Aquarium carpet plants
Carpet plants form a dense ground cover across the substrate. Most require high light, pressurised CO2, and a nutrient-rich substrate to spread laterally — without these, they grow slowly upward instead of outward and look sparse. Dwarf Hairgrass is the more forgiving option; Monte Carlo is more compact and lower-growing but demands brighter conditions.
2 species on this list.
- Dwarf Hairgrass
Eleocharis parvula
medium · medium light · no CO2 · slow growth
Plant individual plugs in fine substrate; it will take several weeks to spread. Without CO2, lower expectations on coverage speed. Trim to a few centimetres to encourage lateral growth. Compatible with shrimp, which help clean detritus from the carpet.
- Monte Carlo
Micranthemum tweediei
medium · medium light · no CO2 · medium growth
Plant small portions flat against the substrate, pinned if necessary, in fine nutrient-rich substrate. Trim occasionally to keep the carpet dense rather than tall. Compatible with most shrimp species.
Other plant guides
- Easy beginner aquarium plants
- Low-light aquarium plants
- Plants for shrimp tanks
- Plants that grow without CO2
- Fast-growing aquarium plants
Plan your stocking with the tank builder or browse all plant profiles. Tank size pages: 30L · 60L · 100L · 200L