If you are looking for the best aquarium plants for shrimp then you are at the right place.
In this blog post, I’m going to show you the plants that you can use in your shrimp aquarium.
I have divided these plants into two categories.
- Plants for nano shrimp tank– These are the plants that you can use in your nano shrimp tank
- Floating aquarium plants– These are the floating plants that you can use in your shrimp tank.
Best Aquarium Plants For Nano Shrimp Tank
1. Java Moss (My pick)
See more images at Amazon here
| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| PLANT | Java moss |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Vesicularia dubyana |
| FAMILY | Hypnaceae |
| CARE LEVEL | Very easy |
| LIGHT REQUIREMENT | Low to Bright |
| GROWTH RATE | Fast |
| TEMPERATURE | 59-86°F |
| pH | 5.0 to 8.0 |
| HARDNESS | 60- 240 ppm |
| PLACEMENT | Foreground |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 4 inches |
| MINIMUM TANK SIZE | 5 gallon |
Java Moss is a very popular aquarium plant and it is commonly used in aquascaping.
It is a very hardy plant and can tolerate a wide range of water parameters which makes it ideal for beginners.
It is a very good plant for a nano shrimp tank because it grows very dense that provides lots of hiding places to shrimps.
How much light does Java Moss require?
Java Moss can survive in almost any lighting condition.
You can keep it in low lighting condition but then it will grow lankier.
On the other hand, when you keep it under strong lighting it will grow denser and compact which is ideal for shrimp.
Also, when you keep it under high light it promotes algae hair growth.
So your shrimp will get algae to eat.
Checkout our lighting recommendation
What’s the best place to keep Java Moss in a nano shrimp tank?
As mentioned earlier, Java Moss is very commonly used in aquascaping.
This is because you can keep it in a variety of different ways in your tank.
You can just let it float in your tank or you can also tie it to any ornament like driftwood or rock and then put it into the tank.
You can also use it as a carpet plant.
So, it really comes down to what aesthetics you are looking for.
Substrate requirements
Java Moss doesn’t have true roots.
Instead, it has rhizoids to attach itself to other things like rock, driftwood, etc.
So substrate is not necessary for keeping Java moss in your tank.
You can just let it float in the tank, tie it to any ornament in your tank like driftwood or rock.
You can also use it as a carpet plant.
Fertilization requirements
Java Moss can grow without any fertilizers.
This is one of the things that make it good for shrimp tanks because some fertilizers contain copper in high quantity which is harmful to shrimp.
Ideal water parameters
As mentioned earlier, Java Moss 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 5 to 8.
And it does well in soft water.
Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon.com here
Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon.co.uk here
6 Tips to Take Care of Live Plants in Aquarium (For Beginners)
2. Subwassertang
Photo by Rǫgn under CC BY-SA 4.0
| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| PLANT | Subwassertang |
| COMMON NAMES | Süsswassertang, Süßwassertang, Round Pellia, False Round Pellia |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Süsswassertang |
| FAMILY | Lomariopsidaceae |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| LIGHT REQUIREMENT | Low to moderate |
| GROWTH RATE | Slow |
| TEMPERATURE | 68-73° F |
| pH | 6-8 |
| HARDNESS | 0 - 21°dKH |
| PLACEMENT | Floating |
| MINIMUM TANK SIZE | 5 gallon |
Subwassertang is very easy to care for plant.
And it is very undemanding which makes it a good choice for beginners.
This plant grows dense like Java moss and its growth rate is slow which makes it ideal for nano shrimp tanks.
It provides a lot of hiding places for shrimp and baby shrimp.
It also creates a very good feeding ground for baby shrimp.
This plant also improves the overall water quality of the tank by removing harmful toxins and heavy metals from the water.
It also helps to oxygenate the tank water.
How much light does Subwassertang require?
Subwassertang doesn’t require very strong lighting.
It can do well in low to moderate lighting conditions.
How to keep Subwassertang in a nano shrimp tank?
You can just let it float in your aquarium and it will find a place for itself in the tank.
You can also attach it to any ornament like driftwood or rock and then put it in your aquarium.
Substrate requirements
Subwassertang doesn’t have true roots.
So, it doesn’t require any substrate to keep it in the aquarium tank.
You can just let it float in the tank or you can tie it to any ornament like driftwood or rock and then put inside the tank.
Ideal water parameters
The ideal temperature for the proper growth of Subwassertang is from 68 to 73 degrees Fahrenheit.
Its pH tolerance range is from 6 to 8.
And it does well in soft water.
Fertilization requirements
Subwassertang doesn’t require any fertilizers for its growth.
Which makes it ideal for any shrimp tank because some fertilizers contains copper in excess quantity which is potentially harmful to your shrimp.
