6 Best Plants For Baby Fish To Hide In

One of the problems with breeding fish is that the babies (Fry) get eaten by the other fish because they are so small. Some species of fish even eat their own young! Keeping the fish eggs and fry separate from the adult fish will help give them a better chance of survival. Here we have shortlisted some of the best plants for baby fish to

However, sometimes its’s hard knowing you even have baby fish in the tank. One way to help these small baby fish survive without knowing you even have them, is to prepare the tank’s environment before the baby fish are born. To do this, ensure the tank has enough plants for the baby fish to hide in, and also eat from.

1. Java Moss (Taxiphyllum barbieri)

Java Moss is definitely one of the best mosses to have in the tank. It grows fast under any light level and provides loads of hiding spaces for baby fish, so they are able to grow without being eaten by the other bigger fish.

This Moss is versatile and can be placed anywhere, some fishkeepers like the moss floating around the tank, however, I always end up getting my filter more clogged up than I would like, so I would recommend attaching it onto something or wedging it in between or under some objects. Maybe bogwood.

Java moss also creates a beautiful aquarium and over time it’s fascinating seeing how the moss naturally grows, if the moss becomes too uneven, overwhelming or lumpy you can trim it down. 

I believe that Java moss in an aquarium is a must-have plant, especially when there are baby fish in smaller tanks. When space is tight, moss is an excellent way to help the baby fish survive.

This dense bush also gives pregnant fish the opportunity to lay eggs. If you are aiming to breed Neon Rainbowfish, this is the best plant to have in your tank, you will see the young fish diving in and laying eggs.

Pros:

• Easy to keep
• Oxygenates the water
• Great in low–medium light conditions
• Suitable for any tank size

Cons:

• Grows fast and may need trimming

2. Anacharis (Elodea Densa)

Anacharis Elodea is usually the plant on tank backing posters as it makes every fish tank look amazing. This plant grows fast and regular trimming will be needed unless you would like the plant to take over the tank. Usually, the Anacharis can reach the top of most tanks as well as spreading out. As the Anacharis Elodea has lots of leaves, baby fish are able to hide and shelter away from the bigger fish. Many fish lay eggs in this plant, and it’s an ideal place for baby fish to grow and play.

Pros:

• Easy to grow
• Purifies the water
• Grows fast in most water conditions
• Looks exotic as a background plant

Cons:

• Needs regular trimming

3. Water Sprite (Ceratopteris Thalictroides)

Water Sprite also known as water fern, isn’t just one of the best sounding plants, it’s also one of the most beautiful aquarium plants, due to its vivid green colour. Some fishkeepers allow the plant to float around the water which looks natural and quite nice, other fishkeepers ground the plant using sand or gravel.

Pros:

• Easy to maintain and care for
• Offers great coverage for baby fish
• Can float naturally or be planted
• Prevents the growth of algae

Cons:

• Grows too fast for smaller tanks.
• Requires Medium to High lighting

4. Moss balls (Marimo)

Marimo Moss Balls are a form of green algae. It’s an easy living organism to keep in an aquarium as they don’t need much tending to. 

It’s great to buy a couple of these moss balls, and position them where you like in the tank. These Moss balls can provide cover for baby fish, as well as purify the water in the aquarium. Every time a water change is done, it is good to move the balls around to expose the whole moss ball to light.

Pros:

• Easy to care for
• repositionable
• needs low–moderate lighting
• produces oxygen

Cons:

• Can turn brown with too little light.

5. Amazon Sword (Echinodorus grisebachii)

This plant grows tall and broad just like the Amazon forest. The leaves provide excellent cover, making Amazon Swords one of the best plants for baby fish such as cichlids or Angel Fish as well as their parents when laying eggs. Amazon Sword plants are generally the most affordable aquarium plants that provide a lot of shelter for the young.

With enough light and CO2, this plant grows super fast. Without CO2 and in moderate lighting this plant still does great but grows at a slower pace.

Pros:

• Easy to care for
• Offers great coverage for baby fish
• Grows slowly, but high
• produces oxygen

Cons:

• Lots of bright light for long periods of time

6. Brazilian waterweed (Egeria densa)

Brazilian waterweed is very popular in aquatic stores because they are excellent for community fish tanks. The plant has a strong reputation for being adaptable to a wide range of water conditions and environments. Floating Brazilian waterweed grows faster than planted Brazilian waterweed as it’s closer to the light source. However, for breeding and baby fish, the planted Brazilian waterweed provides better shelter from predators.

Pros:

• Easy to care for
• One of the best plants for baby fish
• Needs moderate lighting
• produces oxygen

Cons:

• Not for low light tanks

Do baby fish need plants?

In general, most plants will be able to shelter baby fish from predators. We have mentioned some of the best plants to use for communal tanks. Should your tank be focused on just one species of fish, the plant choice may be more niche. For example, if I was solely breeding Catfish my choice of plants would be different, instead of the above, I would be selecting plants such as Cryptocoryne, Cabomba, and Vallisneria.

There are also many other ways to create hiding spots by using fake plants, pots and other means such as driftwood. But without plants, your tank will have a few more toxins which ultimately means that the water will have to be changed more regularly.

Recreating how our fish live in the wild is what interests me to fish keeping. For millions of years, there have been plants growing in underwater environments, so I believe it’s important to replicate this as closely as possible.