Today, many people are turning their aquariums into beautiful works of plant art. Like any interesting hobby, aquascaping has specialized over time with different schools of thought and varying approaches. For example, the Dutch Aquascape imitates the orderly plant layout of European gardens, while the Natural Aquarium reminds us of bonsai art or Japanese courtyard gardens. Biotope aquariums attempt to capture a portrait of the wild habitat with an authentic combination of livestock, plants, and substrates.
A planted Riparium, on the other hand, is a more recently developed type of aquascape that recreates the shoreline area of ??an aquatic habitat with plants growing above and below the water’s surface. Creating a riparium tank can be a challenging but rewarding project, ideal for experienced fish keepers. Whether you’re a beginner looking for a simple, easy-to-care-for setup, or a seasoned hobbyist ready for a high-tech aquascape, these riparium ideas will help you create the perfect aquatic environment.
While the ripariums often seen on social media typically feature larger tanks for large, emergent plants, smaller ripariums are no less beautiful. Emergent riparium plants use excess nitrates as a food source, helping to maintain safe water parameters for your fish. Pothos is one of the easiest choices for this type of aquarium and comes in a variety of colors, allowing you to mix colors.
Some Echinodorus sword plants, especially E. cordifolius and its variegated cultivar, E. cordifolius ‘Tropica Marble Queen’, are excellent riparium choices when grown as plants adapted to submerged conditions. Other ideas include Cryptocoryne, Anubias, and Java Fern (Microsorum) which also make beautiful riparium plants when grown in closed-top aquariums to maintain the warm, high humidity conditions of their wild habitat.
A variety of aquarium stem plants, including Hygrophila, Bacopa, Ludwigia, and others, can add a variety of textures and rich colors to a planted riparium or paludarium when grown submerged.
Find more riparium ideas below!
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