10 Best Live Plants For Guppies: A Curated List

What are the best aquarium plants for guppies? How to choose suitable plants for guppy tanks? Plants are an essential component of your guppy tank since they clean and oxygenate the water in addition to replicating their natural environment. More importantly, mossy or leafy layouts give young guppies places to hide and stay protected.

How to Select Plants For Guppy Tanks?

When it comes to picking plants for guppies, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Light Levels

When choosing plants for guppies, make sure that your aquarium’s conditions are suitable for the plants to grow. For example, some require high light levels and others prefer low ones. Hence, you can tell what would work best in an individual tank by asking yourself if it has medium or low lighting already set up first!

Lots of Covers

The best way to keep your guppies alive is by providing them with cover. Plants for guppies provide baby fish with hiding spots, which they can use if the adult tankmates are too aggressive or dominant in numbers. However, this will not always work as some of those marauding adults may target offspring instead!

Densely planted tanks also help maintain clean water that’s well oxygenated for both plants and fishes alike.

Ease of Care

The easiest plants to take care of are those that can survive with little water and low humidity. I am in favor of hardy aquatic plants because they don’t require much maintenance, which is great when you have a busy schedule!

It’s not easy to take care of your guppy tank, so having plants that are simple to maintain would be a boon. It’s advisable to pick hardy aquatic plants that don’t require much attention because they can live in a wide range of water conditions and temperatures.

10 Best Live Plants For Guppies

The basic rule is that guppies love plants that they can swim through, beneath, and shelter from (Java Moss works well). Guppies are shy and easily startled, thus they like plants with which they can readily hide. Guppies like plants that are close to the bottom, however certain floating plants will also work.

Guppies enjoy nibbling on plants as well as plants that can hold their eggs. Plastic plants for guppies are OK, but they do not filter the water and cannot be eaten, so the obvious choice is a living plant over a fake one (we have covered them separately here).

Any of the top 10 plants for guppies mentioned below would be a fantastic addition to your guppy aquarium.

Java Moss

• Growth Rate: Fast
• Max Height: 5” in height and width
• Light Demands: Low to medium
• CO2: Not required
• Difficulty: Easy

Java Moss is the perfect plant for guppies that aquarists want to throw into their tank and call it day. This hardy, fast-growing alga provides lots of hiding spaces, so baby guppies can grow in Java moss with relative ease, which makes this green stuff some serious breeding ground potential!

Pros

• Easy to maintain
• Oxygenates the water
• Can survive in a wide range of lighting conditions.
• Hardy plant that may be grown in any tank size.

Cons

• If the light is too intense, algae may bloom.

Flame Moss

• Growth Rate: Medium to fast
• Max Height: 4”
• Light Demands: Medium
• CO2: Not required
• Difficulty: Easy

Flame moss is one of the fun plants for guppies to have in your tank, as it will provide hiding spots and more decoration. The growth rate of this aquatic greenstuff depends on the light needs – if you want quick stems that grow quickly then go with Java Moss. However, flame moss has medium-speed growing characteristics so people who don’t like fast plants may find themselves happier than before!

Additionally, these two types are similar given their need for moderate water conditions (though flame moss takes less). But what sets them apart from each other? Well, maybe its appearance…  Flame Mushrooms look just like dark green flames because they spread out horizontally.

Pros

• Easy to take care of
• Grow upwards into the shapes of flames
• Offers excellent coverage for fry

Cons

• Bacteria can develop if the plant is exposed to too much light

Java Fern

• Growth Rate: Fast
• Max Height: 14”
• Light Demands: Low
• CO2: Not required
• Difficulty: Easy

This plant is native to the Philippines, where it thrives prosperously. It’s an interesting plant that resembles a hybrid between Java moss and the Amazon Sword. It has long, flowing leaves that move with the ebb and flow of the water. This fern is quite resilient and does not require any particular care or water conditions.

It is extremely resistant to alteration and shifting environmental conditions. These plants for guppies can grow well under low lighting and CO2 levels, so that is not an issue, and they still do a good job of purifying the water. This plant’s form is perfect for guppies since it provides them with a place to hide and swim beneath. The Java Fern does require anchoring, but it is simple to do.

Pros

• Beginner-friendly plants for guppies
• Can live in a wide range of water conditions.

Cons

• For guppy fries, you’ll need a lot of Java Ferns.