12 Benefits of Live Plants in an Aquarium
3. Pearl Weed
See more images at Amazon here
| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| PLANT | Pearl weed |
| COMMON NAMES | MICRANTHEMUM MICRANTHEMOIDES |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Pearl Grass and Baby Tears |
| FAMILY | Scrophulariaceae |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| LIGHT REQUIREMENT | Moderate |
| GROWTH RATE | Slow |
| TEMPERATURE | 66° - 82° F |
| pH | 6.3 - 7.2 |
| HARDNESS | 4 - 18°N |
| PLACEMENT | Foreground, midground, background.,carpet |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 6 inches |
| MINIMUM TANK SIZE | 5 gallon |
Pearl weed is a relatively undemanding plant and it is very easy to care which makes it ideal for beginners.
This is a slow-growing plant and it provides lots of hiding places for shrimp which makes it ideal for nano shrimp tanks.
How much light does Pearl weed require?
Pearl weed do well in moderate lighting conditions.
How to keep Pearl weed in a nano shrimp tank?
Pearl weed is a short stem plant. It is a very popular plant in aquascaping because you can keep it anywhere in the plant tank whether that is foregground, midground or in the background of the tank.
You can also use it as a carpet plant.
Substrate requirements
Pearl weed gets its nutrients through its roots so you should keep it in a nutrient-rich substrate.
Ideal water parameters
The ideal temperature for the proper growth of Pearl weed is between 60 to 82 degree Fahrenheit and its pH tolerance range is between 6.3 to 7.2.
Fertilization requirements
As mentioned earlier, for the optimum growth of Pearl weed you should keep it in a nutrient-rich substrate.
For denser growth, you can supplement it with additional CO2.
The supplementation of additional CO2 also increases its growth rate.
Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon.com here
12 Benefits of Live Plants in an Aquarium
4. Anubias
See more images at Amazon here
| 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 one of the popular plants in the aquarium hobby.
This is a slow-growing plant and it provides a lot of cover to shrimps which makes it ideal for nano shrimp tanks.
Besides, it is a very hardy plant and it is very easy to care for which makes it a good choice for beginners.
How much light does Anubias require?
Anubias can grow in wide lighting conditions.
Though it can grow in a low lighting condition of 1.5-2 Watts per gallon, it will grow faster in higher lighting condition
But when you keep it under high lighting conditions, it can also cause algae growth on this plant.
But algae is not a problem in shrimp tank as shrimps like to eat algae.
So ideally, you should provide moderate lighting to anubias of at least 2-3 watts per gallon.
What’s the best place to keep anubias in a nano shrimp tank?
Anubias is a short stem plant that can grow up to 11 inches.
So, in a nano shrimp tank, you should keep it in the mid-ground or background of the tank.
Substrate requirements
Anubias doesn’t have real roots. Instead, it has rhizomes.
So you can use any substrate for this plant whether that is gravel, sand or a nutrient-rich substrate.
You can also attach it to any ornament in the tank like driftwood or rock.
It does get some nutrients through its rhizomes so it can benefit if you keep it in a nutrient-rich substrate.
Fertilization requirements
Anubias can benefit from fertilizers so you should regularly supplement it with some fertilizers.
While choosing the fertilizers just make sure that the fertilizers contain copper in low quantity.
You can also supplement anubias with CO2 for faster growth.
Ideal water parameters
The ideal temperature for the proper growth of anubias is between 70 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit.
Its pH tolerance range is between 6.5 to 7.8 and the hardness tolerance range is between 3-8 KH.
Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon.com here
Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon.co.uk here
5. Christmas Moss
See more images at Amazon here
| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| PLANT | Christmas moss |
| COMMON NAMES | Christmas moss |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Vesicularia montagnei |
| FAMILY | Hypnaceae |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| LIGHT REQUIREMENT | Moderate to high |
| GROWTH RATE | Moderate to high |
| TEMPERATURE | 68-82°F |
| pH | 5-7.5 |
| HARDNESS | 5-20 dH |
| PLACEMENT | Floating, foreground |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 4 inches |
| MINIMUM TANK SIZE | 5 gallon |
Christmas moss is another easy to care plant that can tolerate a wide range of water parameters.
This is a very hardy plant which makes it ideal for beginners.
This plant is very popular in aquascaping because it can produce very beautiful results.
This plant grows very dense, similar to Java moss, which provides lots of hiding places to shrimps and baby shrimps.
Provided with the ideal environment, it can grow very fast so when you keep it in a nano tank, you should regularly trim it.
How much light does Christmas moss require?
You can keep Christmas moss under moderate to high lighting conditions.
When you keep it in high lighting condition it will grow faster than when you keep it in moderate lighting condition.
You should provide it lighting of at least 3-4 watts per gallon.
How to keep Christmas moss in a nano shrimp tank?
In the natural habitat, Christmas moss is attached to the surface of the rock in a stream.
There are several ways you can keep Christmas moss in your nano tank.
