Best Aquarium Plants For Your Breeding Tank

Here, I’ve compiled a list of plants that work great in a breeding tank. The plants provide hiding spots for fry, create a natural environment for breeding or spawning to occur, provide food for fry, and, most importantly, offer surfaces for the eggs to attach to.

Adding live plants to your breeding tank is another way to improve your water quality, as they absorb excess nutrients and produce oxygen. Below I have a list of floating and planted options for you to choose from (some of these plants can be used for both).

Moss (Java, Christmas & Subwassertang)

Mosses are an excellent low-care requirement plant option. Moss is a great addition to shrimp breeding tanks, as it provides them with food and shelter.

Anubias

Anubias is a slow-growing plant that provides great cover for fry and should be secured to wood or rocks to establish and grow optimally.

Java Fern

This fern option is very similar to Anubias in respect of how they should be secured and how hardy they are. They provide an excellent surface for microorganisms to flourish on.

Elodea / Guppy Grass

Guppy grass is an easy-to-grow and versatile choice, as it can be used as a floating plant or planted in your tank, and it provides excellent hiding spots for fry.

Hornwort / Coontail

This is very similar to Guppy grass and can also be planted or grown as a floating plant. Hornwort grows very fast and densely, making it a fantastic budget option.

Amazon Sword

This is another hardy option, but decent lighting is required for this plant to flourish. Amazon Swords provide excellent cover and remove excess nutrients from the substrate and water.

Water Sprite / Water Fern

Water Sprite is an indestructible option that can float or be planted and acts as an excellent water filter, absorbing excess nutrients and preventing algae blooms.

Vallisneria

These tall-grass options multiply and provide excellent background fry shelter for any breeding tank. This plant multiplies quickly, with new shoots emerging, making it superb for removing excess nutrients from the breeding tank.

Frogbit

This floating plant is an excellent option for any open-top tank; it can also be used in lidded tanks, but it requires lighting to thrive. The roots provide abundant food and shelter for fry and a good surface for eggs to attach to.

Water Lettuce

Another great floating plant option, with roots that provide a safe space for fish fry. Water lettuce can quickly cover the water surface of your tank, and excess should be removed weekly as needed. This plant requires sufficient light to grow and flourish.

FAQ

What does excess nutrients mean in a breeding tank?

When you are feeding your fry in your breeding tank, you generally have to feed frequently, as fry have tiny stomachs and can only eat little bits at a time. Due to the frequent feeding, you will have a lot of extra food accumulating at the bottom of the tank that the fry didn’t consume.

Excess food increases nutrient levels in the water and can lead to algae blooms if not removed. Daily water changes and suctioning of excess food are highly recommended to keep algae blooms at bay and retain good water quality for your fry.