Moneywort

This is a highly interesting and one-of-a-kind alternative plant for guppies to consider. Moneywort has long, thin flower-like stalks with rounded, flat, and extremely short leaves. This plant grows at a reasonable rate, and the leaves mature to a reasonable size. The undersides of the leaves offer excellent hiding spots for your guppies who need a break from the aquarium’s noise and bustle.

You receive two bunches of four or more stems that are 6 to 12 inches long each. This plant, as you can see, is better suited for bigger tanks. Moneywort is also a good generator of biofilm, it filters the water, and it looks great.

Pros

• Efficient producer of biofilm
• Grows a little quickly
• Nice-looking and good for guppies

Cons

• Too big for smaller aquariums

Chain Sword

The Chain Sword is a very simple plant for guppies that requires simple care. It can thrive in low-light conditions and with little CO2. It also doesn’t require any particular fertilizer or nutrients, and it may thrive in a variety of water conditions. It’s an excellent plant for novices who don’t want to devote too much time to plant maintenance.

This plant works well in both the foreground and background. The wonderful thing about this Chain Sword is that it comes with the substrate, so you can practically insert it directly into your tank. Because this plant grows rather large, you may need to trim the leaves on sometimes. This plant’s tall and broad leaves provide great hiding spots for your guppies all day.

Pros

• It includes the substrate.
• Very user-friendly plants for guppies
• Resistant to low light and CO2 levels

Cons

• Grows to be rather huge
• Regular pruning is required

Anubias Barteri

This plant is fresh from a dedicated tank, so you can be confident that it will arrive in good condition. This is an excellent plant for quite shallow and small aquariums. It barely grows a few inches tall and is broader than it is tall. It has very broad and large leaves.

These leaves will give enough of cover for your guppies. The Anubias Barteri also produces a lot of helpful biofilm and can filter water pretty well. The Anubias Barteri does not require any particular care, does not require much illumination, and may live in a variety of situations.

Pros

• Produces a large amount of beneficial biofilm
• It is hardy and does not require any specific conditions.
• Best suited to shallow, tiny tanks
• Probable to arrive in good health

Cons

• Larger tanks will find it too tiny.
• Not rapidly expanding
• Regular pruning is required.

Christmas Moss

• Growth Rate: Slow
• Max Height: 2”
• Light Demands: Medium
• CO2: Not required
• Difficulty: Medium

Christman Moss has branches that develop to resemble Christmas trees, as the name suggests. Christmas Moss is thicker and grows at a far slower rate than Java Moss. Nonetheless, it provides great protection for newborn guppies.

When it comes to the amount of care required, however, there is a significant difference between Java Moss and Christmas Moss. The latter plant demands a little more care and attention in order to thrive. Also, to keep the plant healthy, Christmas Moss takes a little pruning now and then.

Pros

• It provides excellent coverage.
• This plant is ideal for making moss carpets and walls.
• It gives the tank a deep, lovely hue.

Cons

• It needs modest attention.

Anacharis Elodea Densa

• Growth Rate: Medium to fast
• Max Height: 8”
• Light Demands: Medium
• CO2: Not required
• Difficulty: Easy

Anacharis Elodea, often known as Brazilian Taer Weed, is an excellent background plant for guppies. This fast-growing plant may reach a height of 8 inches, with dark green stems and a dense canopy of leaves. These leaves provide the ideal environment for guppies to deposit eggs and for their fry to develop and hide.

When it comes to Anacharis Elodea care, it’s crucial to remember that it won’t stop growing. You’ll need to maintain pruning the plant on a regular basis, or it’ll just take over the tank. Besides, the plant might appreciate some liquid fertilizer.

Pros

• It helps remove pollutants from the water.
• Can grow in a wide range of water conditions.
• It looks fantastic as a backdrop plant for guppies.

Cons

• It needs to be trimmed on a regular basis.

Water Sprite

• Growth Rate: Fast
• Max Height: 13.5”
• Light Demands: Medium to high
• CO2: Not required
• Difficulty: Easy

Water Sprite, or Ceratopteris Thalictroides, with its vibrant green hue, is one of the most beautiful aquarium plants for guppies. You may either allow the plant to float in the water or use sand or gravel as a substrate. Even though Water Sprite does not require fertilizer, applying liquid fertilizer can significantly increase its growth and health.

It is also known as Water Fern, and it is one of the most popular aquarium plants for guppies due to its versatility and ease of maintenance.

