8 Best Plants for Shrimp Tank Reviewed
Aaron Boyd
Shrimp have been, for a long time, used by many people in their home aquariums.
However, there is a bunch of information that most shrimp keepers lack. This information could be the best food for the shrimp or even the best environment that shrimp admire for their health.
It turns out that whether you’re a beginner or an expert in the fishkeeping business, you still need some information however little it may be.
It is for this reason that we have compiled a list of the best plants for shrimp tank. Those plants would not only provide an ideal environment for your shrimp but also induce a great aesthetic value to your home.
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Table of Contents
8 Best Plants for Shrimp Tank Reviewed
1. Hornwort Bunch
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Ceratophyllum Demersum or Hornwort Bunch is a live aquarium plant that has a very thrilling appearance.
The plant has a massive growth with stems that grow up to a height of 10 feet. Its leaves are stiff, brittle, and thread-like. Their close setting to each other makes the whole plant appear as a bushy mass. With such a plant, your shrimp can easily hide whenever they want.
Hornwort Bunch is also versatile in the sense that it can grow well in a wide range of climatic conditions. For example, the plant thrives well in both cold water and tropical aquaria. Unlike other types of aquarium plants,
Hornwort Bunch doesn’t need much attention for prosperity provided that the environment has all the conditions it requires.
Besides, other species of Hornwort Bunch are available and can be grown in ponds just in case you are practicing fishkeeping in a comparatively extensive area.
These species, however, come in different colors and texture. It is also the best plant for shrimp because it can be grown in up to 5+ gallons of aquariums.
However, when you are using Hornwort Bunch in your aquarium, it is important to take note of its side effects on the environment. Just in case you didn’t know, this plant is invasive.
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Video: “Hornwort: A Hardy Aquarium Plant”
2. Amazon Sword Plant
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This is another useful aquatic plant for your shrimp. You can use it in ponds and aquaria for ideal fishkeeping. The plant has submerging leaves that can grow up to a height of 60 cm.
What makes this plant stand out from the rest is the versatility and flexibility it has in sustaining under a wide variety of conditions. Above all, it’s easy to maintain.
One of the important aspects that you should keep in mind before buying this product is that it can grow up to very high heights. To some point, this factor can trigger limitations according to the tank where you execute fishkeeping.
Most fish keepers have also faced challenges that are a result of supplying nutrients to the aquatic plants. If you are after a plant that doesn’t need high levels of nutrients then, the Amazon Sword Plant is the best option for you.
This aspect also makes the plant a good choice for beginners since apart from requiring low nutrients for survival, the plant is also cheap in all stores.
For best results, ensure you expose the plant to sufficient light and to temperatures of around 72 – 82 Degrees Fahrenheit. If you have no idea the plant’s appearance, just think of the sword’s shape as the name suggests.
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Video: “Plant Guide: Amazon Sword”
3. Crypt Wendtii
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This name combines a wide variety of plants that are collectively called Cryptocorynes.
These aquarium plants vary in size, color, and even their shapes. Regardless of the differences in the color, shape, and size, these plants are widely used in the fishkeeping and mostly keeping shrimp.
Cryptocorynes survive well even in low light intensity and under temperature range of 72 – 82 Degrees Fahrenheit. However, beginners may be challenged by these plants since they require extra care in handling them.
For example, Cryptocorynes have complex roots that need careful handling. For the first time, Crypt Wendtii plants may appear dissolved when submerged in the aquarium but after some time they tend to retreat to their normal shape and condition.
Just like Amazon Sword Plant, Crypts also need a relatively high amount of light for proper growth. This requirement and others make the plant more suitable for the advanced aquarists. However, beginners can grow it well if they get enough guide.
Although these plants have some limitations that most aquarists encounter, they are still a good option to opt for.
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Video: “Plants for Profit: Cryptocorynes – My Secrets Revealed!”
4. Pygmy Chain Sword
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The plant is also called narrow leaf and it grows well in freshwater aquaria. Depending on the different conditions available in the aquarium, this plant grows differently.
For example, if it grows in the presence of little light, Pygmy Chain Sword tends to grow sparsely and the opposite holds when it grows under high light intensity.
You can see a bright red color if the plant is grown under good light conditions – a very important aspect of adding beauty to your aquarium. These features make the plant good for both the experts and the beginners since it doesn’t need much effort and upkeep.
Talking of versatility, Pygmy Chain Sword can survive and flourish well in both hard water and soft water. It can also survive in both low and high pH. Thus, the Pygmy Chain Sword is inevitable for all people looking forward to expanding or start aquaria.
