Best Plants For Angelfish 

Angelfish are a popular freshwater fish that can be found in many pet stores. They are relatively easy to care for and come in a variety of beautiful colors. 

One of the most important decisions an aquarist has to make when setting up their tank is what plants to include. 

Angelfish love to swim in schools, so it is important to choose plants that will provide plenty of spaces for them to hide. 

But when it comes to adding plants to your aquarium there are an infinite number of options available, and the important question here is how to choose the best one for your tank?

The color, shape, size, and water conditions must all be considered to achieve the most attractive appearance overall.

In today’s article, we’ll show you the top 10 plants that will make your angels happy while also giving your aquarium a tropical vibe.

So without further ado, let’s jump into the first one.

1. Java Moss 

Java moss is a kind of moss that grows naturally in Southeast Asia. 

This Java moss is the most frequently utilized aquatic moss and, for all purposes, one of the most famous aquarium plants.

Unlike other aquatic plants, Java moss does not have roots. Instead, it has tangled, thin green stems with tiny leaves. 

It attaches itself to surfaces like rocks instead of growing in the dirt using roots for support because as we mentioned it doesn’t have any.

And because it doesn’t grow in the soil, it absorbs nutrients through its leaves and stems, so it’s not a feeder of roots.

Furthermore, the unique qualities of Java moss are its simplicity of maintenance and the fact that it requires little care, which makes it an excellent plant for novices.

Aside from its simple maintenance, Java moss is also very adaptable. It doesn’t just have a beautiful purpose in the tank; it also aids in the stability and security of your fish and other smaller creatures.

Characteristics

How Much Light Does Java Moss Require?

The distinction between Java moss and other aquarium plants is that it does not require a lot of light. This makes it ideal for low-tech aquariums that do not feature sophisticated lighting systems.

What’s The Best Place To Keep Java Moss In The Tank?

Java moss, like other carpet plants, can be used to cover the bottom of your aquarium like a carpet or it can grow on the sides of your aquarium.

Substrate Requirements For Java Moss

Java moss is commonly used as a foreground cover for sandy or rocky environments, but it will grow on nearly any surface. 

Fertilization Requirements For Java Moss

Java moss does not require fertilizers to thrive. It will take off faster if you use fertilizers, but frankly, it is already growing quite quickly on its own. 

However, if you decided to add fertilizers then the ideal one for it is liquid additives that are added to the water column.

Ideal Water Parameters For Java Moss

Java moss prefers a temperature range of 59 – 86°F (15 – 30°C). 

A pH range between 5-8 is also required.

Pros

• It works well as a cover for small fry and juvenile fish.
• Mature Java moss supports the growth of Infusoria 
• Great first food for newly hatched fry.
• It may also be kept in the aquarium as a floating plant to provide a spawning area for mop-spawning fish.

Cons

•  java moss faces is algae growth.

2. Water Lettuce

Water Lettuce is a popular floating plant in ponds and aquariums.

This plant has been on the market for many years and is extremely widespread among hobbyists since it is trustworthy and simple to maintain even for someone inexperienced.

Under ideal circumstances, Dwarf Water Lettuce is not the most challenging aquarium plant to care for, it is a hardy plant that can entirely cover your aquarium under its favorable conditions.

It also spreads rapidly, and it will shade portions of your aquarium, allowing your young fish to develop and baby shrimp to survive.

Aside from how gorgeous this plant is, it isn’t picky about light; all it needs is a standard amount of light to stay alive and healthy.

Characteristics

How Much Light Does Water Lettuce Require?

Dwarf Water Lettuce prefers moderate light, which may be adequately provided by a typical 10 – 12 hours of sunlight with full-spectrum bulbs.

Substrate Requirements For Water Lettuce

It is a soil-less plant that grows on any surface.

Fertilization Requirements For Water Lettuce

Because it is a floating plant, dwarf water lettuce does not need CO2. 

In addition, fertilizer isn’t necessary unless your water contains a lot of nitrates or you want to grow the plants.

