1. Cabomba (green, purple, and furcata)

• This frilly, tall, unique stem plant is by far my favorite plant. If you’re looking for something different that behaves like valicinaria, this is your plant… As long as you don’t live in California. Some species like cabomba furcata actually flower when it reaches the top of the tank and I’ve seen cabomba grow as tall as 4 feet. It can handle low to high light perfectly fine, the only catch 22 is the fact that it needs a CO2 supply in order to survive. Trust me cabomba without CO2 is a messy nightmare waiting to happen. It prefers warmer, more acidic water so a ph of around 6 to 7 is preferable.

2. Tonina belem

• Let me just start by saying there is nothing else like this plant. It’s a mid ground stem plant that resembles tiny palm trees. It’s super hard to take care of, needs a ph of about 5.8 to 6.5, high light, and high co2 but man will it catch an eye from a passing Aquarist… Seriously I haven’t met anybody else who knows of this plant. And I’ve only ever seen it sold in one store… Absolutely Fish in NJ. I’ve never bought a plant online (I just don’t trust it!!! No snails for me! )  but I promise this plant will be the first plant I order online… It’s that cool.

3. Mosses (no not moss balls)

• If you have drift wood or bare decorations in your planted tank I highly suggest playing with moss (Not java moss… Please). I’ve glued it to rocks and wood for the aged ivy look. And glued big globs of it to the tips of spider wood to make underwater trees. Flame, spiky, weeping, Phoenix, it comes in crazy patterns and is actually pretty low maintenance. It grows slow, but does require a CO2 supply and at least medium light.