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Epiphytes are plants that grow attached to wood or rock instead of being planted in the substrate. In the aquarium this makes them incredibly versatile: you can place them anywhere, move them around and combine them with fish that dig or eat soft plants.
The golden rule is simple: do not bury the rhizome, the thick horizontal stem. Buried rhizomes rot. Tie the plant to wood or stone with fishing line or cotton thread, or glue it with gel cyanoacrylate, and the roots will grip on their own in a few weeks.
- Anubias nana and barteri: nearly indestructible, slow, ideal for low light. Keep them out of strong light to avoid algae on the leaves.
- Java fern: grows in almost any conditions and produces plantlets on its leaves.
- Bucephalandra: compact, with metallic leaf colors; slow but very rewarding.
- Bolbitis heudelotii: an African fern that loves current and is great near the filter outlet.
Because they grow slowly, epiphytes take up few nutrients; pair them with some faster plants in a new tank. They are also an excellent choice for African cichlid, goldfish and large cichlid tanks, as most fish leave their tough leaves alone.
Epiphyte plants
| Species | Light | CO₂ | Temp. | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Anubias nana Anubias barteri var. nana | Low | Not needed | 72–82 °F (22–28 °C) | Easy |
 Java fern Microsorum pteropus | Low | Not needed | 68–82 °F (20–28 °C) | Easy |
 African water fern Bolbitis heudelotii | Low | Optional (helps) | 72–82 °F (22–28 °C) | Moderate |
 Anubias barteri Anubias barteri | Low | Not needed | 72–82 °F (22–28 °C) | Easy |
 Bucephalandra Bucephalandra sp. | Low | Optional (helps) | 72–82 °F (22–28 °C) | Moderate |
No species match those filters.