Ideal Water Parameters For Water Lettuce

Water lettuce grows in a pH range of 6.5 to 7.5 and is tolerant of soft to moderately hard water. 

It also prefers warm water (21-27°C), being a tropical plant.

Pros

• Fights Against Algae
• A natural filter
• Shrimp and Fry Love Them

Cons

• Heavy overgrowth
• Water lettuce is a restricted pest weed in the wild, and it is illegal to transport or possess it in some states or countries.

3. Red Tiger Lotus

The tiger lotus or Nymphaea Zenker is popular with its broad, wavy-edged leaves and variegated color pattern, it can bring a new and stunning aesthetic to your aquarium.

It is a bulb plant that has two kinds of leaf structures. 

The first type consists of completely submersed leaves that are somewhat heart-shaped and grow near the bulb. 

The second type is floating leaves on long, thin stems that look like lily pads resting at the surface of the water.

This hardy species has a high resistance to almost any condition, making it perfect for any aquarist regardless of their expertise. 

Characteristics

How Much Light Does Red Tiger Lotus Require?

Unlike sensitive plants, Red tiger lotus will not be harmed by low lighting. If you have dim lights in your freshwater aquarium, the red tiger lotus may still grow successfully.

However, this plant prefers medium to intense lighting, therefore, if you provide your plant with the powerful lights it needs it will grow faster and more compact. 

What’s The Best Place To Keep Red Tiger Lotus In The Tank?

Because tiger lotuses grow to be quite large, you can place them in the fish tank’s midground or background.

Substrate Requirements For Red Tiger Lotus

The kind of substrate you use isn’t particularly important, although it may be preferable to plant a bulb in sand or dirt.

Fertilization Requirements For Red Tiger Lotus

CO2 and fertilization are not required for the red tiger lotus. However, if you want your plants to grow faster, consider adding these two items to the mix. In most situations, giving nutrients will result in healthier and faster growth of freshwater plants.

Ideal Water Parameters For Red Tiger Lotus

The delicate water requirements of the red tiger lotus are one of the reasons it is so popular. 

Because they come from Africa, they are used to temperatures that remain constant between 72 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit (22.2 and 27.8 degrees Celsius).

Also, A pH range between 6-8 is essential to keep it healthy and well maintained.

Pros

• Foraging place
• Prevents gas pockets
• Provides shelter and hiding spots for shy fish and shrimp.

Cons

• Outgrowth
• Losing its leaves

4. Hornwort

Hornwort is one of the most simple freshwater plants to cultivate.

Its presence in the wild demonstrates its success, as it has spread to every continent after originating in North America.

The ability of hornwort to adapt to a variety of water conditions makes it ideal for novices, while its rapid development rate and ease of propagation mean that even a little will go a long way.

It can be planted as a floating plant or rooted in the substrate, allowing you greater design flexibility when it comes to your aquarium’s appearance.

If you’re searching for a quick-growing plant that’s easy to care for, hornwort will be the best choice.

Characteristics

What’s The Best Place To Keep Hornwort It In The Tank?

Hornwort is a tall-growing plant that may grow up to 10 feed in length, making it an excellent choice for hiding in the background of your aquarium. You may also float it in there.

Substrate Requirements For Hornwort 

Hornwort does not have any actual roots. Its leaves, on the other hand, can be used to secure them in place in your aquarium. 

It may be kept in any aquarium using whatever kind of substrate you choose.

Fertilization Requirements For Hornwort 

Hornwort thrives without the need for any fertilizers. It has allopathic skills that enable it to uptake all of the aquarium’s available nutrients for itself. 

So, if you have other plants in your tank, you’ll need to feed them more often.

Ideal water parameters For Hornwort 

Hornwort can survive in a wide range of water conditions. 

It may endure temperatures as low as 59 degrees Fahrenheit to up to 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Its pH tolerance is between 6 and 7.5, and the hardness limit is 5 to 15°GH.

Pros

• Fast Growing
• Can be planted as floating or rooted
•  Ease of propagation

Cons

• Needle Shedding
• Pest Snails

5. Anubias

The Anubis Barteri is another fantastic plant for an angelfish tank since it’s both simple to grow and maintain.

