If you are looking for the best aquarium plants for angelfish then you are at the right place.
In this article, I’m going to show you the plants that are a good fit for angelfish.
I have shortlisted these plants on the basis of angelfish needs, compatibility, and their natural habitat.
Do angelfish need live plants?
It is not absolutely necessary to keep live plants in your angelfish tank.
But you should put some plants in an angelfish tank so that they can lay their eggs on them. It will also provide hiding places so they will not be stressed out all the time.
This can be achieved even with fake aquarium plants instead of live plants.
But there are so many benefits of keeping live aquarium plants in the tank rather than fake plants.
Live plants help to oxygenate the tank. They also help to filter the tank. Also, they help to control the ammonia levels in the tank.
Besides, live plants look much better than the fake plants if you take good care of it.
So, in a nutshell, it is not absolutely necessary to keep plants in an angelfish tank but I highly recommend you keep them.
What live plants do angelfish like?
In its natural habitat angelfish are usually found in the flooded forests.
Their natural habitat contains a lot of tall-growing plants and angelfish like to swim through them.
The plants also provide a lot of hiding places to Angelfish.
As angelfish like to lay their eggs on vertical surfaces, usually they lay their eggs on the leaves of the aquarium plants.
Angelfish usually like the plants that are tall growing and has wide for long leaves.
They like a densely planted aquarium which provides them a lot of hiding places.
What kind of plants can you put in a fish tank?
There are several types of plants you can keep in your fish tank
Floating aquarium plants
As the name suggests, these are the floating aquarium plants that float on the surface of the water of the aquarium.
These plants are great to create shading areas in your aquarium.
Besides, they also help to lower the temperature in the aquarium.
They also provide a lot of hiding places to the fry.
Carpet aquarium plants
Carpet aquarium plants, as the name suggests, provide a nice carpeting effect on the surface of the substrate of your aquarium.
These are the short plants that usually grow very rapidly and very close to each other, creating a nice carpeting effect.
Background midground aquarium plants
Usually, these are the tall-growing aquarium plants that you can keep in the background or in the middle ground of your aquarium.
These kinds of plants are especially good for your angelfish because they usually have wide pointed leaves on which angelfish can lay their eggs.
And it also provides a lot of hiding places to you are angelfish.
17 Best Background Plants for Aquarium
Best Aquarium Plants For Angelfish
1. Amazon Sword
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| PLANT | Amazon sword |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Echinodorus grisebachii |
| FAMILY | Alismataceae |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| LIGHT REQUIREMENT | Moderate |
| GROWTH RATE | Fast |
| TEMPERATURE | 60.8-82.4°F |
| pH | 6.5-7.5 pH |
| HARDNESS | 8-15°dH |
| PLACEMENT | Background |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 16 Inches |
| MINIMUM TANK SIZE | 10 Gallons |
Amazon sword is one of the most popular plants in the aquarium hobby.
It is also one of the few flowering aquarium plants.
This is a tall-growing stem plant that can grow as tall as 16 inches.
This plant has white long leaves and it provides a lot of hiding places which makes it an ideal plant for an angelfish aquarium.
Besides, it is a fast growing plant and it is also very easy to care for which makes it an ideal choice for beginners.
How much light does Amazon sword require?
Amazon sword does well under low to moderate lighting conditions.
Ideally, you should provide it at least two watts of light per gallon.
What’s the best place to keep it in an aquarium?
Amazon sword can grow very large and wide so ideally, you should keep it in the center of your aquarium.
It is a fast and tall growing stem plant that can grow as tall as 16 inches, so you can also keep it in the background of your aquarium.
You can also keep it in the middle ground of your aquarium if you are going for the jungle effect.
Substrate requirements
You can use any substrate for planting Amazon sword in your aquarium.
In its natural habitat, Amazon sword usually grows in a sand substrate.
So ideally, you should plant it in a sand substrate but it is not absolutely necessary.
When it comes to the substrate for Amazon sword, one thing you should keep in mind is that the substrate should be at least 2.5 inches thick.
This will allow it to form a strong root system in the substrate.
Fertilization requirements
Amazon sword is a pretty hardy plant and it can get nutrients from fish food and freshwater.
So it doesn’t necessarily require additional fertilizers.
But if you provide additional fertilizers then it will definitely benefit from it and grow faster and denser.
Amazon sword is a heavy root feeder plant so ideally you should supplement it fertilizers in the form of root tab.
