• Live plants provide important benefits.Aquarium image by crossgolfing from Fotolia.com
  
  No matter what type of fish you keep in your aquarium, adding live plants can make the tank healthier and more interesting. Live plants take in carbon dioxide from the water and supply oxygen, providing a better balance in your tank and reducing the need for airstones and other supplemental oxygenation. Live plants also provide an important source of food for many species of fish, as well as shelter for fish that tend to hide.
  
  

Anubias

• Anubias is a good choice for poorly lit tanks, and a good plant for those who have had difficulty keeping other plants alive in the aquarium. Lack of light is one of the biggest killers of aquarium plants, but the anubias needs very little supplemental light to survive. This plant has a very slow growth rate, so do not be alarmed if it does not appear to be growing right away.
  
  

Anacharis

• The anacharis is a deep green, bunch type plant that grows well in the home aquarium. Anacharis is often used as a background, since it can grow to a height of 10 inches or more. Hobbyists can use the tall branches of the anacharis plant to hide filter tubes, air hoses and other unsightly elements in the aquarium.
  
  

Sword Plants

• Sword plants are a good choice for the new hobbyist, since they tend to grow quite well even in less than optimal conditions. The wide leaves of the sword plant allow it to make the most of available light, and the deep roots allow it to stay in place even when the fish dig in the gravel. It is best to provide a thin layer of aquarium-grade fertilizer under the gravel to give the sword plant a good start and help it get the nutrients it needs.
  
  

Java Ferns

• Ferns are a good choice for the freshwater tank, since they tend to be very hardy and have the ability to grow anywhere they are placed. The Java fern will readily attach itself to pieces of driftwood, rocks and aquarium decorations, and once it is in place it will continue to grow as long as sufficient nutrients are present in the water. The Java fern is one of the hardiest of all aquarium plants, making it a good choice for the beginner as well as the more experienced hobbyist.