It has a slow growth rate, does not grow tall at all, and grows in width rather than height, making it perfect for tiny tanks.

Anubias can live in a range of water conditions, including pH and temperature, and they don’t require much light. 

Additionally, they have beautiful, spherical green leaves and make excellent angelfish plants.

So, Anubias can give your fish some privacy and beauty.

Characteristics

How Much Light Does Anubias Require?

Anubias does not need a lot of light. It may even thrive in low-light circumstances.

If you want your plant to grow faster, keep it in high lighting. However, keeping it in high lighting can also induce algae on the leaves of this plant. 

As a result, you should maintain it in low to moderate light levels. 

Give it light between 2 and 3 watts per gallon, depending on its needs.

What’s The Best Place To Keep Anubias In The Tank?

Anubias is a slowly developing short aquarium plant that makes it an excellent centerpiece for your tank. 

If you have a nano tank, you may also keep it in the middle section of your aquarium.

Substrate Requirements For Anubias 

Anubias does not have any real roots, but it has rhizomes. 

As a result, it doesn’t get anything essential from the substrate. 

So you can use whatever you want as a substitute for planting it in your tank. 

It’s also possible to tie it to any object in your aquarium, such as driftwood or rock.

Fertilization Requirements For Anubias 

To promote the growth of Anubias, you should administer fertilizers regularly. 

Because it absorbs the majority of its nutrients through the water column, liquid fertilizers are required. 

CO2 injections are also beneficial to this plant.

Ideal Water Parameters For Anubias

Anubias requires a temperature range of 72-82 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Its pH tolerance is 6.5 to 7.8, and its hardness tolerance is 3 to 8 KH.

Pros

• Care requirements are minimal.
• Plant with a good root system.
• Adaptable to a variety of water conditions
• Excellent for ensuring the purity of water

Cons

• Very slow-growing plants.

6. Amazon Sword

Amazon Sword is one of the most popular and commonly grown aquarium plants. 

It is a tropical plant that will thrive in almost any freshwater tank and provide your fish with some shelter and entertainment

This sturdy little plant comes with a well-developed root system, making it perfect for nutrient absorption. 

It can grow up to 20 inches in height, and its bright green leaves will add an amazing touch of color to any aquarium. 

Plus, aquatic plants produce oxygen and help to remove carbon dioxide from the water, making them a vital part of any healthy fish tank.

Characteristics

How Much Light Does The Amazon Sword Require?

The Amazon sword prefers moderate illumination, you should give it at least two watts of light per gallon.

What’s The Best Place To Keep Amazon Sword In An Aquarium?

Because Amazon swords can get big and broad, it’s best if they’re placed in the middle of your aquarium.

You can also grow it in the background of your aquarium, as it is a fast-growing, tall-growing stem plant that may reach a height of 16 inches.

It may also be kept in the middle of your aquarium to create a jungle effect.

Substrate Requirements For Amazon Sword?

For the Amazon sword, you can use either fine-grained substrate or sand.

Amazon sword is most often found in a sand environment in its natural habitat. So, if you can, plant it in a sand substrate; however, this is not essential.

One thing to note when it comes to the Amazon sword’s substrate is that it should be at least 2.5 inches thick.

Fertilization Requirements For Amazon Sword?

Amazon Sword can get nutrients from both fish food and fresh water, making it a very hardy plant.

As a result, it does not need to be fed with supplementary fertilizers.

However, if you feed it with extra fertilizer, it will certainly benefit from it and grow faster and thicker.

It is also a heavy root feeder, therefore you should give it root tabs as supplements to ensure that it gets enough nutrients.

Its leaves can also absorb nutrients, so you may use liquid fertilizers on this plant as well.

Ideal Water Parameters For Amazon Sword

Amazon sword can survive in a wide range of water conditions.

It may endure temperatures as low as 60 degrees Fahrenheit and up to 82 degrees Fahrenheit, so it’s an excellent choice for a coldwater aquarium.