But it can also draw nutrients through its leaves, so you can also use liquid fertilizers for this plant.
Ideal water parameters
Amazon sword can tolerate a wide range of water parameters.
It can tolerate temperature as low as 60 degrees Fahrenheit to up to 82 degrees Fahrenheit so you can easily keep it in a coldwater aquarium.
Its pH tolerance range is between 6.5 to 7.5 and the hardness tolerance range is between 8 to 15° DH.
Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here
2. Java Fern
See more images at Amazon here
| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| PLANT | Java Fern |
| COMMON NAMES | Java Fern |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Microsorum pteropus |
| FAMILY | Polypodiaceae |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| LIGHT REQUIREMENT | Low to Moderate |
| GROWTH RATE | Low to Moderate |
| TEMPERATURE | 68-82oF |
| pH | 6.0-7.5 |
| HARDNESS | 60-160 ppm |
| PLACEMENT | Mid to Background |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 13.5 inches |
| MINIMUM TANK SIZE | 5 Gallons |
Java fern is another popular plant in the aquarium hobby. It is also one of the best plants for Tetras and Guppies.
The best part about Java fern is that it is very easy to care for and also it is very cheap.
Java fern is a tall-growing plant with long leaves so it is a good choice for an angelfish tank.
Also, Java fern is compatible with most of the aquarium fish which makes it an ideal choice for the community tanks.
How much light does Java fern require?
Java fern is not very demanding when it comes to light.
It can do well in almost any lighting condition.
Ideally, you should keep it under moderate lighting condition and provide it at least 1.5-2 watts light per gallon.
What’s the best place to keep it in an aquarium?
Java fern is a slow-growing plant but this plant can grow pretty large. So ideally, you should keep it in the middle ground or background of your aquarium.
You can also keep it in the foreground of your aquarium if you are going for the jungle look.
Ideal water parameters
Java fern can tolerate a decent range of water parameters.
That being said, the ideal temperature range for this plant is between 60-82 degrees Fahrenheit.
Its pH tolerance range is between 6 to 7.5 and the hardness tolerance range is between 3-8 KH.
Substrate requirements
Java fern doesn’t really require any substrate to keep it in the aquarium.
But if you want to plant it in a substrate then you can use any substrate of your choice because it doesn’t draw nutrients from the substrate.
You can also just let it float in your aquarium but eventually, it will find a place in your aquarium and get attached through its rhizomes.
Fertilization requirements
The nutrients that it can get from the leftover fish food and fish poop is sufficient for this plant.
But if you want faster growth then you can always supplement it fertilizers.
As Java fern is a water column feeder plant i.e. it draws nutrients through its leaves and not through its rhizomes.
So you should supplement fertilizer in the form of liquid fertilizers.
You should add these fertilizers after the weekly water change.
Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here
3. Jungle Vallisneria
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| PLANT | Jungle Vallisneria |
| COMMON NAMES | Jungle Val, water celery, tape grass or eelgrass |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Vallisneria Americana |
| FAMILY | Hydrocharitaceae |
| CARE LEVEL | Intermediate |
| LIGHT REQUIREMENT | Medium |
| GROWTH RATE | Fast |
| TEMPERATURE | 65° – 85° F |
| pH | 6.8 – 8.0 |
| HARDNESS | Moderately Hard to Very Hard |
| PLACEMENT | Background |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 6 feet (2 meters) |
| MINIMUM TANK SIZE | 10 gallon |
Jungle Vallisneria is one of the hardy aquarium plants in the hobby.
This plant can tolerate a wide range of water parameters which makes it an ideal choice for beginners.
The natural habitat of angelfish usually contains Vallisneria so it is one of the best plants you can keep in an angelfish tank.
Besides, it is also one of the best oxygenating plants.
How much light does jungle Vallisneria require?
Jungle Vallisneria is not very demanding when it comes to light.
You can keep it in almost any lighting condition and it will do just fine.
You can easily keep it in a low lighting condition.
But if you want faster growth then you should keep it under bright lighting conditions.
What’s the best place to keep Jungle Vallisneria in the tank?
As Jungle Vallisneria is a tall-growing plant that can grow as tall as 6 feet so ideally you should keep it in the background of your aquarium.
You can also keep it in the middle ground of your aquarium if you are going for the jungle effect.
Ideal water parameters
As mentioned earlier, Jungle Vallisneria can tolerate a wide range of water parameters.