Pros

• Simple-to-maintain plants for guppies
• Provides excellent covering for fried
• Can be planted or left to float.
• Algae growth is prevented.

Cons

• It may grow too big to fit in tiny tanks.

Water Wisteria

• Growth Rate: Fast
• Max Height: 20”
• Light Demands: Medium to high
• CO2: Not required
• Difficulty: Easy

Water Wisteria is a sturdy plant for guppies that’s easy to care for, making it one of the most adaptable plants. This plant may be utilized as a carpet or as a backdrop plant, depending on your preference.

Did I mention that Water Wisteria aids with water purification? Because it absolutely does! Furthermore, this vivid green plant provides a plethora of hiding places for fry.

Pros

• Hardy plants for guppies
• Can be used as carpet plants or allowed to float
• Helps to keep the water clean

Cons

• It requires enough illumination.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Guppies Need Live Plants?

Guppies love to have live plants in their tanks. The benefits of keeping them are the fact that the water will be cleaner, and there is less risk for algal blooms. It’s easier to clean off any dirt that ends up on top of an aquarium with floating greenery instead than just letting algae grow unchecked if you only had rocks or sand available (which can’t provide enough nutrients).

There is evidence too that suggests some types of plants may help decrease stress levels among fish by giving off oxygen bubbles when they absorb necessary CO2. This means our aquatic friends feel safer! While these furry little critters certainly don’t need anything else but plenty Macro-and vert.

Do Guppies Eat Live Aquarium Plants?

Having said that the roots will host small creatures such as microfauna, which make the perfect meal for guppy fry due to their size. Adult fish usually do not eat floating plants because only those in contact with soil can get at them, but young ones are much more prone this way since they’re still learning how things work!

Adult guppies usually avoid floating plants because only the roots are available to them. However, the young fry can benefit from these small creatures that live there – microfauna such as seed shrimp or copepods which make great meals due to their size!

Do Guppies Eat Floating Plants?

Aquariums with a lot of foliage are ideal for keeping pet fish. A planted aquarium, on the other hand, is difficult to nurture and maintain. Because it is labor-intensive, the last thing you want is for your fish to devour all of your plants. And guppies are a suitable choice for a planted tank because guppies do consume plants to some extent.

Guppies, as omnivores, require both plant and animal nourishment. Guppies obtain the majority of their plant nutrition from fish flakes and algae in the tank. As a result, while they nibble on the leaves, they do not cause significant damage to aquatic plants.

Do Guppies Like Heavily Planted Tanks?

Guppies love heavily planted tanks that give them lots of places to hide and explore. Having a heavily planted tank will also promote breeding between guppy males, which is important for the survival rate in captivity!

If you have plans on buying plants for guppies, ensure there’s enough open space where your fry can swim around freely without being cramped or stuck against plants too close together. This way, it’ll make their stay much more pleasant than if left unchecked by plant life.

Can Too Many Live Plants Kill Guppies?

Having too many plants for guppies will not kill your fish, but if the plant isn’t well-looked after then it could lead your fish to an issue that would, in turn, make them sick.

For example, if there is too much sunlight on a single species of aquatic life (and they all get this special light), then that one specific type can become overpopulated since more flowers are produced than food! You may think this sounds cute at first; however, by filling up their stomachs with wasted energy while also using oxygen from within themselves – the result has been seen as “unhealthy.”

To avoid such problems you need variety set up lavishly throughout every corner of the tank, so each guppy can get its own space.

Can Guppies Live With Glofish?

An aquarium filled with lovely, colorful guppies and neon glofish would resemble an aquatic paradise. However, because they are both tropical fish, you cannot maintain them in the same tank. To evaluate if the fish are compatible, you need consider a variety of criteria, including their individual behavioral habits. So can guppies coexist with glofish?

Guppies cannot coexist with all glofish species. They only acclimatize to some glofish kinds better than others. Guppies coexist nicely with Tetra Glofish and Glofish Barbs. Other glofish species, such as the Danio Glofish and Rainbow Shark Glofish, can cause stress in guppies.

The Final Thought

When it comes to the finest live plants for guppies, all of the alternatives listed above are excellent options to consider (Java Moss is our top pick). Just keep in mind that guppies like green vegetation and places to hide. If you keep those characteristics in mind, you should have no trouble selecting the perfect aquarium plants for your young guppies.