However, the ideal water parameters are 6.5 to 7.5 pH, 6-15°dH hardness, and about 82°F water temperature.

Pros

• Does not overgrow in aquariums
• Temperature and pH tolerant
• Hardy
• Great center focus plant

Cons

• Yellow leaves
• Algae growth on leaves

7. Jungle Vallisneria

Jungle Val is an excellent aquarium plant that can give your tank a unique twist. It’s good for the water requires little maintenance, and looks fantastic!

Vallisneria is one of the longest- and frequently kept aquarium plant species due to its simplicity of care and durability, it is also hardy, low-maintenance plant that thrives in large aquariums because of its tall size.

It’s a tall plant, so it’s ideal for use as a backdrop plant since it grows to the top of the aquarium and propagates abundantly.

Additionally, it is one of the few plants that can tolerate brackish water, however, don’t expect them to grow so quickly under these conditions.

Characteristics

How Much Light Does The Jungle Vallisneria Require?

You can keep it in almost any lighting condition and it will thrive. 

It is simple to maintain in a dimly lit room. However, if you want quicker development, place it under bright illumination.

What’s The Best Place To Keep Jungle Vallisneria In An Aquarium?

Because Jungle Vallisneria is a tall-growing plant that may grow up to 6 feet tall, it’s best to keep it in the background of your aquarium. 

If you want to achieve a jungle atmosphere, place it in the center of your aquarium.

Substrate Requirements For Jungle Vallisneria

Jungle Vallisneria may be grown in any aquarium, it prefers a sandy or gravel substrate. 

However, if you put it in an enriched media, it will certainly profit from it and develop faster.

Fertilization Requirements For Jungle Vallisneria

The nutrients that this plant may obtain from fish droppings and leftover meals are enough for its adequate development. 

However, if you want to promote faster growth, you may use some extra fertilizers. 

This plant responds well to both liquid fertilizers as well as root tabs.

Ideal Water Parameters For Jungle Vallisneria

Vallisneria can live in a wide range of water conditions. 

The ideal temperature range for this plant is between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit, also, Its pH tolerance is 6.8 to 8, and it thrives in moderately hard to very hard water.

Pros

• Good background or ‘filler’ plant
• Inexpensive
• Hardy
• Great for water purity

Cons

• It may melt

8. Java Fern

Java Fern is a delicate-looking fern that is widely used in aquariums. 

Its slow growth, unique shape, and ease of reproduction and care make it one of the most popular plants for fish tanks. 

It can be kept with a wide range of fish and doesn’t require strict water parameters. 

Additionally, it tolerates most lighting conditions and many environments, making it an ideal plant for both beginners and experienced aquarists.

Furthermore, The Java fern is a tall, leafy plant that is ideal for an angelfish tank.

Characteristics

How Much Light Does The Java Fern Require?

When it comes to light, Java fern isn’t very picky. 

It can thrive in just about any lighting situation. 

However, it’s recommended to keep it under moderate lighting and give it at least 1.5 watts of light per gallon, also 5000-7000 K bulbs work efficiently on most tanks.

What’s The Best Place To Keep Java Fern In An Aquarium?

The java fern is a slow-growing plant, but it can grow to be quite huge. As a result, it’s best to keep it in the middle ground or background of your aquarium. 

If you want your aquarium to appear more like a jungle, place it in the foreground.

Substrate Requirements For Java Fern

Java fern does not need a substrate to thrive in an aquarium. 

However, if you wish to grow it on a substrate, any type of substrate will work because it does not draw nutrients from the water. 

You can also allow it to float freely in your tank, but it will eventually attach itself via its rhizomes.

Fertilization Requirements For Java Fern

This plant can obtain enough nutrients from the fish food and dung leftover from the fish. 

However, if you want to speed up growth, you can always give it fertilizer supplements.

Because Java fern is a water column feeder, it absorbs nutrients from the water rather than its rhizomes. 

As a result, you should give it liquid fertilizers.