That being said, the ideal temperature range for this plant is between 65-85 degrees Fahrenheit.
Its pH tolerance range is between 6.8-8 and it does well in moderately hard to very hard water.
Substrate requirements
You can use any substrate for planting Jungle Vallisneria in your aquarium.
You can use sand or gravel substrate for this plant.
If you plant it in a nutrient-rich substrate then it will definitely benefit from it and grow faster.
Fertilization requirements
Jungle Vallisneria is a pretty hardy plant.
The nutrients that it can get from fish poop and leftover food is sufficient for its proper growth.
But if you want to encourage faster growth then you can supplement it with some additional fertilizers.
You can use both liquid fertilizers as well as root tabs for this plant.
Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here
4. Anubias
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| PLANT | Anubias |
| COMMON NAMES | |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Anubias |
| FAMILY | Araceae |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| LIGHT REQUIREMENT | Low-Moderate |
| GROWTH RATE | Slow |
| TEMPERATURE | 72-82°F |
| pH | 6.5 – 7.8 |
| HARDNESS | 60- 160 ppm |
| PLACEMENT | Mid-background |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 11+ Inches |
| MINIMUM TANK SIZE | 5 Gallons |
| PROPAGATION | Rhizome Division |
Anubias is another popular plant in the aquarium hobby. It is also one of the best plants for Shrimps.
This is a slow-growing plant so you don’t have to trim it or look after it because it is not going to take over your aquarium.
This plant is also very hardy so it is a good choice for beginners.
Besides, this plant is a bit expensive but as I just mentioned, it is hardy so it will not die very easily.
Unlike other plants in this list, this is not a tall plant. But you can easily attach it to driftwood which help to emulate the natural habitat of angelfish and make it feel comfortable and safe.
How much light does Anubias require?
Anubias is not very demanding when it comes to light.
It can easily do well under low lighting conditions.
If you want faster growth then you can also keep it under high lighting conditions.
But keeping it under high lighting conditions can also cause algae growth on the leaves of this plant.
So ideally, you should keep it under low to moderate lighting conditions. And provide it light anywhere between 2-3 watts per gallon.
What’s the best place to keep it in the tank?
Anubias is a slow-growing short aquarium plant that makes it an ideal plant to keep in the foreground of your aquarium.
If you have a nano tank then you can also keep it in the middle ground of your aquarium.
Ideal water parameters
The ideal temperature range for Anubias is between 72-82 degrees Fahrenheit.
Its pH tolerance range is between 6.5 to 7.8 and the hardness tolerance range is between 3-8 KH.
Substrate requirements
Anubias doesn’t have any real roots, instead, it has rhizomes.
So it doesn’t really draw the essential nutrients from the substrate.
So you can use any substitute for planting it in your aquarium.
You can also tie it to any ornament in your tank like driftwood or rock and then put inside your aquarium.
Fertilization requirements
For optimum growth of Anubias, you should regularly supplement fertilizers.
As it draws most of its nutrients through the water column, you should supplement liquid fertilizers.
Besides, this plant also appreciates CO2 supplementations.
Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here
6 Tips to Take Care of Live Plants in Aquarium
5. Hornwort
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| PLANT | Hornwort |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Anthocerotophyta |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| LIGHT REQUIREMENT | Medium |
| GROWTH RATE | Fast |
| TEMPERATURE | 59-86°F |
| pH | 6.0-7.5 |
| HARDNESS | 5-15 dGH |
| PLACEMENT | Background |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 10 foot |
| MINIMUM TANK SIZE | 15 gallons |
Hornwort is one most popular aquarium plants in the hobby.
This is a fast growing stem plant and it is also very easy to care for which makes it an ideal choice for beginners.
Besides, this plant can tolerate a wide range of water parameters.
If you are planning to breed your angelfish then you must keep it in the tank. Because it can provide good protection to the eggs of your angelfish.
How much light does Hornwort require?
Hornwort does well under moderate lighting conditions so you should provide it at least two watts light per gallon.
Besides, if you want to encourage fast growth then you can keep it under high lighting conditions.
Checkout our lighting recommendation
What’s the best place to keep it in the tank?
Hornwort is a tall-growing plant that can grow as tall as 10 feed which makes it an ideal choice to keep in the background of your aquarium.
Besides, you can also keep it floating in your aquarium.
Substrate requirements
Hornwort doesn’t have any real roots.
