The Best Floating Aquarium Plants are vital to its ecosystem and the welfare of fish: the water oxygenation and filtration, their interest is not as decorative. But maintaining plants can be tedious because they need nutrient soil to grow in good conditions.

The latter is not the most aesthetic and ends up mixing with the ground, which can make the hairs of the most manic aquarists stand on end.

Although we can replace natural plants with artificial plants, the aesthetic is not there. You can also opt for an aquarium without a plant for a clean look.

The aquarium plants without substrate are the best solution when you want to fly its aquarium without nutritious soil. These plants usually grow on branches and rocks, stay on the surface, or simply have no root.

Here are 10 Best Floating Aquarium Plants without a substrate that will perfectly decorate your tank.

The Best Floating Aquarium Plants for Beginners & Guide

Anubias Barteri Var Nana

The anubia type plants, very easy to maintain and ideal for beginners, are freshwater aquarium plants to fix on roots.

• Appearance: Sturdy, dark green oval leaves, resembling succulents
• Water temperature: 20 to 30 ° C
• Lighting: Low
• Function in the aquarium: Front decoration of the aquarium

Java fern (Microsorum pteropus)

The Java fern is a freshwater aquarium plant that attaches itself with its rhizome or a small thread to a support: rock, root or even decoration. Its roots must not be buried otherwise they will rot. Small bonus: it is very robust and therefore easy to maintain.

• Appearance: Long, light green leaves with a hard texture, sometimes consisting of several leaflets
• Water temperature: 16 to 30 ° C
• Lighting: Medium
• Function in the aquarium: a source of food for vegetarian fish; background decoration; hiding place for small fish

Ceratophyllum Demersum

Called Cerato among aquarists, this floating and supplied plant is a perfect hiding place for small fish on the surface. This plant has the particularity of growing quickly and is an excellent natural anti-algae.

• Appearance: Small, thin, filiform leaves up to 4 cm in size
• Water temperature: 18 to 26 ° C
• Lighting: Medium
• Function in the aquarium: Hiding place for small fish; decoration; anti-algae

Java moss (Vesicularia dubyana)

Java moss is an ornamental plant without substrate very common in aquariums. It is very suitable for beginners because it does not require a lot of maintenance and reproduces easily naturally.

• Appearance: Very dense dark green foam
• Water temperature: 15 to 28 ° C
• Lighting: Low
• Function in the aquarium: Decoration on all types of support or on the bottom; food source for small fish and fry

Riccia Fluitans

La Ricci des floats is a very popular floating foam that is very easy to maintain. It can be submerged to give a dense grass appearance or on various supports by fixing it with a nylon thread, but it will have to be supplied with CO2.

• Appearance: Very dense light green moss with grassy appearance
• Water temperature: 15 to 30 ° C
• Lighting: Medium
• Function in the aquarium: Ornamental plant on the bottom of the aquarium or a stand; source of food for fry; used as a floating plant it serves as a hiding place for small fish

Cladophora Linnaei

Cladophora Linnaei (formerly Cladophora aegagropila) is not actually a plant since it is a round shaped algae. It is often found commercially under the name of anti-nitrate ball although it is a trade name. This algae is mainly a food source and a hiding place for shrimp and fry. However, it can spread and invade the aquarium or even lose its shape and loosen in small unsightly bits.

• Appearance: Ball
• Water temperature: 6 to 24 ° C
• Lighting: Low
• Function in the aquarium: Source of food for shrimps and fry, very useful in breeding; hiding place for fry

Spiral Vallisneria (Vallisneria Spiralis)

The Spiral Vallisneria is a large plant that can reach a height of one meter which serves in particular as an ornament to dress the background of the aquarium. This plant is suitable for beginners because it does not require any special maintenance. The advantage of this plant is that it grows naturally to propagate. In streams, it undulates and gives a very nice effect.

• Appearance: Long thin hard leaf
• Water temperature: 15 to 32 ° C
• Lighting: Medium
• Function in the aquarium: Aquarium background decoration

Duckweed (Lemna Minor)

Duckweed is a plant that floats on water and forms like a carpet, covering the entire surface. This plant proliferates very quickly and invasion can happen quickly! It is mainly a plant used to absorb nitrate and algae. But the fry and prawns will appreciate finding refuge in its roots.

• Appearance: Floating plant that consists of one or more round to oval, light green leaves
• Water temperature: 5 to 30 ° C
• Lighting: Medium
• Function in the aquarium: Reduces nitrates; rebalances the water in the aquarium; plant cover on the surface; hiding place for small fish

Sumatran fern (Ceratopteris Thalictroides)

The Sumatran fern is a great ally in the fight against algae by absorbing nutrients from the latter. It is fixed as much on the ground as on a support according to the effect one wishes to give. It is also a plant known for beginners because it is easy to maintain. Its only drawback is its ability to spread quickly.

• Appearance: 40-60cm green plant composed of elliptical or oval light green leaves
• Water temperature: 22 to 28 ° C
• Lighting: Medium
• Function in the aquarium: Reduces nitrates; rebalances the water in the aquarium; plant cover on the surface; hiding place for small fish

Cryptocoryne Wendtii brown

The Cryptocoryne Wendtii brown is renowned in the aquarium hobby for its ability to perfectly adorn the front of an aquarium. In general, plants of the Cryptocorynes family require in principle a nutritious soil but it is quite possible to maintain them without substrate.

• Appearance: Brown, dense plant with long, wavy leaves
• Water temperature: 22 to 30 ° C
• Lighting: Low
• Function in the aquarium: Decoration in the foreground of the aquarium

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