If you are looking for the best aquarium plants for nano tank, then you are in the right place.
In this article, I am going to show you seven small aquarium plants that you can easily keep in your nano tank.
In the end, I will also show you how to plant live aquarium plants in your nano tank.
And I’ll share with you some helpful tips for the growing healthy live aquarium plants.
So let’s dive into it.
Table of Contents
7 Best Aquarium Plants for Nano Tank
1. Cryptocoryne Wendtii Kompakt
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| PLANT | Cryptocoryne Wendtii Kompakt |
| COMMON NAMES | Crypt Wendtii Kompakt, Compact Water Trumpet |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Cryptocoryne Wendtii |
| FAMILY | Araceae |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| LIGHT REQUIREMENT | Low |
| GROWTH RATE | Medium |
| TEMPERATURE | 72-82° F |
| pH | 6.0-8.0 |
| HARDNESS | KH 3-8 |
| PLACEMENT | Mid-ground or background |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 10 cm |
| MINIMUM TANK SIZE | 5 Gallons |
Cryptocoryne wendtii is one of the most common species of live aquarium plants in the aquarium hobby.
This plant is very easy to care for, which makes it an ideal choice for beginners.
It comes in different varieties ranging from green to brown to red.
The green variety is the smallest.
Why Cryptocoryne Wendtii Kompakt is the best plant for a nano tank?
Cryptocoryne Wendtii Kompakt is the smallest variety of Cryptocoryne Wendtii.
The leaves of this variety don’t grow long. Instead, they grow round.
Besides, it grows bushy and compact so it is an ideal plant for Nano tank.
Substrate requirements
You can plant Cryptocoryne Wendtii in any substrate.
You can plant it in gravel, sand, or soil substrate.
It creates a complex root structure in the substrate. So it’ll not get easily uprooted.
Water conditions requirement
The ideal temperature range for Cryptocoryne Wendtii Kompakt is between 72° to 82° Fahrenheit, so it is a good plant to keep in a tropical aquarium.
Its pH tolerance range is between 6 to 8. And the water hardness tolerance range is between 3-8 KH.
Light requirements
Cryptocoryne Wendtii Kompakt can do well in any lighting condition as far as it is getting light.
Fertilization requirements
For a vibrant and healthy growth of Cryptocoryne Wendtii Kompakt, you should regularly supplement it with fertilizers.
You should add fertilizers into the substrate in the form of root tabs.
It also absorbs nutrients through its leaves. So you should also add liquid fertilizers in the tank.
Do I Need to Fertilize My Aquarium Plants? (Is it really necessary?)
What’s the best place to keep Cryptocoryne Wendtii Kompakt in a nano tank?
You should keep Cryptocoryne Wendtii Kompakt in the mid-ground or background of your nano aquarium.
Check the price of this plant at Amazon here
Are Aquarium Plants Good? (Everything you need to know)
2. Alternanthera Reineckii Mini
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| PLANT | Alternanthera Reineckii Mini |
| COMMON NAMES | AR Mini |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Alternanthera Reineckii |
| FAMILY | Amaranthaceae |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| LIGHT REQUIREMENT | Moderate to high |
| GROWTH RATE | Slow |
| TEMPERATURE | 75 to 80.6°F |
| pH | 6.0 – 7.0 |
| HARDNESS | up to 14°dKH |
| PLACEMENT | Mid to Background |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 8 inches |
| MINIMUM TANK SIZE | 5 gallons |
| PROPAGATION | Cutting |
Alternanthera Reineckii Mini plant is very easy to care for and grow which makes it an ideal choice for beginners.
It is also very good for oxygenating the tank.
Why Alternanthera Reineckii Mini is the best plant for a nano tank?
Alternanthera Reineckii Mini is, as the name suggests, the small version of the popular Alternanthera Reineckii plant.
This plant grows pretty slowly. And it grows compact, which makes it an ideal choice to plant in a nano tank.
Substrate requirements
For healthy and vibrant growth, you should plant Alternanthera Reineckii Mini in a nutrient-rich substrate.
Water conditions requirements
The ideal temperature range for Alternanthera Reineckii Mini is between 75° to 80° Fahrenheit. So it is a good plant to keep in a tropical aquarium.
Besides, its pH tolerance range is between 6-7. And it does well in soft to slightly acidic water.
Light requirements
Alternanthera Reineckii Mini does well under moderate to highlighting conditions.
If you want vibrant red coloration, then you should keep it under highlighting conditions anywhere between 3 to 4 Watts per gallon if you are using fluorescent light.
Or light over 50 micromoles if you are using LED light.
Do Aquarium Plants Need Light? (Do they really need a special light)
Fertilization requirements
For healthy and vibrant growth, regularly supplement Alternanthera Reineckii Mini with fertilizers.
You should add the fertilizers that are especially rich in iron for the coloration.
What’s the best place to keep Alternanthera Reineckii Mini in a nano tank?
Alternanthera Reineckii Mini grows up to 10 cm. So depending on the size of your nano aquarium, keep it in the mid-ground or background of your tank.
Check the price of this plant at Amazon here
Are Aquarium Plants Hard To Keep? (And how to keep them healthy)
3. Anubias Nana Petite
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| PLANT | Anubias Nana Petite |
| COMMON NAMES | dwarf Anubias |
| 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 | 8 inches |
| MINIMUM TANK SIZE | 5 Gallons |
| PROPAGATION | Rhizome Division |
Anubias is one of the most popular plant species in the aquarium hobby.
Anubias Nana Petite is a small variety of Anubias species.
This plant is very easy to care for, which makes it an ideal choice for beginners.
Why Anubias Nana Petite is the best plant to keep in a nano tank?
Anubias Nana Petite is a small variety of Anubias.
This plant has small leaves of about one to two inches. And it can grow a maximum of 8 inches and its growth rate is very slow. That’s why it is an ideal plant to keep in a nano aquarium.
Substrate requirements
You can plant Anubias in any substrate whether that is sand or gravel.
You can also attach it to any ornament in your tank like driftwood or rock, etc.
Ideal water conditions
The ideal temperature range for Anubias petite is between 72° to 82° Fahrenheit. So it is a very good plant to keep in a tropical aquarium.
Besides, its pH tolerance range is between 6.5 to 7.8. And the water hardness tolerance range is between 3-8 KH.
Light requirements
Anubias nana petite is not very demanding for light.
You can keep it in low light and under highlighting conditions.
Under low lighting conditions, its growth will be slow.
On the other hand, under highlighting conditions, it will grow faster but then it will also be susceptible to algae growth.
So ideally, keep it under moderate lighting conditions of anywhere between 2 to 3 Watts per gallon if you are using fluorescent light. Or between 35 to 50 micromoles if you are using LED light.
Fertilization requirements
Anubias can do well without additional fertilizers.
However, for healthy and faster growth, you should regularly supplement it with liquid fertilizers.
And you should add the fertilizers after the weekly water change.
This plant will also appreciate CO2 supplementation, and it will grow faster.
Best place to keep Anubias nana petite in a nano tank?
Anubias nana petite can grow anywhere between 5 to 8 inches tall.
So depending on the size of your nano tank, keep it in the foreground or mid-ground of your tank.
Check the price of this plant at Amazon here
Do Aquarium Plants Need CO2? (Can you keep them without co2)
4. Corkscrew Vallisneria
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| PLANT | Corkscrew Vallisneria |
| COMMON NAMES | Corkscrew Val |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Vallisneria torta |
| FAMILY | Tapegrass |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| LIGHT REQUIREMENT | Moderate to High |
| GROWTH RATE | Fast |
| TEMPERATURE | 68-82.5 °F |
| pH | 5-8 |
| HARDNESS | Hard water |
| PLACEMENT | Background |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 20 inches |
| MINIMUM TANK SIZE | 5 gallon |
Corkscrew Vallisneria is a very undemanding plant.
This plant can tolerate a wide range of water parameters, especially the temperature.
It is also very easy to care for. So it is a very good choice if you are a beginner.
Why Corkscrew Vallisneria is the best plant for a nano aquarium?
Though Corkscrew Vallisneria grows pretty tall (up to 20 inches), its growth rate is very slow.
So you can keep it in the background of your nana tank. You just have to trim it occasionally.
Besides, you don’t need a lot of Corkscrew Vallisneria plants because it sends runners which propagates pretty quickly.
Substrate requirements
You can plant Corkscrew Vallisneria in sand or fine gravel substrate.
However, it’ll do you better in a nutrient-rich substrate, as it will get a lot of nutrients from the substrate.
Water conditions requirements
Corkscrew Vallisneria can tolerate temperature as low as 68° Fahrenheit to up to 82° Fahrenheit.
So you can easily keep it in cold water as well as in a tropical aquarium.
Its pH tolerance range is between 5 to 8. And it does well under hard water.
Light requirements
Corkscrew Vallisneria does well under moderate to highlighting conditions.
Compared to moderate lighting conditions, under highlighting conditions, it will grow much faster.
In your nano aquarium, keep it under moderate light of anywhere between 12 to Watts per gallon if you are using fluorescent light. Or between 35 to 50 micromoles if you are using LED light.
