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10 Best Root Feeder Aquarium Plants (Easy Aquarium Plant Varieties)

In this article, I am going to show you the best root feeder aquarium plants that are very easy to care for and maintain.

This list includes various aquarium plant varieties such as fast growing, short and background aquarium plants.

So let’s begin the list.

Best Root Feeder Aquarium Plants

Best Root Feeder Aquarium Plants

1. Amazon Sword

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PARAMETERSVALUES
PLANTAmazon sword
SCIENTIFIC NAMEEchinodorus grisebachii
FAMILYAlismataceae
CARE LEVELEasy
LIGHT REQUIREMENTModerate
GROWTH RATEFast
TEMPERATURE 60.8-82.4°F
pH6.5-7.5 pH
HARDNESS8-15°dH
PLACEMENTBackground
MAXIMUM SIZE16 Inches
MINIMUM TANK SIZE10 Gallons

Amazon sword is one of the most popular and fast growing aquarium plants in the hobby.

This plant is very easy to care for so it is an ideal choice for beginners.

It is also one of the best oxygenating plants.

How much light does it require?

Amazon sword does well in moderate lighting conditions.

So you should provide it anywhere between 2-4 watts of light per gallon.

Also, you should provide it light for 11 to 12 hours every day.

What’s the best place to keep it in an aquarium?

Amazon Sword is a fast growing tall stem plant.

It can grow as tall as 16 inches so it is a very good plant to keep in the background of your aquarium.

If you have a large tank and you are going for a jungle effect then you can also keep it in the middle ground of your aquarium.

Substrate requirements

You can use any substrate for planting it in your aquarium whether that is sand or gravel.

But you should make sure that the substrate should be at least 2.5 inches thick so that it can form a strong base.

As it is a heavy root feeder plant, if you plant it in a nutrient-rich substrate it will definitely benefit from it and thrive in your aquarium.

Fertilization requirements

Amazon Sword is a very hardy plant and it doesn’t really require any additional fertilizers to grow in your aquarium.

But if you supplement it with some fertilizers it will definitely benefit from it.

As Amazon sword is a root feeder you should supplement it with root tabs.

Ideal water parameters

Amazon sword can tolerate a wide range of temperatures.

It can tolerate temperature as low as 60 degrees Fahrenheit to up to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

So you can easily use it in a cold water 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. Ludwigia Repens

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PARAMETERSVALUES
PLANTLudwigia Repens
COMMON NAMESLudwigia repens, Ludwigia repens Rubin, Red repens, Ludwigia sp. Weinrot, Red-Leaf Ludwigia, Creeping Primrose-Willow
SCIENTIFIC NAMELudwigia repens
FAMILYOnagraceae
CARE LEVELEasy
LIGHT REQUIREMENTLow to very high
GROWTH RATEModerate to Fast
TEMPERATURE60- 86oF
pH5 - 8
HARDNESSVery soft to hard level
PLACEMENTBackground
MAXIMUM SIZE7-19 inches
MINIMUM TANK SIZE10 gallon

Ludwigia repens is one of the most popular and beautiful red aquarium plants in the hobby.

It features color ranges from deep green to dark red.

This plant is also very easy to care for and maintain so it is a good choice for beginners.

It can tolerate how a wide range of water parameters and you can easily keep it in a cold water aquarium.

It is also one of the best plants for Tetras.

How much light does it require?

As Ludwigia repens is a red plant if you want to get it’s a red coloration you have to provide it high lighting conditions.

Else, it will do well in moderate lighting conditions.

So basically, Ludwigia repens require moderate to high lighting conditions of anywhere between 2-4 Watts per gallon.

What’s the best place to keep it in an aquarium?

Ludwigia repens is a tall-growing stem plant that can grow as tall as 19 inches which makes it a good background plant.

Ideal water parameters

As mentioned earlier, Ludwigia repens can tolerate a wide range of water parameters.

That being said, the ideal temperature for the proper growth of this plant is between 60-86 degrees Fahrenheit.

Its pH tolerance ranges between 5 to 8 and it can do well in very soft to very hard water.

Substrate requirements

You can use any substrate for planting Ludwigia repens in your aquarium whether that is gravel or sand.

Fertilization requirements

Ludwigia repens is not very demanding when it comes to fertilizers.

But for its fast growth and red coloration, you should supplement it with fertilizers regularly.

As it is a root feeder, you should supplement it fertilizers in the form of root tabs.

Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here

6 Tips to Take Care of Live Plants in Aquarium (For Beginners)

3. Cryptocoryne Wendtii

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PARAMETERSVALUES
PLANTCryptocoryne Wendtii
COMMON NAMESWendt’s Cryptocoryne, water trumpet
SCIENTIFIC NAMECryptocoryne Wendtii
FAMILYAraceae
CARE LEVELEasy
LIGHT REQUIREMENTLow
GROWTH RATEMedium
TEMPERATURE72-82° F
pH6.0-8.0
HARDNESSKH 3-8
PLACEMENTBackground
MAXIMUM SIZE6 inches
MINIMUM TANK SIZE5 gallon

Cryptocoryne wendtii is another popular aquarium plant.

This plant is very easy to care for so it is a good choice for beginners.

This plant comes in a wide varieties.

It comes in different color variations from red, brown to green.

The green variety of this plant is suitable for small aquariums as it doesn’t grow very tall.

How much light does it require?

Cryptocoryne wendtii is very undemanding when it comes to lighting.

It can survive in low to high lighting conditions.

So, you can provide it lighting anywhere between 2-4 Watts per gallon.

Checkout our lighting recommendation

What’s the best place to keep it in an aquarium?

Depending on the variety of Cryptocoryne wendtii, you can keep it in the background, mid-ground or foreground of your aquarium.

The green variety Cryptocoryne wendtii doesn’t grow very tall so it is a very good background plant for small tanks.

And it is also a very good foreground or midground plant for large tanks.

Ideal water parameters

The ideal temperature for the proper growth of Cryptocoryne wendtii is between 72 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit.

Its pH tolerance range is between 6-8 and hardness tolerance range is between 3-8 KH.

Substrate requirements

You can use any substrate for planting Cryptocoryne wendtii in your aquarium whether that is gravel or sand.

Fertilization requirements

For thriving Cryptocoryne wendtii, you should supplement it regularly with fertilizers.

As it is root feeder plant, you should supplement it fertilizers in the form of root tabs.

Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here

12 Benefits of Live Plants in an Aquarium (Pros and Cons)

4. Jungle Vallisneria

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PARAMETERSVALUES
PLANTJungle Vallisneria
COMMON NAMESJungle Val, water celery, tape grass or eelgrass
SCIENTIFIC NAMEVallisneria Americana
FAMILYHydrocharitaceae
CARE LEVELIntermediate
LIGHT REQUIREMENTMedium
GROWTH RATE Fast
TEMPERATURE65° – 85° F
pH 6.8 – 8.0
HARDNESSModerately Hard to Very Hard
PLACEMENTBackground
MAXIMUM SIZE6 feet (2 meters)
MINIMUM TANK SIZE10 gallon

Jungle Vallisneria is another hardy aquarium plant.

This is a tall-growing plant that can grow as tall as 6 feet.

It is also one of the earliest aquarium plants in the hobby.

How much light does it require?

Jungle Vallisneria is not very demanding when it comes to light.

It can do fine in low lighting conditions but if you provide it more light it will grow faster.

So, you can provide it light anywhere between 2-4 Watts per gallon.

What’s the best place to keep it in an aquarium?

As JKungle Vallisneria is a tall-growing plant that can grow as tall as 6 feet it is a very good background plant for any aquarium.

Ideal water parameters

The ideal temperature for the proper growth of Jungle Vallisneria is between 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

So depending on the species in your aquarium, you can keep it even in the cold water aquarium.

Its pH tolerance ranges between 6.8-8 and it does well in hard water.

Substrate requirements

You can use any substrate of your choice whether sand or gravel for planting Jungle Vallisneria in your aquarium.