You can just let it float in your tank.
Or you can attach it to any ornament in your tank like driftwood or rock.
You can also use it as a carpet plant.
Substrate requirements
Christmas moss doesn’t really have any true roots so it doesn’t really require any substrate to keep it in the tank.
You can just let it float in the tank or tie it to any ornament like driftwood or rock and then put it in the tank.
Ideal water parameters
The ideal temperature for the proper growth of Christmas moss is between 68 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit and its pH tolerance ranges between 5 to 7.5.
Fertilization requirements
Christmas moss can grow without any fertilizers.
But for denser growth, you can supplement it with some liquid fertilizers, just make sure that it has copper in low quantity.
It will also benefit from additional supplementation of CO2.
Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon.com here
Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon.co.uk here
Floating Plants For Shrimp Tanks
6. Water Lettuce
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| PLANT | Water Lettuce |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Pistia |
| FAMILY | Araceae |
| CARE LEVEL | Moderate |
| LIGHT REQUIREMENT | Moderate |
| GROWTH RATE | Moderate |
| TEMPERATURE | 70 to 80 °F |
| pH | 6.5-7.2 pH |
| HARDNESS | Soft to Moderately Hard |
| PLACEMENT | Water Surface |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | 10 inches |
| MINIMUM TANK SIZE | 10 gallon |
Water lettuce is a popular floating plant in the aquarium hobby.
This plant can be challenging to grow in a home aquarium as it requires a lot of humidity to grow.
But if you provide it with ideal conditions it will grow very quickly and even take over your aquarium.
This plant is very good for a shrimp tank because it can provide a lot of hiding places for shrimps that helps to reduce stress.
How much light does water lettuce require?
Ideally, you should provide moderate lighting to water lettuce.
You can use a full-spectrum T5 or T8 bulb for this plant.
Usually, it is kept in shade in the stores so when you get it for your home aquarium you should slowly introduce it in your well-lighted aquarium.
You can do so by reducing the intensity of the light of your aquarium if it has a feature to do so.
Or you should keep it under light for fewer hours say for 3-4 hours initially and then you should gradually increase it.
How to keep water lettuce in a shrimp tank?
Water lettuce is a floating aquarium plant so you should let it float on the surface of the water of your aquarium.
Substrate requirements
As water lettuce is a floating plant, you don’t need any substrate to keep it in your shrimp tank.
You should just let it float on the surface of the water of your tank.
Ideal water parameters
The ideal temperature for the proper growth of water lettuce is between 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit and its pH tolerance range is between 6.5 to 7.2.
It can tolerate soft to moderately hard water.
Fertilization requirements
Water lettuce doesn’t require any fertilizers for its growth.
It is a very good thing as you are going to keep it in a shrimp tank because some fertilizers contain copper in very high concentrations that can potentially harm your shrimp.
Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon.com here
Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon.co.uk here
7. Hornwort
See more images at Amazon here
| 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 a fast-growing stem plant that can grow as tall as 10 feet.
You can keep it as a floating plant in your shrimp tank aquarium.
It will provide a lot of hiding places to your shrimps.
This plant is very easy to care for and can tolerate a wide range of water parameters which makes it ideal for beginners.
How much light does hornwort require?
When it comes to light for hornwort, the more the light it gets the faster it grows.
Usually, lighting will not be a problem when you keep hornwort as a floating plant in your tank.
Ideally, you should provide it moderate lighting of at least 2 to 3 watts per gallon.
How to keep hornwort in a shrimp tank?
There are a couple of ways you can keep it in a shrimp tank.
You can either anchor it into a substrate or you can just let it float in your aquarium.
Either way, it will provide a lot of hiding places to your shrimps.
Substrate requirements
Hornwort doesn’t have true roots.
But you can use its leaves to anchor it to a substrate.
You can use any substrate for this plant, whether that is gravel or a nutrient-rich substrate.
You can even use a sand substrate for this plant.
Also, you can just let it float in your aquarium.
Ideal water parameters
As mentioned earlier, 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 and Its pH tolerance range is between 6-7.5 and its hardness tolerance range is between 5 to 15 dGH.
Fertilization requirements
Hornwort is equipped with allelopathic abilities which basically allows it to release certain chemicals that block the growth of other plants so that it can use all the available nutrients for itself.
So it actually doesn’t require fertilizers for itself but if you are keeping other plants with hornwort then you should add some fertilizers in your tank so that other plants can also get nutrients for their growth.
Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon.com here
Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon.co.uk here
Plants Help to Lower Ammonia in an Aquarium
8. Red Root Floater
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| PLANT | Red Root Floater |
| COMMON NAMES | Red Root Floater |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Phyllanthus fluitans |
| FAMILY | Phyllanthaceae |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| LIGHT REQUIREMENT | Low to High |
| GROWTH RATE | Fast |
| TEMPERATURE | 70° - 82° F |
| pH | 6.5 - 7.5 |
| PLACEMENT | Floating |
| MINIMUM TANK SIZE | 10 gallon |
Red root floater is a fast-growing floating plant.
