Carpet Plants List: Low tech and High tech with Pictures!

The following is a list of carpeting plants.

The parameters to achieve CARPETING CHARACTERISTICS are as followed:
LOW TECH no CO2 injection necessary.
HIGH TECH CO2 injection necessary.

I will add pictures of my own plants over the next few days.
I'll also some personal experience and tips for growing and aquascaping with these plants. Community members please contribute by adding pictures of your carpets
Please communicate your experience with carpets, ex. Excel dosing, fertilizer dosing, lighting parameters, growth rates, maintenance, trimming methods, etc.

LOW TECH CARPETING PLANTS (these will carpet, but without CO2 this will take some time):

Dwarf Saggitaria:

Marsilea Minuta:

Helanthium (Echinodorus) Tenellus:

Cryptocoryne Parva:

Mosses:

HIGH TECH CARPETING PLANTS:

Glossostigma Elatinoides:

Popularly referred to as 'Glosso'. I found this plant to be the easiest to grow and fastest carpeting plant I've kept. I believe it is ideal for a hobbyist who is just starting the high tech planted tank experience. Leaves are bright Granny Smith apple green; 2-3mm in diameter and shaped like tiny golf clubs. Best planted in small bunches of no more than 10 nodes. Only requires some amount of CO2 to do well. Under lower light Glosso can grow to be quite tall and creep slower in such a setting. High light parameters drives Glosso to grow lower and creep quickly along the substrate. According to Tropica Glosso prefers softer water. Written by Reckon.

Elatine Hydropiper:

Commonly referred to as 'Mini Glosso'

Eleocharis Parvula/Acicularis:

Commonly referred to as 'Dwarf Hairgrass or DHG'

Hemianthus Callitrichoides:

Commonly referred to as 'HC'

Hydrocotyle Tripartia:

Also known as Hydrocotyle Japan. Bright green 1cm diameter 'maple leaf' shaped leaves. I don't consider it a true carpeting plant, but rather a compact vine-like creeping plant which will form a dense cover over the substrate especially when using high light, or by trimming taller stems. You can also get it to 'carpet' by pushing the plants closer to the substrate with your hand during tank maintenance. Fairly easy to grow with CO2. Moderate to fast growth. VERY slow growth without CO2 injection. Great for adding different texture and breaking up foreground plants and hardscape. Written by Reckon.

Ranunculus Inundatus:



Riccia Fluitans:

Rotala Mexicana Goias:

Staurogyne Repens:

Staurogyne Porto Velho:



Hygrophila Araguaia:

Micrantherum Umbrosum 'Monte Carlo':

Often referred to as simply 'Monte Carlo.' Also known as 'large pearl grass'. I consider this plant as a bigger version of HC. Slightly brighter green. Leaves are 2-3mm in diameter. Similar growth patterns. In my experience, Monte Carlo tends to take a short pause in growth when moved from one tank to another; this period ranges from 1 to 2 weeks. Best planted in individual nodes upright into the substrate, as Monte Carlo grows, it will fold over and begin to creep developing roots to 'grab' on to the substrate. I trim any errant nodes that don't adhere to the substrate. Trimming these nodes will stimulate the plant to put out creeping runners. Slow to moderate growth. Can be trained to be resistant to Excel dosing. In my experience, supplementing with a glutaraldehyde and higher light can accelerate Monte Carlo's growth. I recommend Monte Carlo for the hobbyist who likes the complex look of HC but wants to avoid the backache of propagating HC. Written by Reckon.



Utricularia Graminifolia: