Midground aquarium plants

Midground plants fill the space between a low foreground and tall background stems: crypts, smaller swords, blyxa and compact anubias. They set the depth of the scape. Profiles list the light, CO2 and growth rate each plant wants.

Height: 3.1–23.6 in; 3.1 in (8 cm) to 23.6 in (60 cm); half the list stays at 11.8 in (30 cm) or under
Temperature: 72–82°F; 22–28°C, most of the list
Light: 43 low light; 82 medium light · 41 high light
CO₂: 25 no CO₂ needed; 117 CO₂ beneficial · 24 CO₂ required
Growth: 56 slow growing; 73 medium growth · 37 fast growing
Difficulty: 87 easy; 56 medium · 23 difficult

138 plants and 30 varieties

Start here

The plants for the middle of the tank

The cryptocoryne wendtii is marked beginner for low light at 9.8 inches (25 cm), the midground plant most tanks are built around. The pearlweed is a fast, small-leaved stem marked beginner that stays at 7.9 inches (20 cm) when trimmed. The Brazilian pennywort is a round-leaved creeper marked beginner with no CO2. The dwarf aquarium lily is a bulb marked easy that sends up red-brown leaves to 9.8 inches (25 cm). The ozelot sword is a spotted sword marked easy at 15.7 inches (40 cm). The creeping jenny is marked easy, with round-leaved stems to 11.8 inches (30 cm) that lean and trail rather than stand upright.

The rule

What a midground plant does

The midground bridges the carpet in front and the tall plants behind. Most plants here list heights from 3.9 to 15.7 inches (10 to 40 cm). That range is tall enough to hide the base of the background stems and short enough to leave the front open. A few reach up to 23.6 inches (60 cm), such as the tiger lotuses, the red water lily and the red rubin sword. Crypts are the backbone of the layer, and a moved crypt melts and grows back within weeks. Stems in the midground are kept low by trimming, and a bulb or a sword gives the layer one plant that does not change shape every week.

01
Knee height
Most profiles list 3.9 to 15.7 inches (10 to 40 cm)
02
The bridge
Tall enough to hide stem bases, short enough to leave the front
03
Crypts melt and return
A moved crypt sheds and regrows in weeks
04
Trim stems low
The midground stems are cut back, not let run

Crypts

Crypts to plant once and leave alone

The cryptocoryne beckettii and the cryptocoryne undulata are marked easy for low light at 7.9 inches (20 cm), with bronze and olive leaves. The cryptocoryne walkeri is 9.8 inches (25 cm) with the same care. The cryptocoryne lucens is a narrow-leaved crypt marked easy with no CO2. The cryptocoryne albida grows long, narrow, mottled leaves at 7.1 inches (18 cm). The cryptocoryne nurii is the collector's crypt, marked medium at 7.9 inches (20 cm), with pale pink veins and dark bars. All of them are planted once, fed with a root tab and left alone.

Swords and lilies

Swords and the lilies that grow from bulbs

The Hadi Red Pearl sword is a compact sword marked easy at 9.8 inches (25 cm) with red-speckled leaves. The red rubin sword reaches 19.7 inches (50 cm) with red-brown new leaves. The Vesuvius sword grows twisted, narrow leaves at 11.8 inches (30 cm). The Reni sword is marked easy for low light at 15.7 inches (40 cm). The red tiger lotus is a bulb marked easy that sends up red, spotted leaves to 23.6 inches (60 cm), and the micrantha lily is its smaller cousin at 9.8 inches (25 cm). The swords want a root tab; the lilies want their bulb half out of the substrate.

Stems

Stems for the middle

The Ludwigia Rubin is marked easy in medium light with broad dark red leaves, 19.7 inches (50 cm) if left, kept low by trimming. The giant baby tears is a fast stem with small round leaves at 7.9 inches (20 cm). The creeping bacopa is marked easy at 15.7 inches (40 cm) and lists CO2 as beneficial. The Lobelia cardinalis grows upright with pale green leaves at 11.8 inches (30 cm). The rotala indica is a compact rotala marked medium at 7.9 inches (20 cm). The hygrophila pinnatifida grows lobed, brown-green leaves and attaches to wood as readily as it roots.

Showpieces

Showpieces for the middle

The Blyxa japonica is a grassy rosette marked medium at 7.9 inches (20 cm) that turns golden under strong light. The alternanthera reineckii is the red-purple stem for the middle at 19.7 inches (50 cm), marked medium. The Pogostemon erectus grows stiff, pine-like stems at 9.8 inches (25 cm). The Cyperus helferi is a grassy plant with arching leaves at 11.8 inches (30 cm), marked medium. The Lagenandra meeboldii is a crypt relative marked easy with broad bronze leaves. The Hygrophila Araguaia turns brown-red under high light at 7.9 inches (20 cm).

By the numbers

Smallest

Tallest

Easiest to grow

No CO₂ needed

Low light

Fast growers

FAQ

Common questions

What is the best midground plant for a beginner?

The cryptocoryne wendtii is marked beginner for low light with no CO2. Plant it once and leave it.

Why did my crypt lose all its leaves?

It melted. A moved crypt sheds the leaves it grew for the old conditions and grows new ones for the new tank within a few weeks. Leave the roots in place.

How tall is a midground plant?

Most profiles here list 3.9 to 15.7 inches (10 to 40 cm), and a few reach 23.6 inches (60 cm). In a small tank the taller ones are the background.

Do midground plants need CO2?

The cryptocoryne wendtii, lucens, petchii, albida Brown, spiralis Jwala and spiralis Tiger list no CO2. The other crypts list it as beneficial, so they grow without it. The Brazilian pennywort, Ludwigia Rubin, Lobelia cardinalis, Hygrophila corymbosa Compacta, Creeping Charlie, lake cress, water starwort and water violet list none too. The Reni sword, giant sagittaria, dwarf aquarium lily and Anubias golden nana list none as well. The other swords and lilies list it as beneficial, as do most stems, and the showpieces grow fuller with it.

Which midground plants take low light?

Most crypts list low light. The cryptocoryne affinis, petchii, keei and hudoroi are marked low light too. The Reni sword, quadricostatus chain sword, Echinodorus horizontalis Mini, Anubias golden nana, Lagenandra nairii and Homalomena Silver list low light. The Lagenandra meeboldii is marked low light and colors better with more. The Anubias pinto and the cryptocoryne nurii want medium light. The stems and the Blyxa want medium or high light, except the Hygrophila corymbosa Compacta, which lists low light.

How do I keep stems in the midground short?

Trim the fast stems to half height every week or two and replant the tops. Slow stems such as the Ammannia Bonsai need little trimming, and the Syngonanthus Belem and Manaus are trimmed from the bottom. Most midground stems top out at 7.9 to 15.7 inches (20 to 40 cm).

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