient-rich substrate and consistent lighting. While CO₂ is not strictly necessary, it helps achieve fuller growth and brighter greens. This plant responds well to trimming and can form attractive clusters or hedges over time.
Why Choose Alternanthera sp. 'Green'?
Unique green coloration among the Alternanthera family
Offers depth and layering without overwhelming the layout
Excellent contrast to red or purple stem plants
Hardy and adaptable with proper care
Alternanthera Versicolor is a rare and highly decorative aquarium plant prized for its striking mix of colors—ranging from vibrant greens to shades of pink, red, and cream. With its uniquely variegated leaves and upright growth habit, this plant becomes a true focal point in any aquascape. Ideal for experienced aquarists seeking a showpiece plant for midground or background placement.
Key Features:
🌿 Scientific Name: Alternanthera versicolor
📏 Growth Height: 20–35 cm (8–14 inches)
💡 Lighting Requirements: Medium to High
💧 CO₂ Requirement: Highly recommended
🌡️ Temperature Range: 22–28°C (72–82°F)
⚙️ Placement: Midground to Background
🐠 Best For: Dutch-style tanks, highlight planting, advanced aquascaping
Care Notes:
Alternanthera Versicolor demands stable water conditions, nutrient-rich substrate, and consistent lighting to maintain its vivid multicolored foliage. Supplementing with CO₂ and micronutrients enhances leaf coloration and encourages compact, healthy growth. Regular trimming will prevent legginess and promote a fuller appearance.
Why Choose Alternanthera Versicolor?
Unusual multicolor foliage for a standout look
Perfect contrast to green and red plants
Adds sophistication and depth to aquascapes
Suitable for artistic layouts and color layering
⚠️ Note: This plant is considered moderately demanding and is best suited for established, well-maintained tanks.
Bacopa Amplexicaulis – Fast-Growing Background Plant
Bacopa Amplexicaulis is a fast-growing, upright stem plant known for its bright green leaves and ease of care. With a clean vertical growth pattern and high adaptability, this plant is perfect for filling in the background of your aquascape or creating a lush green wall effect in larger tanks.
✅ Quick Specs:
Scientific Name: Bacopa amplexicaulis
Height: 25–50 cm
Lighting: Medium to High
CO₂: Recommended for best growth
Temperature: 20–28°C
Placement: Background
Growth Rate: Fast
Skill Level: Beginner to Advanced
🌱 Why You'll Love It:
Grows tall and fast—great for filling space
Bright green stems with smooth, clasping leaves
Thrives in most aquarium setups
Easy to trim and propagate
Adds structure and movement to your aquascape
💡 Care Tips:
Provide moderate to strong lighting for upright growth
CO₂ will speed up growth and improve leaf quality
Trim regularly to prevent crowding and promote bushier tops
Propagate by cutting healthy stems and replanting in substrate
📦 Sold Individually – Fresh, Healthy, and Ready to Plant!Perfect for planted aquariums, Dutch-style tanks, or nature-inspired layouts.
Bacopa Caroliniana is a popular and easy-to-care-for stem plant with thick, rounded green leaves and a slow to moderate growth rate. Native to the southern United States, this hardy aquatic plant is perfect for beginners and experienced aquascapers alike. Its light green color and compact structure make it a versatile choice for midground to background placement in freshwater aquariums.
Key Features:
🌿 Scientific Name: Bacopa caroliniana
📏 Growth Height: 20–40 cm (8–16 inches)
💡 Lighting Requirements: Low to High (color intensifies under higher light)
💧 CO₂ Requirement: Not necessary, but enhances growth
🌡️ Temperature Range: 20–28°C (68–82°F)
⚙️ Placement: Midground to Background
🐟 Great For: Beginners, low-tech tanks, natural-style layouts
Care Notes:
This plant thrives in a wide range of conditions and can be grown submerged or emersed. Under strong lighting, the tips of the leaves may turn a bronze or reddish hue. Bacopa Caroliniana also gives off a pleasant lemony scent when handled or trimmed. It can be propagated easily by cutting and replanting healthy stems.
Why Choose Bacopa Caroliniana?
Incredibly hardy and beginner-friendly
Adds gentle green tones and soft texture to aquascapes
Fragrant when trimmed – a unique feature
Great for filling in spaces or creating a natural look
Bacopa Monnieri, also known as Water Hyssop, is a classic and hardy aquarium plant with smooth, rounded green leaves and a creeping growth habit. Ideal for beginners and low-tech tanks, this versatile plant grows well submerged or emersed and is widely used in aquascaping for its lush greenery and easy propagation.
Key Features:
🌿 Scientific Name: Bacopa monnieri
📏 Growth Height: 15–30 cm (6–12 inches)
💡 Lighting Requirements: Low to Medium
💧 CO₂ Requirement: Not required
🌡️ Temperature Range: 20–28°C (68–82°F)
⚙️ Placement: Midground to Background
🐟 Perfect For: Low-tech tanks, emersed setups, beginner aquascapes
Care Notes:
Bacopa Monnieri grows slowly but steadily in most water conditions and doesn’t require CO₂ or special substrates, making it a great choice for new hobbyists. It can also be used in paludariums or outdoor ponds and is often grown emersed for ornamental or herbal use. Propagation is simple—just cut and replant healthy stems.
Why Choose Bacopa Monnieri?
Incredibly easy to grow and maintain
Great for natural-style and low-maintenance tanks
Grows both submerged and emersed
Offers clean, bright green foliage for contrast
ring a bold splash of color to your aquascape with Reineckii Lilacina, a striking stem plant known for its deep purple to reddish hues and elegant, elongated leaves. Perfect for midground to background placement, this plant thrives in well-maintained tanks and offers stunning contrast against green plants and hardscape features.