It is a very hardy plant which makes it a good choice for beginners.
This plant provides a lot of hiding places to shrimp so it is a very good floating plant for shrimp tanks.
This plant does well in open-top tanks because it cannot tolerate too much humidity or moisture.
Too much humidity or moisture can rot this plant.
Also, you should avoid keeping this plant in your tank if it has a high level of surface
agitation.
How much light does a Red root floater require?
Red root floater can do well in almost any lighting condition whether that is low or high.
But to gets to get its red coloration on leaves, you should keep it under highlighting conditions.
How to keep Red root floater in a shrimp tank?
Red root floater is a floating plant so you should just let it float on the surface of the tank.
Ideally, you should keep it in an open-top aquarium because it cannot tolerate too much humidity or moisture.
Fertilization requirements
Red root floater can do well without any fertilizers.
It can also do well without any supplementation of CO2.
But if you provide it CO2 supplementation then it will benefit from it and it will show its red coloration on its leaves.
Ideal water parameters
The ideal temperature for the proper growth of Red root floater is between 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit and its pH tolerance ranges between 6.5 to 7.5.
Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon.com here
Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon.co.uk here
Plants help to Increase Oxygen in an Aquarium
9. Duckweed
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| PARAMETERS | VALUES |
|---|---|
| PLANT | Duckweed |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME | Lemnoideae |
| FAMILY | Araceae |
| CARE LEVEL | Easy |
| LIGHT REQUIREMENT | Low to high |
| GROWTH RATE | Fast |
| TEMPERATURE | 42.8 to 91.4° F |
| pH | 5.0 to 9.0 |
| WATER HARDNESS | 17 to 180 ppm |
| PLACEMENT | Floating |
| MAXIMUM SIZE | Each ‘pod’ is 0.8 inches long |
| MINIMUM TANK SIZE | 2 gallons |
Duckweed is a fast-growing floating plant.
This plant is very hardy and undemanding which makes it ideal for beginners.
Aquarists have mixed opinions about this plant.
Some consider it a rampant pest.
And for others, it is a very good plant to improve water quality.
The thing is, this plant can grow very fast and it can take over your tank very quickly.
That can result in low oxygen levels and low light in the aquarium.
So, if you are going to keep it in the tank, you should keep an eye on its growth and regularly trim it.
If kept in control, this plant can act as a very good water purifier for your shrimp aquarium.
How much light does duckweed require?
Do duckweed is a very undemanding floating plant when it comes to water parameters but it does require high lighting for its proper and fast growth.
How to keep duckweed in a shrimp tank?
Duckweed is a floating plant so you should just let it float on the surface of the water of your tank.
Ideal water parameters
As mentioned earlier, duckweed can tolerate a wide range of water parameters.
It can tolerate temperature as low as 42 degrees Fahrenheit to up to 91 degree Fahrenheit.
Its pH tolerance range is between 5 to 9.
Substrate requirement
As duckweed is a floating plant it doesn’t require a substrate to keep it in the tank.
You should just let it float on the surface of the water of your aquarium.
Fertilization requirements
Duckweed can do well without any fertilizers but if you supplement it with some liquid fertilizer it can benefit from it.
Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon.com here
Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon.co.uk here
Plants Help to Lower Temperature in an Aquarium
FAQ
What plants do Cherry shrimp-like?
Cherry shrimp-like Java Moss, Java fern, aAnubias, Water wisteria, etc in the aquarium.
All these plants provide hiding places for shrimps.
They are also very easy to care for and can tolerate a wide range of water parameters.
Besides, these plants can do well without any fertilizers.
This is very important because some fertilizers may contain copper which is harmful to Cherry shrimps.
Do Cherry shrimp need live plants?
Ideally, you should keep live plants in Cherry shrimp aquarium because it will provide them a lot of hiding places.
This is important especially if you are keeping them with other fish.
Besides, Cherry shrimps thrive and feel secure when they are kept with the plants they prefer for example Java Moss, Java fern and some other moss plants.
Cherry shrimp also like to nibble on these plants.
What plants do freshwater shrimp eat?
Freshwater shrimp eat almost any plant you keep in the aquarium.
They also eat algae in your aquarium and keep your it clean.
Besides, you should also feed them some commercial food like fish flakes, shrimp pellets, algae wafers, etc.
20 Tips to Maintain a Healthy Aquarium
Conclusion
So, these are the best aquarium plants for a shrimp tank.
I hope you found this article helpful.
If you do, please share it.
If you have any doubts, let me know in the comment section below I will be happy to help you.
Also, let me know if you have any suggestions in the comments section below.
Happy fishkeeping!
