Low light aquarium plants
Aquarium plants that the sources rate as growing in low light. Most of them also grow under stronger light, so the page shows every plant whose light rating includes low.
- Plants
- 37
- Height
- 1–20 in (3–51 cm)
- Water temperature
- 50–82 °F (10–28 °C)
- Type
-
13 Rhizome plant
13 Rosette plant
7 Moss
3 Stem plant
1 Thallus (leafless mat)
All 37 low light aquarium plants
How to choose
-
Combine low light with CO₂ not needed for a tank with a basic light and no CO₂ system.
-
Low-light plants are often slow growers. Check the growth rate if you want the tank to fill in quickly.
-
Ferns and anubias on this page are epiphytes: tie them to rock or wood and keep the rhizome out of the substrate.
Compare side by side
| Leaf color | Placement | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| African water fern | Rhizome plant | 4–8 in (10–20 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Midground, Background, On rock or wood | |
| Anubias barteri | Rhizome plant | 4–6 in (10–15 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Midground, Background, On rock or wood | |
| Anubias coffeefolia | Rhizome plant | 4–6 in (10–15 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Foreground, Midground, On rock or wood | |
| Anubias congensis | Rhizome plant | 6–8 in (15–20 cm) | Low | Easy | Midground, Background, On rock or wood | |
| Anubias hastifolia | Rhizome plant | 6–16 in (15–41 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Midground, Background, On rock or wood | |
| Anubias nana | Rhizome plant | 3–5 in (8–13 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Foreground, Midground, On rock or wood | |
| Bolbitis heteroclita | Rhizome plant | 2–4 in (5–10 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Foreground, Midground, On rock or wood | |
| Bucephalandra 'Black Pearl' | Rhizome plant | 2–3 in (4–8 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Foreground, Midground, On rock or wood | |
| Christmas moss | Moss | 1–3 in (3–8 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | On rock or wood | |
| Cryptocoryne beckettii | Rosette plant | 4–6 in (10–15 cm) | Low–medium | Medium | Midground | |
| Cryptocoryne lucens | Rosette plant | 3–5 in (8–13 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Foreground, Midground | |
| Cryptocoryne lutea | Rosette plant | 4–8 in (10–20 cm) | Low–medium | Medium | Midground | |
| Cryptocoryne parva | Rosette plant | 2–4 in (5–10 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Foreground, Midground, Carpet | |
| Cryptocoryne spiralis 'Red' | Rosette plant | 5–10 in (13–25 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Midground, Background | |
| Cryptocoryne undulata | Rosette plant | 4–8 in (10–20 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Midground | |
| Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Brown' | Rosette plant | 4–8 in (10–20 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Foreground, Midground | |
| Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Green' | Rosette plant | 4–8 in (10–20 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Foreground, Midground | |
| Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Pink Flamingo' | Rosette plant | 2–6 in (5–15 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Foreground, Midground | |
| Dwarf hairgrass (Eleocharis parvula) | Rosette plant | 1–2 in (3–5 cm) | Low–high | Easy | Foreground, Carpet | |
| Egeria densa | Stem plant | 4–12 in (10–30 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Midground, Background, Floating | |
| Flame moss | Moss | – | Low–medium | Easy | Foreground, Carpet, On rock or wood | |
| Java fern | Rhizome plant | 5–20 in (13–50 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Midground, Background, On rock or wood | |
| Java fern 'Narrow' | Rhizome plant | 3–5 in (8–13 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Midground, Background, On rock or wood | |
| Java fern 'Trident' | Rhizome plant | 2–8 in (5–20 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Midground, On rock or wood | |
| Java fern 'Windelov' | Rhizome plant | 3–5 in (8–13 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Midground, On rock or wood | |
| Java moss | Moss | – | Low–medium | Easy | Foreground, On rock or wood | |
| Juncus repens | Stem plant | 4–12 in (10–30 cm) | Low–high | Easy | Foreground, Midground | |
| Peacock moss | Moss | – | Low–medium | Easy | Foreground, Carpet, On rock or wood | |
| Red root floater | Rosette plant | 1–4 in (3–10 cm) | Low–high | Easy | Floating | |
| Salvinia natans | Rhizome plant | 2–3 in (5–8 cm) | Low–high | Easy | Floating | |
| Spiky moss | Moss | – | Low–medium | Easy | Foreground, Background, Carpet, On rock or wood | |
| Subwassertang | Thallus (leafless mat) | – | Low–medium | Easy | Foreground, On rock or wood, Floating | |
| Water lettuce | Rosette plant | 3–6 in (8–15 cm) | Low–high | Easy | Floating | |
| Water sprite | Rosette plant | 6–15 in (15–38 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Background, Floating | |
| Water wisteria | Stem plant | 8–20 in (20–51 cm) | Low–medium | Easy | Midground, Background | |
| Weeping moss | Moss | – | Low–medium | Easy | Foreground, Carpet, On rock or wood | |
| Willow moss | Moss | – | Low–medium | Easy | Foreground, Carpet, On rock or wood |
Values marked like this (estimated) are estimates.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as low light?
Low light here is the source's own rating, not a measured value. Sources use it for plants that keep growing under the weak lights that come with many aquarium kits.