But you can use its leaves to anchor it into the substrate.
You can use any substrate of your choice to keep it in your aquarium.
Fertilization requirements
Hornwort can do well without any fertilizers.
Hornwort comes with allopathic abilities that basically allows it to draw all the available nutrients in the aquarium for itself.
So if you have other plants in your aquarium then you should regularly supplement them with fertilizers.
Ideal water parameters
Hornwort can tolerate a wide range of water parameters.
It can tolerate temperature as low as 59 degrees Fahrenheit to up to 86 degrees Fahrenheit.
Its pH tolerance range is between 6-7.5 and the hardness tolerance range is between 5 to 15° GH.
Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here
20 Tips to Maintain a Healthy Aquarium
6. Water Wisteria
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| PLANT | Water wisteria |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Hygrophila difformis |
| FAMILY | Acanthaceae |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| LIGHT REQUIREMENT | Moderate to High |
| GROWTH RATE | Fast |
| TEMPERATURE | 70-82°F |
| pH | 6.5-7.5 |
| HARDNESS | 2-8 KH |
| PLACEMENT | Background or Carpet |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 20 inches |
| MINIMUM TANK SIZE | 10 gallons |
Water wisteria is a very hardy plant.
It is also very undemanding and easy to care for which makes it an ideal choice for beginners.
Water wisteria grows very dense and provides a lot of hiding places to your angelfish so it is a good plant to keep in your Angelfish tank.
How much light does it require?
water wisteria requires moderate to high lighting conditions for its proper growth.
So you should provide it at least two to three watts of light per gallon.
This plant can survive in any lighting condition as far as it is not in a shade.
What’s the best place to keep water wisteria in the tank?
There are a couple of ways you can keep water wisteria in your aquarium.
This plant can grow as tall as 20 inches which makes it an ideal choice to keep in the background of your aquarium.
Besides, you can also spread it across the surface of your substrate and use it as a carpet plant.
Substrate requirements
Water wisteria in its natural habitat grows in the sandy substrate so ideally, you should plant it in a sand substrate.
But you can also use a fine gravel substrate for planting it in your aquarium.
Fertilization requirements
Water wisteria is a very hardy plant and can do well without any fertilizers.
But supplementing it with some additional fertilizer regularly is recommended.
Ideal water parameters
The ideal temperature for the proper growth of Water wisteria is between 70-82 degrees Fahrenheit.
Its pH tolerance range is between 6.5 to 7.5 and the hardness tolerance range is between 2-8 KH.
Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here
7. Water Sprite
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| PLANT | Water Sprite |
| COMMON NAMES | Water Fern, Indian Fern |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Ceratopteris thalictroides |
| FAMILY | Pteridaceae |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| LIGHT REQUIREMENT | Medium to high |
| GROWTH RATE | Low to Moderate |
| TEMPERATURE | 68-82°F |
| pH | 6.0-7.5 |
| HARDNESS | KH 3-8 |
| PLACEMENT | Mid to Background |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 13.5 inches |
| MINIMUM TANK SIZE | 10 Gallons |
Water sprite is one of the popular aquarium plants in the hobby.
This plant can create nice hiding places in the aquarium so it is a very good plant to keep in your angelfish tank or any community tank.
How much light does Water Sprite require?
Water sprite does well under moderate to high lighting conditions.
Ideally, you should provide it at least 2-3 watts light per gallon. But if you can provide it more than that then it will do much better.
What’s the best place to keep it in the tank?
As Water Sprite is a tall-growing plant that can grow up to 13 inches, it is a very good plant to keep in the middle ground or background of your aquarium.
Ideal water parameters
Water Sprite can tolerate a decent range of water parameters.
It can tolerate temperature as low as 68 degrees Fahrenheit to 82 degrees Fahrenheit.
Its pH tolerance range is between 6-7.5 and the hardness tolerance range is between 3-8 KH.
Substrate requirements
You can use any substrate for planting Water Sprite in your aquarium.
But the substrate should be at least two to three inches thick so that it can form a strong root system.
If you plant in a nutrient-rich substrate then it will definitely benefit from it and grow faster and healthy.
Fertilization requirements
Water Sprite can do well without any fertilizers.
But if you want to encourage fast growth then you can supplement it with regular doses of fertilizers.
Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here
Conclusion
So these are the best aquarium plants for your angelfish tank.
I hope you found this article helpful.
If you do, please share it.
As always happy fish keeping!
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