Fertilization requirements

For thriving Jungle Vallisneria, you should supplement it with iron-rich fertilizers.

As it is a root feeder, it will benefit from root tabs.

Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here

5. Anubias

See more images at Amazon here

PARAMETERSVALUES
PLANTAnubias
COMMON NAMES
SCIENTIFIC NAMEAnubias
FAMILYAraceae
CARE LEVELEasy
LIGHT REQUIREMENTLow-Moderate
GROWTH RATESlow
TEMPERATURE72-82°F
pH6.5 – 7.8
HARDNESS60- 160 ppm
PLACEMENTMid-background
MAXIMUM SIZE11+ Inches
MINIMUM TANK SIZE5 Gallons
PROPAGATIONRhizome Division

Anubias is one of the most popular aquarium plants in the hobby. It is named after Egyptian God Anubis.

This plant is very easy to care for so it is a good choice for beginners.

It is also one of the flowering aquarium plants.

How much light does it require?

Anubias is not very demanding when it comes to light.

This plant can survive in low lighting conditions and it will grow faster in high lighting conditions.

But high lighting conditions can cause algae growth on this plant.

You can provide it light anywhere between 2-4 Watts per gallon.

What’s the best place to keep it in an aquarium?

Anubias is a short aquarium plant that can grow a maximum of 11 inches.

So depending on the size of your aquarium, you should keep it in the foreground or mid-ground of your tank.

As it is a short plant, it is ideal for shrimp.

Ideal water parameters

The ideal temperature for the proper growth of Anubis is between 72 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit.

Its pH tolerance range is between 6.5 to 7.8 and hardness tolerance ranges between 3 to 8 KH.

Substrate requirements

Anubias doesn’t really have true roots instead it has rhizomes.

So you can keep it in your aquarium in many different ways.

You can tie it to any rock or driftwood or you can plant it into the substrate.

You can use any substrate for planting Anubias in your aquarium whether that is sand or gravel.

Anubias do absorb nutrients through its rhizomes so planting it in a nutrient-rich substrate is definitely going to help it.

While planting it into the substrate, just make sure not to bury all its rhizomes into the substrate. They should be visible above the substrate.

Fertilization requirements

For optimum growth of Anubias, you should supplement it with fertilizers regularly.

As it absorbs nutrients through its rhizomes, if you have planted it into a substrate, you should supplement it fertilizers in the form of root tabs.

Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here

More Root Feeder Aquarium Plants

6. Dwarf Sagittaria

Dwarf Sagittaria
PARAMETERSVALUES
PLANTDwarf Sagittaria
SCIENTIFIC NAMESagittaria subulata
FAMILYAlismataceae
CARE LEVELEasy
LIGHT REQUIREMENTModerate
GROWTH RATEFast
TEMPERATURE68-82°F
pH6-8
HARDNESS3-12
PLACEMENTMid-foreground
MAXIMUM SIZE12 Inches
MINIMUM TANK SIZE10 gallon

Dwarf Sagittaria is a fast growing aquarium plant that absorbs nutrients through its roots. It can tolerate a wide range of water parameters so it’s ideal for beginners. It is also one of the best flowering aquarium plants.

Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here

7. Aponogeton Crispus

Aponogeton Crispus
PARAMETERSVALUES
PLANTAponogeton Crispus
SCIENTIFIC NAMEAponogeton Crispus
FAMILYAponogetonaceae
CARE LEVELEasy
LIGHT REQUIREMENTModerate
GROWTH RATEFast
TEMPERATURE64-86° F
pHbelow 7.5
PLACEMENTBackground
MAXIMUM SIZE 9-10 inches
MINIMUM TANK SIZE20 gallon

8. Ludwigia Palustris

Ludwigia Palustris

Image source under CC BY-SA 4.0

PARAMETERSVALUES
PLANTLudwigia Palustris
COMMON NAMESLudwigia sp. 'Red', Ludwigia 'Mini Super Red', Ludwigia sp. 'Super Red'
SCIENTIFIC NAMELudwígia palústris (L.) Elliott
FAMILYOnagraceae
CARE LEVELEasy
LIGHT REQUIREMENTModerate
GROWTH RATEFast
TEMPERATURE64-82° F
pH5 - 7
HARDNESS0 - 14°dKH
PLACEMENTFore-midground
MAXIMUM SIZE19 inches
MINIMUM TANK SIZE10 gallon
PROPAGATIONCutting

Ludwigia Palustris is a very undemanding plant which makes it an ideal choice for beginners. It is also one of the best red aquarium plants.


Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here

9. Italian Vallisneria

PARAMETERSVALUES
PLANTItalian Vallisneria
COMMON NAMESItalian Vallisneria
SCIENTIFIC NAMEVallisneria spiralis
FAMILYHydrocharitaceae
CARE LEVELEasy
LIGHT REQUIREMENTModerate
GROWTH RATEModerate to Fast
TEMPERATURE72-80℉
pH6.0-7.5
HARDNESS4 - 18°N
PLACEMENTBackground
MAXIMUM SIZE11.81 - 21.65 inch
MINIMUM TANK SIZE10 gallon

Italian Vallisneria is a very cheap and hardy plant making it a good choice for beginners. This plant doesn’t have any specific substrate requirements so you can plant it even in a sand substrate.

Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here

10. Micro Sword

PARAMETERSVALUES
PLANTMicro Sword
SCIENTIFIC NAMELilaeopsis brasiliensis
FAMILYApiaceae
CARE LEVELModerate
LIGHT REQUIREMENTHigh
GROWTH RATEFast
TEMPERATURE70 to 83°F
pH6.8-7.5
PLACEMENTForeground
MAXIMUM SIZE3 Inches
MINIMUM TANK SIZE10 gallon

Micro sword is not a very easy plant but its very rewarding. This is a short stem plant so you can use it as a carpet plant. If you provide it with sufficient nutrients, it can grow pretty fast.

Check the latest price of this plant at Amazon here

FAQ

Is Ludwigia root feeder?

Yes, Ludwigia is a root feeder. 

The thing is Ludwigia absorbs nutrients for itself through its roots as well as through its leaves.

So people have mixed opinions weather Ludwigia is a root feeder or water column feeder.

But I do think that Ludwigia is more root feeder than water column feeder.

What are the fastest-growing aquarium plants?

There are a lot of fast growing aquarium plants like Amazon sword, Sagittaria, Hornwort, Amazon frogbit, Java Moss, Water wisteria, Giant hygrow, Duckweed, Anacharis, and Green foxtail.

I have written a detailed article on this topic on my website here.

What are root tabs for aquarium plants?

Root tabs are nothing but fertilizers in the form of tabs.

This kind of fertilizer is used for root feeder aquarium plants.

Supplementing fertilizers in the form of root tab is very easy.

You just have to toss the root tabs near the roots of your aquarium plants and the roots of the plant will then absorb nutrients from the root tabs automatically.

Are Anubias root feeders?

Yes, Anubias are root feeders.

They absorb nutrients from their roots. So you should use a nutrient-rich substrate for them or you can also supplement them with fertilizers in the form of root tabs.

Can aquarium plants grow in gravel?

Yes, there are a lot of good aquarium plants that can grow in gravel.

Some examples of these plants are Anubias, Amazon sword, Jungle Vallisneria, Ludwigia repens, Asian ambulia, Java moss, etc.

I have written in detail about this topic on my website here.

20 Tips to Maintain a Healthy Aquarium

Conclusion

So these are the best root feeder aquarium plants for aquarium.

I hope you found this list helpful.

If you do, please share it.

Also, let me know if you have any doubts or questions and also let me know your suggestions in the comments section below.

Happy fishkeeping!

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Author
Prathmesh Gawai
He is the main author and editor at Aquagoodness.com. And he loves to share helpful information on aquarium and/or fishkeeping hobby. Prathmesh has over five years of aquarium and/or fishkeeping experience. Currently, he has a Betta fish tank. He has written hundreds of articles on various aquarium fish species and on fish tank maintenance over the last five years. Connect with him on YouTube here. Learn more about him here.

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