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Video: “Planting Pygmy Chain Sword – Echinodorus Tenellus”
5. Water Wisteria
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Hygrophila Difformis or Water Wisteria is an aquatic plant that is also highly used in fishkeeping and perhaps one of the best plants for shrimp tank.
One of the good reasons that had made the plant a choice for many aquarists is the fact that it grows deep into the aquarium tank. Which, in turn, creates some spots where the shrimp can explore.
The leaves of this plant have also attracted most aquarists which have seen it becoming one of the major used plants. Their shape is thrilling and gives the aquarium a perfect look which is also admired by the fish.
Water Wisteria is also flexible since it can develop anywhere provided there are enough oxygen supply and well-developed gravel. The plant is comparatively tall with lace-like leaves. Its maintenance cost is very low which can be good for beginners as well. The best temperature range for Water Wisteria is between 75-80 Degrees Fahrenheit.
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Video: “Aquarium Plant – Water Wisteria”
6. Red Flame Sword
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Red Flame Sword is another aquarium plant that is good for shrimp and it has comparatively broad leaves. Its leaves consist of different colors such as green and red which also come in a different texture.
According to the sellers. This product is very perfect for beginners since it is easy to plant it and the maintenance cost is also very low.
The plant is also unique since it reproduces quite fast and you can replant it as many times as you can. However, the plant is highly sensitive to copper and its compounds. Therefore, ensure you don’t add any chemicals that contain copper to avoid destruction.
The size of your aquarium should also be the least of your worries when you are planning to buy this plant since it is perfect for both small and mid-sized aquaria. The package comes with a guide to help you easily grow this plant since you may face different problems.
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Video: “Red Flame Sword PLANT”
7. Dwarf Red Water Lily
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Dwarf Red Water Lily is a freshwater plant that can be grown in the aquarium to give your shrimp a great environment for their survival. Dwarf Red Water Lily has a faster growth rate and broad leaves. In the fishkeeping field, this plant has been embraced due to a wide range of factors one of them being its growth rate.
Its requirements for survival are the most common ones such as high light intensity and a rich substrate. If these requirements aren’t available, the plant will survive but there are high chances that it would show inferiority. Dwarf Red Water
Lily is also great for indoor aquariums since it tends to produce flowers that are very elegant.
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Video: “DWARF WATERLILY | 26 DAY TIME LAPSE”
8. Christmas Moss
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Christmas Moss brings us to the end of the list of the best plants for shrimp tank. This aquatic plant best for aquarium is completely different from the above-discussed plants.
With Christmas Moss you can create a great and very attractive carpet for your aquarium. This plant forms a very attractive green carpet that hardly disappoints.
The plant comes on a metal sheet. The metal is also made flexible such that you can bend it and fit the carpet on different objects such as rocks. This feature makes it possible for aquarists to decorate and make different layouts as per their preferences.
For versatility, you can cut the ‘carpet’ into several pieces. This is important if you want to use it to make different layouts or you may cut it to fit the size of your tank – In case it’s small.
Although there are plants that can provide a carpet, Christmas Moss is the best since it has a fine and smooth texture where your shrimp can rub against and cause no harm to their bodies. So, if you are looking for more decorating options, Christmas Moss is the best there is.
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Plants in this video: Phoenix Moss (Fissidens fontanus), Christmas moss, Bacopa caroliniana, Hygrophila difformis
Important Aspects to Note Before you Buy Any of These Best Plants for Shrimp Tank
Plants with wide leaves are also important in the sense that they provide a platform for the shrimp to rest on and even walk.
You need to design the bottom of your tank in different ways so that your shrimp can have an ideal environment for feeding. This aspect is also closely attached to the type of plants you should grow. Here, you have to grow plants that enhance the accumulation of food for the shrimp.
Ensure you closely and carefully check the compatibility of the plants you buy and the type of shrimp you keep. This is because some shrimp tend to feed on plants. In case you mess up, there are high chances that you will lose your shrimp or affect their health.
Lastly, ensure that you provide the right substrate for your plants. Remember your plants highly depend on the substrate to firmly fix their roots in. although some people keep the plants on the aquaria with the pots they were sold with, it is always advisable to have them grow on substrates. Other aspects that you should consider include the provision of the right light intensity, appropriate application of fertilizer, etc.
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Conclusion
There are many plants for shrimp where aquarists can choose based on the type of shrimp they keep.
However, this list is comprised of the best plants for shrimp tank that are widely used and most experts recommend them for anyone looking forward to taking fishkeeping to the next level. Since there are different types of shrimp, you may not get your best type here.
This may be a result of being given advice on the type of plants you should grow based on the fish species.