Ideal Water Parameters For Java Fern

Java fern can live in a wide range of water conditions, the ideal temperature range for this plant is between 60 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Its pH tolerance range is 6 to 7.5, while its hardness tolerance range is 3 to 8 KH.

Pros

• Easy to care for
• Inexpensive
• Hardy
• Does not need to be planted in the substrate

Cons

• It may melt

9. Water Wisteria

Water wisteria is a low-maintenance plant that won’t irritate you. It’s easygoing and robust, so it can handle a wide range of circumstances.

It just needs minimal upkeep, so it doesn’t take up much of your time.

It’s generally available in aquarium shops and doesn’t need to be grown from a lot of stems because it’s such a simple plant to grow.

Furthermore, it adds vibrant green colors to your tank and can be grown as a carpet if desired.

Characteristics

How Much Light Does Water Wisteria Require?

The water wisteria requires moderate to high lighting for optimum development. 

As a result, it should be supplied at least two to three watts of light per gallon. 

This Plant can survive in any light as long as it is not in the shade.

What’s The Best Place To Keep Water Wisteria In The Tank?

Water wisteria may be kept in the aquarium in a few different ways. 

This plant can reach a height of 20 inches, making it an ideal backdrop for your aquarium. 

It’s also possible to use it as a lawn or carpet plant by spreading it across the bottom of your substrate.

Substrate Requirements For Water Wisteria

In its natural habitat, water wisteria grows in sandy soil, therefore it should be planted in a sand substrate. 

However, you may also plant it in your aquarium on a tiny gravel bed.

Fertilization Requirements For Water Wisteria

Water wisteria is a robust and adaptable plant that thrives without the need for any fertilizers. 

However, it is recommended that you give it some extra fertilizer regularly.

Ideal Water Parameters For Water Wisteria

The optimum temperature for Water wisteria growth is between 70 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Its pH tolerance range is 6.5 to 7.5, while its hardness tolerance range is 2 to 8 KH.

Pros

• Rapid growth
• Inexpensive
• Great for the foreground and filler.
• Excellent for ensuring the purity of water

Cons

• root feeders
• Melting

10. Water Sprite

A Water Sprite plant is one of the most adaptable aquarium plants since it can thrive planted on a substrate or left floating in the water.

It’s also simple to maintain and can withstand the majority of freshwater tank problems.

The brilliant blades of this aquatic plant make it a beautiful addition to the mid-ground, or background, of freshwater aquariums, they offer your tank plenty of shade and provide shy fish with a haven when frightened.

They also look fantastic when combined with other species of plants especially the Anacharis, and their roots will wrap around the stem of the Anacharis to create a beautiful impact.

Characteristics

How Much Light Does Water Sprite Require?

The lighting requirements for water sprite are modest to high, It thrives under moderate to intense light. 

You should give it at least 2-3 watts of light per gallon, but if you can give it more, all the better.

What’s The Best Place To Keep Water Sprite In The Tank?

Water Sprite is a tall-growing plant that might reach up to 13 inches in height, making it an excellent plant for the middle ground or background of your aquarium.

Substrate Requirements For Water Sprite

Water Sprite may be grown on any type of substrate. However, it should be at least two to three inches thick to provide a solid root structure. 

If you grow Water Sprite in a nutrient-rich medium, it will profit from it and develop faster and healthier.

Fertilization Requirements For Water Sprite

Without fertilizers, Water Sprite can develop without difficulty. 

However, if you want your plant to thrive fast, you may give it periodic doses of fertilizers.

Ideal Water Parameters For Water Sprite

Water Sprite can withstand a wide range of water conditions. It can endure temperatures as low as 68 degrees Fahrenheit and up to 82 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Its pH tolerance is 6-7.5, with a hardness tolerance of 3-8 KH.

Pros

• Temperature tolerant
• Slow and steady growing
• Hardy
• Great for water purity

Cons

• Rapid Growth
• May melt

Last Words

Providing your angels with what they like is a must, therefore determining the proper plants for them is the first step in making your little garden appear like an angel island.

We hope you have enjoyed this article as much as we did.

If you still have any questions, please share them with us in the comment section below.