Key Features:
🌿 Scientific Name: Alternanthera reineckii 'Lilacina'
📏 Growth Height: 20–40 cm (up to 15 inches)
💡 Lighting Requirements: Medium to High
💧 CO₂ Requirement: Recommended for optimal color and growth
🌡️ Temperature Range: 22–28°C (72–82°F)
⚙️ Placement: Midground to Background
🐠 Ideal For: Planted tanks, aquascapes, community aquariums
Care Notes:
Reineckii Lilacina appreciates rich substrates and good water flow. Under high light and CO₂ injection, it will display its most intense coloration and compact growth. Regular trimming promotes bushier growth and helps maintain its shape.
Why Choose Reineckii Lilacina?
Adds dramatic red-purple tones to any aquascape
Great for creating contrast and depth in planted aquariums
Encourages natural fish behavior by offering shelter and coverage
Enhance your aquarium with the soft, elegant tones of Reineckii Rosaefolia – a captivating stem plant with vibrant rose-pink to red leaves. Known for its dense, bushy growth and vivid coloration, this plant is a favorite among aquascaping enthusiasts and ideal for creating stunning midground or background highlights.
Key Features:
🌿 Scientific Name: Alternanthera reineckii 'Rosaefolia'
📏 Growth Height: 20–40 cm (up to 15 inches)
💡 Lighting Requirements: Medium to High
💧 CO₂ Requirement: Beneficial for best growth and color
🌡️ Temperature Range: 22–28°C (72–82°F)
⚙️ Placement: Midground to Background
🐠 Best Suited For: Planted and aquascaped tanks, community setups
Care Notes:
Reineckii Rosaefolia grows best in nutrient-rich substrate and with consistent lighting. Adding CO₂ will intensify the plant’s pinkish-red tones and encourage denser, healthier growth. Regular pruning maintains its lush, compact shape.
Why Choose Reineckii Rosaefolia?
Adds a soft pink-to-red hue to complement green plants
Excellent for visual layering and aquascape depth
Provides shelter and structure for fish and shrimp
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.
The PP9822 is part of the plastic plant series and is approximately 4.5 inches (about 11 cm) high. It is made from aquarium-safe plastic with a weighted base that helps it stay upright in gravel or sand.
It is designed to:
decorate aquariums and terrariums,
provide hiding places for fish,
and create a natural underwater appearance.
Features
Non-toxic plastic material
Fade-resistant colors for freshwater tanks
Soft flexible leaves
Weighted gravel-style base
Easy to move and clean
Suitable for beginner aquariums
Benefits
This plant is popular because it:
does not need light or fertilizer,
never dies like live plants,
helps shy fish feel secure,
and adds color instantly to a tank.
Care instructions
Before placing it in the aquarium:
Rinse with warm water only.
Do not use soap or chemicals.
Place the base into gravel or substrate.
Clean algae buildup regularly.
Things to know
Over time, plastic plants can:
collect algae,
trap dirt,
or become brittle after years underwater. Some hobbyists also mention that rough plastic edges can damage delicate fish fins.
It works best in:
freshwater community tanks,
goldfish tanks,
beginner aquariums,
and low-maintenance setups.
🌱 Echinodorus Subulatus – Hardy, Grass-Like Sword for Natural Layouts
Echinodorus Subulatus is a hardy and adaptable aquarium plant known for its narrow, grass-like leaves and fast, bushy growth. Unlike most other sword plants, this species has a lighter and more delicate appearance, making it perfect for adding movement and texture to midground to background areas of your aquascape.
It’s one of the few Echinodorus species that thrives in low-tech setups, making it an ideal choice for beginners and nature-style tanks.
✅ Quick Specs:
Scientific Name: Echinodorus subulatus
Common Name: Narrow Leaf Sword
Height: 20–45 cm
Lighting: Low to Medium
CO₂: Not required
Temperature: 20–28°C
Placement: Midground to Background
Growth Rate: Moderate to Fast
Skill Level: Beginner-friendly
🌿 Why You'll Love It:
Graceful, strap-like leaves sway gently in water flow
One of the easiest swords to grow—great for low-tech tanks
Bushy growth provides great cover for fish and shrimp
Spreads by runners to form natural groupings
Ideal for biotope and jungle-style aquascapes
💡 Care Tips:
Grows well in plain gravel or enriched substrate
Trim runners to control spread or replant for propagation
May develop bronze tones under high light
Tolerates a wide range of water conditions
📦 Sold Individually – Healthy, Rooted, and Easy to Grow!Great for community tanks, beginner setups, or lush, wild aquascapes.
Hygrophila Polysperma
The Hygrophila polysperma is one of the most popular and undemanding aquarium plants, perfect for beginners and aquascapers who want fast results. Known for its rapid growth and lush green leaves, this hardy stem plant helps create a vibrant, natural underwater environment while improving overall water quality.
Key Features:
Extremely hardy – thrives in a wide range of aquarium conditions.
Fast-growing – quickly fills in background areas and provides cover for fish and fry.
Beginner-friendly – low-maintenance and easy to propagate.
Water purifier – absorbs excess nutrients, reducing the risk of algae blooms.
Versatile use – suitable for low-tech and high-tech aquascapes alike.
Care Guidelines:
Lighting: Low to medium (brighter light enhances leaf colour).
Substrate: Grows well in sand, gravel, or nutrient-rich substrates.
CO₂ & Fertiliser: Not required but will boost growth and leaf colour.
Temperature: 20–28°C
Placement: Ideal as a background plant, but can be trimmed for midground use.
Suitable For:
Beginner aquariums
Community tanks
Planted aquascapes (low-tech or high-tech)