Monte Carlo (Micranthemum Tweediei) - Potted

Monte Carlo | Potted

Monte Carlo is one of those plants that can completely change the “feel” of a planted tank. With its small, bright green, oval leaves and naturally creeping growth habit, it’s a favorite for aquascapers who want a soft, grassy-meadow look without the harsher texture of true hairgrass. In the foreground or low midground, Monte Carlo can be shaped into a tidy carpet, used to frame a rock layout, or allowed to spill gently around hardscape for a more natural, mature look.

Monte Carlo Overview

In the aquarium, Monte Carlo grows low and spreading, sending out runners and side shoots that gradually knit into a lush, bright-green carpet. For the best visual effect, think in “patches”: plant it in small clusters with a little space between each clump so the runners can bridge the gaps and create a seamless lawn over time. Monte Carlo really shines when you let it wrap around hardscape—tucking plugs along the base of rocks, or threading it through the edges of driftwood—because that contrast makes the scape look natural and established instead of “newly planted.”

If you’re aiming for a thicker, tighter carpet, consistent nutrients and stable CO₂ (while not strictly required) help keep growth compact and encourage the plant to crawl rather than reach upward.

Aquarists love Monte Carlo because it’s excellent for:

• Creating a vivid green carpet that makes fish colors and hardscape “pop”
• Filling in open foreground spaces with a clean, natural look
• Softening the base of rocks and driftwood so the scape feels more established
• Adding depth and scale—small leaves make even modest tanks feel larger

Planted in small clusters across the front of the tank, Monte Carlo gradually knits together into a cohesive carpet that looks intentional, polished, and bright.

Caring for Monte Carlo

Monte Carlo adapts well to a range of water parameters, but it grows best when conditions encourage it to stay low and spread rather than reach upward. Strong lighting helps keep it compact and encourages faster carpeting. While CO₂ isn’t required, it’s one of the biggest upgrades you can make if your goal is a thick, tight carpet—growth becomes quicker, denser, and more uniform. If you want the most consistent results, a stable setup like our Fully Automated CO₂ System with pH & CO₂ Controller can help maintain steady CO₂ levels, which often makes the difference between “it’s growing” and “it’s carpeting.”

For planting, you can remove the plant from the pot and divide it into smaller plugs, then use tweezers to plant each plug with slight spacing so light and flow can reach the base. Occasional trimming encourages Monte Carlo to branch outward and thicken; you can also replant healthy trimmings to fill in sparse areas.

• Light: Strong
• Temperature Range: 68–90°F
• Placement: Foreground to low midground
• CO₂: Not required, but strongly recommended for faster, denser carpeting
• Difficulty: Easy–Moderate (easier with strong light and stable CO₂)
• Growth Rate: Moderate to fast (faster with CO₂ and nutrient-rich substrate)

For a particularly natural look, plant Monte Carlo around hardscape—let it run up to the edges of stone and driftwood so the scape feels like it developed over time rather than being “placed.” A nutrient-rich planted substrate like Fluval Stratum (or another rich base) helps it root quickly and spread with fewer bare patches, while a consistent fertilizer routine (for example, a quality liquid fertilizer like Thrive and/or root tabs) supports dense, healthy growth over time. 

Why Choose the Potted Version

Choosing the potted version is a great option if you want an easier, more stable start—especially in newer setups or tanks where you’re still dialing in flow, lighting, and nutrients. Because the plant has been grown and maintained in its pot, it typically arrives with a more established root mass and a “settled” growth habit, which can make initial planting and acclimation feel more straightforward. You can place the pot directly into your substrate for a simple, low-mess install (and let it continue rooting while it adjusts), or remove the plant from the pot and split it into smaller plugs to spread across the foreground for faster carpeting. Many aquascapers also like potted plants because they tend to stay put better during early maintenance—less floating up, less uprooting, and easier repositioning as you refine your layout around rocks or driftwood.

Monte Carlo is also available in a 4 oz cup or on coco fiber, depending on whether you want quick coverage, easy planting, or a specific presentation style.

Plants at Modern Aquarium

At Modern Aquarium, each potted Monte Carlo is inspected, cleaned, and prepared by hand before shipping so you receive a healthy, ready-to-plant specimen.

• Top Quality Store & real reviews: Modern Aquarium has been designated by Google as a Top Quality Store and has thousands of individual verified reviews from real customers, so you can shop with confidence.
• Live Arrival Guarantee & fast delivery: All live plants are backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee and ship via FedEx 2-Day delivery to help ensure healthy arrival.
• Trusted sourcing: Our plants are sourced from some of the best nurseries in Florida and handled with care from the grower to your aquarium.
• What You See Is What You Get: Images on our site are typical representations—because live plants are natural products, individual specimens will vary in size, fullness, and exact coloration.
• Support when you need it: Use the chat feature on our website or give us a call—we’re happy to help with planting, trimming, and dialing in a great carpet.

With strong lighting, smart planting, and (optionally) stable CO₂, Monte Carlo is one of the most rewarding ways to give your aquarium a clean, high-end aquascape finish. To make planting and maintenance easier, use long tweezers and sharp scissors from our Modern Aquarium 6-Piece Aquascaping Tool Set, then frame the carpet around hardscape like Ohko Dragon Rock or Seiryu Stone, and finish the look with our driftwood options—Spider Wood, Blackwood, or Driftwood on Slate—so the Monte Carlo can “creep” naturally into crevices and edges for that mature, nature-style layout.