There's a reason planted tanks get more attention than bare ones: real plants change how a tank looks, breathes and even smells within a few weeks. Simply Fish stocks aquarium plants for sale NZ-wide, from easy beginner picks through to rare tissue-culture species for serious aquascapers, with a scattering of floating aquarium plants NZ tanks use for shade and cover along the way.
Every plant leaves our Christchurch shop grown, not silk or plastic, so a nibbled leaf or a slightly wonky stem isn't a defect; it's just proof that something in there is actually alive.
Our range spans easy beginner plants, stem plants, foreground carpeters, background species, and rare tissue-culture picks. So there's something for you whether you're setting up your first tank or chasing a specific look for an aquascape.
Cryptocoryne varieties make up a big chunk of the range, since they handle a wide spread of water conditions without much fuss. They're basically the workhorses of the plant world: not flashy, but almost impossible to kill. Stem plants like Hygrophila grow quickly enough to reshape a tank within weeks, and floating species drift on the surface, providing shade for fish that dislike bright light.
New to planted tanks? Stick with tough, forgiving species while you get a feel for lighting and dosing. Java Fern, Anubias, and most Cryptocoryne varieties tolerate low light and irregular fertilisation, making them among the most reliable live plants for fish tank setups without CO2 injection.
Avoid carpeting plants and anything fussy about water hardness until the rest of the tank is stable. There's plenty of time to get ambitious later.
Once the basics are sorted, our tissue-culture aquarium plants range opens up the fussier end of the hobby. Cultivars like Anubias Bonsai are grown in sterile lab conditions rather than harvested from tanks, so they arrive snail- and algae-free from the start. Clean, true-to-type, and ideal for smaller aquascapes or fine foreground detail.
Stock on rarer cultivars shifts week to week. If you're chasing a particular Cryptocoryne variety or carpeting species for a specific aquascape, a quick call before you drive out can save you a wasted trip.
Light drives everything a plant does, so mismatched lighting is behind most planted tank failures. Too little and your plants sulk. Too much and you've accidentally built an algae farm. Low-light species cope under basic fixtures, while carpeting and red-leafed plants need considerably more intensity to hold their colour and stay compact. Our Chihiros planted-tank lighting range covers both ends of that spectrum.
CO2 injection speeds growth and lets you keep more demanding species, though it isn't compulsory for a solid beginner setup. If you do want to add it, our planted-tank CO2 kits range from simple diffusers through to full pressurised systems.
Root feeders need nutrients in the substrate itself, not just in the water column. A nutrient-rich base under a capping layer of finer material gives roots something to actually feed on, which our premium aquascaping substrates range is built around.
Liquid and root-tab fertilisers fill in whatever the substrate can't provide on its own, particularly in tanks without CO2, where growth is naturally slower. Our aquatic plant fertilisers range covers both approaches.
Trim roots and dead leaves before planting, and bury crowns just enough to anchor them without smothering the growth point. Overcrowding early feels tempting, but plants fill out fast once established, so leave room to grow into. Nobody's aquascape looks like a magazine cover on day one, and that's fine.
Regular trimming keeps fast-growing species in check and prevents taller species from shading out smaller nearby plants.
Plants travel in water inside a solid, leak-proof container rather than loose or wrapped, with transit usually taking two to three days once an order goes out. Dispatch occurs at the start of the week to reduce depot time, though most plants tolerate five to seven days in transit if things run behind.
Christchurch locals can bypass the courier entirely and collect in-store, where they can see exactly what they're getting before it goes home with them.
Browse the current range above, or come in and talk through what'll actually work with your lighting and fish. A quick chat now beats a dead patch in the middle of your tank later.
Contact usCryptocoryne and Anubias varieties are a safe starting point. Both tolerate low light and irregular fertilising, so they're forgiving while you learn the basics.
Yes, our tissue-culture range covers fussier cultivars grown snail- and algae-free from the start. Stock changes regularly, so check what's currently available or ask in-store.
Not for most beginner species. CO2 speeds growth and widens what you can keep, but plenty of plants thrive without it.
It's possible with untreated plants, though tissue-culture varieties are grown snail-free from the start.
Plants ship in water in a sealed container and generally handle several days of transit, though we always aim for the shortest trip possible.