Fertilization requirements
Corkscrew Vallisneria is a pretty hardy plant. And it can do well without any additional fertilizers.
However, for healthy and faster growth, you should supplement it with root tabs.
What’s the best place to keep Corkscrew Vallisneria in a nano tank?
As it grows tall, keep it in the background of your nano aquarium.
Check the price of this plant at Amazon here
17 Best Background Plants for Aquarium (For Large and Nano Tanks)
5. Bucephalandra Mini
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| PLANT | Bucephalandra Mini |
| COMMON NAMES | Buce |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Bucephalandra |
| FAMILY | Araceae |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| LIGHT REQUIREMENT | Low |
| GROWTH RATE | Slow |
| TEMPERATURE | 71-82.5 °F |
| pH | 6-7.5 |
| PLACEMENT | Foreground |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 4 inches |
| MINIMUM TANK SIZE | 5 gallon |
Bucephalandra species is one of the most popular live aquarium plant species in the aquarium hobby.
And the Bucephalandra Mini variety is a small variety of Bucephalandra species.
This plant is very easy to care for so it is a good choice if you are a beginner.
Why Bucephalandra mini is the best plant for a nano tank?
As mentioned earlier, Bucephalandra mini is a small variety of Bucephalandra species.
Besides, this plant grows pretty slowly, which makes it an ideal choice for a nano tank.
Substrate requirements
You can put Bucephalandra on the gravel substrate and eventually it will get attached to it. You can also attach it to any ornament like driftwood or rock.
I recommend attaching it to rock or driftwood.
Light requirement
Bucephalandra mini is not very demanding when it comes to light.
It will do perfectly fine under low lighting conditions.
However, if you want to encourage faster growth, then you can keep it in moderate to highlighting environment.
Water conditions requirement
The ideal temperature range for Bucephalandra mini is between 71 to 82° Fahrenheit
Its pH tolerance range is between 6 to 7.5. And it will do well in soft and/or hard water.
Fertilization requirements
Bucephalandra mini can do well without any additional fertilization.
However, if you want to encourage faster growth, then you should supplement it with additional fertilizers in the form of liquid. It will also benefit from an additional CO2 injunction.
What’s the best place to keep Bucephalandra mini in a nano tank?
Bucephalandra mini doesn’t grow too tall. So depending on the size of your nano tank, you can keep it in the foreground or mid-ground of your tank.
Check the price of this plant at Amazon here
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6. Monte Carlo
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| PLANT | Monte Carlo |
| COMMON NAMES | Bacopita, New Large Pearl Grass, Tweedie's pearlweed, Montecarlo pearlweed |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Micranthemum Tweediei |
| FAMILY | Linderniaceae |
| CARE LEVEL | Medium |
| LIGHT REQUIREMENT | Medium to high |
| GROWTH RATE | Medium |
| TEMPERATURE | 68°-77° F |
| pH | 5.5 – 7.5 |
| HARDNESS | 2 to 15 GH |
| PLACEMENT | Foreground to mid-ground |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 1-2.25 inches |
| MINIMUM TANK SIZE | 5 gallons |
| PROPAGATION | Splitting, cutting off daughter plants |
Monte Carlo has recently become very popular in the aquarium hobby.
This plant got his name from the city in Argentina, Monte Carlo.
Why Monte Carlo is the best plant to keep in a nano tank?
Monte Carlo is a short plant. And aquascapers commonly used as a carpet plant.
Unless you are not supplementing it with additional CO2, it will not grow fast.
So because of its slow growth and small height, it is an ideal plant to keep in a nano tank.
Substrate requirements
Monte Carlo requires a good amount of nutrients for its proper growth.
So ideally, you should plant it in a nutrient-rich substrate.
Water conditions requirements
Monte Carlo can tolerate a wide range of water parameters
It can tolerate temperature as low as 68° Fahrenheit to up to 77° Fahrenheit.
So you can easily keep it in cold water as well as in a tropical aquarium.
Besides, its pH tolerance range is between 5.5 to 7.5. And water hardness tolerance range is between 2 to 15 GH.
Light requirements
Monte Carlo does well under moderate to highlighting conditions.
It can also survive in low light, but it will not be its best under low light.
Fertilization requirements
Additional fertilization and CO2 is not necessary for Monte Carlo.
However, if you want faster, thicker, and compact growth, then you should supplement it with additional fertilizers as well as CO2.
What is the best place to keep Monte Carlo in a nano aquarium?
Monte Carlo is a short plant and it is commonly used as a carpet aquarium plant.
So you should put it in the foreground or mid-ground of your nano aquarium.
Check the price of this plant at Amazon here
Are Aquarium Plant Fertilizers Safe For Fish? (Best fish safe fertilizers)
7. Marimo Moss Ball
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| PLANT | Marimo Moss Ball |
| COMMON NAMES | Cladophora ball, lake ball, moss ball |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Aegagropila linnaei Kützing |
| FAMILY | Pithophoraceae |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| LIGHT REQUIREMENT | Low-moderate |
| GROWTH RATE | Slow |
| TEMPERATURE | 60° to 80° F |
| pH | 6 - 8 |
| HARDNESS | 4 - 17 dH |
| PLACEMENT | foreground, Mid-ground, Carpet |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 12 in |
| MINIMUM TANK SIZE | 5 gallons |
| PROPAGATION | Splitting, cutting off daughter plants |
Marimo moss ball is the easiest plant to keep in your aquarium. It is basically an algae.
It is very undemanding, so it is a great choice if you are a beginner.
Why Marimo Moss Ball is the best plant for a nano tank?
Marimo Moss Ball grows a maximum of 12 inches. And its growth rate is very slow, which makes it an ideal choice for a nano tank.
Substrate requirements
Marimo Moss Ball doesn’t need to be planted in an aquarium, so you don’t need any substrate to keep it in your aquarium.
Water conditions requirements
Marimo Moss Ball is a very hardy plant, and it can do well in almost any environment.
That being said, the ideal temperature range for Marimo Moss Ball is between 60° to 80° Fahrenheit.
Its pH tolerance range between 6 to 8. And its water hardness tolerance range is between 4 to 17 dH.
Light requirements
You can keep Marimo Moss Ball in almost any lighting environment.
Just make sure it is not getting direct sunlight.
Fertilization requirements
Marimo moss ball is very undemanding. And it can do just fine without any additional fertilization.
Best place to keep Marimo Moss Ball in a nano tank
You can literally throw Marimo Moss Ball in your nano tank and it will do just fine.
Besides, you don’t have to keep Marimo Moss Ball as balls in your aquarium.
You can use them as a carpet plant by flattening them on the substrate of your aquarium.
You can also wrap them on the hardscape and put it in your aquarium.
Check the price of this plant at Amazon here
6 Tips to Take Care of Live Plants in Aquarium
How do you plant a nano tank?
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How do you keep aquarium plants healthy?
Aquarium plants require a few things for healthy growth.
- Good substrate if necessary
- Good lighting
- Sufficient nutrients
- Ideal water conditions
Good substrate
There are two types of aquarium plants
- Root feeder aquarium plants
- Water column feeder aquarium plants
If you are going to keep water column feeder aquarium plants, then they don’t require nutrient-rich substrate.
However, if you are going to plant root feeder aquarium plants, then they will benefit if you plant them in a nutrient-rich substrate.
This is because they absorb nutrients from their roots. So they’ll be able to absorb nutrients from a nutrient-rich substrate through their roots.
However, you can also plant a root feeder aquarium plant in sand or gravel substrate. But then you’ll need to provide them nutrients by adding root tabs into the substrate.
Overall, you should do research about the plant you are going to plant in your tank and check for its substrate requirements.
Good lighting
Plants require light for the process of photosynthesis.
It is the first process by which plants prepare their own food.
So lighting is very important when it comes to the healthy growth of plants.
Every plant has different light requirements. So before planting the plant, you should research the plant and find out what are its light requirements. And then you should provide it with the ideal lighting.
Sufficient nutrients
Plants require several nutrients for their healthy growth, just as we do.
Plants usually get some nutrients such as Carbon, Nitrogen from the aquarium naturally if you have some fish in your tank.
However, they’ll not get all the essential nutrients.
That’s why you need to supplement plants with fertilizers to provide them all the essential nutrients.
If you have root feeder aquarium plants, then you should supplement them fertilizers in the form of root tabs.
If you have water column feeder plants, then you should supplement them with liquid fertilizers.
Do Aquarium Plants Absorb Ammonia? (5 best plants to reduce ammonia in a fish tank)
Ideal water conditions
Different plants come from different environments.
So they have particular water conditions requirements for their proper growth.
Most plants are pretty adaptive to water conditions. And they can survive in most environments.
However, for optimum growth, you should always research the plant and find out what are its ideal temperature, pH, and water hardness range. And then you should maintain the water parameters between the ideal range.
Lastly, balancing the aquarium is very important when it comes to healthy planted tank.
You need to maintain the ideal water parameters. And maintain a balance between the light and the nutrients you’re providing to your plants.
Conclusion
So these are the best plants for a nano tank.
I hope you found this article helpful.
If you do, please share it.
Happy fishkeeping!
