Micranthemum ‘Monte Carlo’ - Aquarium Carpet

$11.99 USD ~~$12.99 USD~~

Usually ships in 1-2 business days from our fulfillment center

Micranthemum ‘Monte Carlo’ has become one of the most popular carpeting plants in the planted aquarium hobby. Its compact growth, bright green color, and forgiving nature make it ideal for lush foreground coverage in planted aquariums. Compared to Hemianthus callitrichoides (HC Cuba), Monte Carlo is generally easier to grow while still producing thick, beautiful carpets when given the right conditions.

Recent botanical classification identifies Monte Carlo as Micranthemum tweediei, but it remains widely known in the aquarium hobby simply as “Monte Carlo”. Its small, rounded leaves work for a range of aquascaping styles, from minimalist Iwagumi layouts to nature aquariums. Beyond being grown as a carpet plant, Monte Carlo can also be planted between hardscape to soften transitions, create natural overhangs, or creep gently over driftwood.

It’s available in several different forms, including potted plants, tissue culture, and more. Many are grown emersed, so some transition is normal as they adapt to submerged growth. Before planting, we recommend separating the plant into small portions to encourage quicker rooting and more even growth across the foreground.

While Monte Carlo can be grown in lower lighting, moderate to strong lighting, nutrient-rich substrate, and CO₂ injection will produce a noticeably denser carpet and quicker spread. Once established, it spreads moderately and bounces back well from regular trimming, making it easy to maintain a healthy, thick aquarium carpet.

Below is a mature Iwagumi aquascape featuring a healthy Monte Carlo carpet. This video demonstrates the dense, healthy growth Monte Carlo is known for while showing how easily trapped detritus can be removed during routine aquarium maintenance!

Micranthemum Monte Carlo Popular Foreground Carpet Aquarium Plant Micranthemum 'Monte Carlo’ - Glass Aqua

Plant Care & Information

Common Name(s)	Monte Carlo
Plant Type	Carpet
Care Level	Easy to Intermediate
Lighting	Medium to High
CO2	Recommended
Growth Rate	Moderate to Fast
Suggested Placement	Foreground
Height / Size	1-2"+
Propagation	Trim & replant runners

Aquarium plants can vary in growth form and may require time to transition to your aquarium environment, whether grown submerged or emersed. This transition period is a natural part of establishing healthy, long-term growth in planted aquariums.

From carpeting plants in the foreground to stem plants and larger species used in the midground or background, each plant offers a unique contribution to a balanced and natural aquascape. As plants adapt, it is normal to see minor changes such as leaf melt, color shifts, or new growth patterns as they settle into their new conditions.

We carefully inspect and prepare all live aquatic plants prior to shipping. While we do our best to minimize hitchhikers, we cannot guarantee plants to be completely pest or snail-free unless tissue culture options are selected.

Because live plants are perishable, some signs of transit stress may occur, including leaf loss or cosmetic damage. These are typically temporary and when when healthy roots are present, most plants will recover with proper care.

Want to browse more? Shop all aquarium plants here.

Tissue culture aquarium plants are grown in sterile, laboratory conditions, ensuring they are free from pests, algae, and snails. These young plants are cultivated in nutrient-rich gel and are grown in emersed form before being introduced into the aquarium.

Tissue culture plants are best for aquascapers looking for clean, controlled plant material, especially for shrimp tanks or sensitive setups. Before planting, the gel media should be gently removed, and the plant can be divided into smaller portions for planting.

With proper care, tissue culture plants transition quickly and establish into healthy submerged growth.

Looking for more? Shop all tissue culture aquarium plants.

Overall rating: 4.681818 / 5 from 66 reviews.

AI Generated Review Summary

Micranthemum 'Monte Carlo' is a highly regarded carpeting aquarium plant known for its lush, bright green foliage. Customers consistently praise its quality and healthy appearance upon arrival. It thrives in medium to high lighting conditions with CO2 injection and requires moderate care.

Summary topics

Plant Quality: 21%
Plant Health: 42%
Plant Appearance: 18%

Review topics: ["quality","shipping","customer service","issues","looks","condition","plants","carpet","start","amount","selection","melt","tissue culture"].

Review highlights

"Plants looked very healthy." — matthew w.
"Plant arrived quickly and healthy" — Carson
"The plants arrived safely and were in excellent condition." — Dennis T.

Reviews

Good plant

"The plants came in excellent condition and they are already spreading in my tank."

— Rachel W. (5/5)

"Healthy and green on arrival"

— Hannah (5/5)

Good

"It's a slow growing plant, but there was no melting, It will make a fine carpet in time."

— Allen W. (5/5)

Monte Carlo

"Bought tissue culture— only time I’ve had success with it is with glass aqua. Great quality."

— Chaaya S. (5/5)

excellent tissue culture

"this is the first monte carlo tissue culture ive purchased for a planted tank. they all came in live and green and after washing all the gel off and separating them, i was able to plant them easily. they are all still green as when i got them and growing in nicely."

— anthony r. (5/5)

Monte Carlo

"The plant arrived in very healthy condition, acclimated to my tank quickly and is thriving. Perfect for a 2. 5 gallon shallow tank."

— Renee M. (5/5)

Monte carlo

"Honestly the best plants out there"

— Luis A. (5/5)

Monte ca carlo

"Even with the right conditions I’m struggling to grow these. In great shape and condition no pests!"

— Shirley Z. (4/5)

Plants are healthy and thriving

"Plants are healthy and thriving"

— vishnu r. (5/5)

"Great plant"

— Anthony (5/5)

Q&A

Shipping
Orders are typically processed within 1-2 business days M-F. However, additional time may be required during peak seasons and federal holidays. For orders containing live plants, we exercise extra caution and assess factors such as travel distance and weather to ensure safe transit.

To avoid delays, please ensure all order information is accurate and complete. We cannot offer refunds and are not responsible for orders shipped to incorrect addresses due to errors in provided information. Once an order has been shipped, delivery times are determined by the carrier and are outside of our control. On average, shipments arrive within 2–5 business days, excluding weekends and holidays. For more information, please visit our FAQ page.

Returns
If you are not satisfied with your purchase, please contact us within 48 hours of delivery. Approved returns must be shipped back within 14 days of approval. Returned items must be unused, unopened, and in their original packaging. Specific return requirements, if applicable, will be listed on the product’s page. For more information, please visit our FAQ page.

Refunds
No worries, we’ll take care of everything as long as it fits the guidelines above.Most answers to general questions can be found on our FAQ page.