Foxtail (Myriophyllum aquaticum, also commonly sold as Myriophyllum sp.) is a fast-growing stem plant with dense whorls of fine, feathery needle-like leaves arranged symmetrically around each stem node -- a growth pattern that produces the immediately recognisable foxtail silhouette: a tapered, bottle-brush stem that widens at the middle and narrows toward the growing tip. It is one of the most widely planted aquarium stems precisely because it delivers on every practical criterion that matters in a shrimp tank simultaneously: fast growth that competes with algae for nutrients, dense fine-structure leaves that develop exceptional biofilm across every surface, physical shrimplet shelter that no broad-leaved plant can match at the same scale, and complete tolerance of any water chemistry and any light level from very low to very high. It can be planted in substrate, floated at the surface, or weighted loosely at any depth. No CO2 required. Safe with all Neocaridina, Caridina, and snails.
Not RequiredCO2
60–82FTemperature
Low–HighLighting
What to Expect
Growth, Texture and Character
Dense whorled needle leaves producing the classic foxtail silhouette -- fine, soft needle leaves radiate symmetrically from each stem node in dense whorls, overlapping slightly between adjacent nodes to produce a continuous fluffy column. The characteristic silhouette -- widest at the mid-stem, narrowing progressively toward the growing tip -- is immediately recognisable and reads as distinctive from any other stem plant shape in the catalog. A group of planted Foxtail stems in the background reads as a fine-textured, soft green mass; a single floating stem is individually sculptural and clearly shaped.
One of the fastest-growing stems in the catalog -- competes strongly with algae for nutrients -- Foxtail is a vigorous, fast-growing plant that takes up nutrients rapidly from the water column. In a shrimp tank with adequate light, it is one of the most effective biological filters available -- actively competing with algae for the same dissolved nutrients and producing significant oxygen through photosynthesis throughout the photoperiod. Fast growth also means regular trimming is required: stems reach the surface within two to four weeks in good conditions and should be trimmed and replanted or thinned regularly.
Exceptional biofilm development across every needle surface -- the enormous surface area created by thousands of fine needle leaves per stem develops a continuous biofilm coating that shrimp graze on throughout the day. Foxtail in an established shrimp tank is perpetually occupied -- shrimp work methodically across the needle surfaces from the base of the stem to the growing tip, and the interior of a dense Foxtail mass provides the richest sustained foraging zone per unit volume of any stem plant in the catalog.
The finest shrimplet shelter of any stem plant -- needle gaps sized for newborns -- the gaps between needle leaves in a dense Foxtail stem are proportioned almost exactly for newly released Neocaridina and Caridina shrimplets -- small enough to provide complete physical concealment from the open tank, large enough for the shrimplets to navigate freely. A Foxtail stem or floating clump in a breeding tank is reliably populated with shrimplets for the first several weeks of their lives, providing both the biofilm they graze on continuously and the physical protection they need during the most vulnerable period of their development.
Floats freely, plants in substrate, or weights at mid-depth -- fully flexible placement -- Foxtail is one of the most placement-flexible plants in the catalog. Floating at the surface it forms a spreading mat and provides surface cover and diffused light below; planted in substrate in the background it grows upright as a conventional stem plant; weighted at mid-depth it provides a floating mid-water shelter structure. All three placement methods produce healthy, actively growing stems.
Tolerates any water chemistry and any light level -- Foxtail grows across the full pH range comfortable for both Neocaridina and Caridina, in soft and hard water, and at any light intensity from very low to very high. It is one of the most genuinely parameter-agnostic plants in the hobby -- no adjustment is needed specifically for Foxtail regardless of what the rest of the tank requires.
How to Set It Up
Getting Started
1Choose placement: planted, floating, or weighted at mid-depth -- for planted background use, strip the lowest 3-4cm of needles and push the bare stem into substrate. For floating use, leave stems unanchored at the surface. For mid-water placement, attach a small plant weight to the lower stem and lower to the desired depth.
2Any water chemistry, any light -- no adjustment needed -- Foxtail adapts to whatever parameters the rest of the tank requires. No special preparation is needed before introduction.
3Trim regularly and replant tops to increase density -- trim stems before they reach the surface or shade lower plants. Replant trimmed tops into the substrate alongside existing stems to increase stem count progressively. Each trimmed stem also produces side shoots from lower nodes, further increasing density over successive trim cycles.
4Thin floating masses every two to three weeks -- floating Foxtail grows quickly and can cover the entire water surface within a few weeks in good light, reducing light penetration to the rest of the tank. Remove handfuls regularly to maintain a partial surface coverage that provides shelter without blocking light below.
Bonus TipA single floating Foxtail stem introduced to a new tank during the cycling period -- before shrimp arrive -- accelerates biofilm establishment across the entire tank more effectively than any other single plant addition. The enormous needle surface area colonises with biofilm rapidly, sheds biofilm particles into the water column that settle on substrate and hardscape surfaces, and provides oxygen throughout the cycling period. By the time the tank is ready for shrimp introduction, a Foxtail stem that has been floating for two to three weeks has already seeded every other surface in the tank with the diverse biofilm communities that newly introduced shrimp immediately begin exploiting -- arriving to a biologically mature environment rather than a bare new setup.
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Browse more aquatic plantsPair Foxtail with Java Moss, Subwassertang, or Anubias for a complete shrimp-ready planted setup. Browse our Aquatic Plants collection.
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