Want a grass carpet rather than a leafy one? Micro Sword spreads by runner into a fine, low meadow of narrow blades — the closest thing in the hobby to a lawn. It is slower and more demanding than it looks, and it rewards a nutrient substrate more than almost any other carpet.
What You’ll Receive
Choose from our selection of nursery-grown Lilaeopsis brasiliensis:
- Loose Bare Root Plants: Approximately a small clump bare root portion
- Bunched Plants: Small clump bundled with foam and a plant weight
- Potted Plants: Potted in a net pot with rock wool
Plant Profile
- Common name — Micro Sword, Brazilian Micro Sword
- Scientific name — Lilaeopsis brasiliensis
- Origin — South America
- Placement — Foreground
- Shipped size — Small bare-root clump portion
- Mature height — 1–3 in
- Suits — 10 gallons and up
- Growth rate — Medium
Care
- Difficulty — Intermediate
- Light — Medium to high. Light reaching the substrate is what makes it carpet rather than stretch
- CO₂ — Recommended, not required. It carpets faster and denser with it
- Water — 68–82°F · pH 6.0–7.5
- Substrate — Required. Root feeder — nutrient substrate or root tabs
- Growth habit — Amphibious. Also grows emersed in paludariums
- Propagation — Substrate runners
Grower’s Notes
- Separate the portion into small clumps and plant them an inch apart. Planted as one mass it takes far longer to spread, because runners only travel into open substrate.
- Root tabs decide the outcome. In inert gravel Micro Sword survives but never thickens — this is the most common reason a carpet stalls.
- It is slow to start. Expect little visible progress for the first month while it roots, then steady spread. Do not replant it because nothing is happening.
- Some melt after planting is normal; new submersed blades come from the runners rather than the original leaves.
Despite the name, this is not a sword plant. Lilaeopsis is unrelated to Echinodorus (Amazon Swords) or Helanthium (chain swords) — it stays small and carpets, where true swords grow large or spread as rosettes.
Finer blades for a nano tank? See Micro Sword Narrow Leaf.
Want to go deeper? Read our guide to the Best Carpet Plants for Aquariums.
Notes
- Photos are for reference; blade length and density vary considerably with lighting and nutrients. Some initial leaf melt is normal as the plant converts to submersed growth.
- Never release aquarium plants into natural waterways.
Shipping Policy
At Aquarium Plants Factory, we carefully package and ship all orders to ensure plants and livestock arrive healthy and ready to thrive.
Order Processing Time
Most orders are processed within 1–2 business days after payment is received.
Orders placed on weekends or holidays will be processed on the next business day.
Orders containing out-of-stock, pre-order, or backorder items may require additional handling time.
Once your order ships, tracking information will be sent to your email.
Shipping Schedule
Live Plants
Live plant orders ship Monday through Saturday when using United States Postal Service (USPS).
Most plant-only orders ship within 1–3 business days, excluding products that are out of stock, pre-order, or backorder.
Estimated USPS delivery time is 2–5 business days, depending on your location.
UPS Express Shipping
We offer the following UPS expedited shipping options:
UPS 2-Day Air®
Estimated delivery: 2 business days
Please note that UPS 2-Day Air® is not a guaranteed service in the event of carrier delays, weather disruptions, or operational issues.
UPS Next Day Air®
Estimated delivery: 1 business day
This service is guaranteed by UPS according to their service guarantee policies.
UPS expedited orders ship Monday through Wednesday only to ensure packages arrive within the same week and avoid weekend delays.
Please note that orders require 1–2 business days of handling time before shipment.
To help ensure same-week delivery, please place UPS orders on or before Tuesday at 6:00 AM Pacific Time (PT).
Live Animals Shipping
Live animal orders ship Monday through Wednesday only.
This schedule ensures animals arrive within the same week and do not remain in transit over the weekend.
Handling time for live animal orders typically ranges from 1–5 business days, depending on:
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Weather conditions
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Livestock health
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Shipping destination
Tracking information will be emailed once the order has been shipped.
Free Shipping
We offer Free Shipping on eligible orders over $150 within the contiguous United States.
Estimated delivery time for free shipping orders is 2–5 business days.
If your order contains both live plants and live animals, the shipment may be combined and the appropriate shipping rate will be shown at checkout.
Free Shipping is not available for customers located in:
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Alaska
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Hawaii
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Puerto Rico
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Guam
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U.S. Virgin Islands
Customers in these locations must select Expedited or Express shipping options at checkout.
Delivery Time Estimates
Delivery times shown at checkout are estimates provided by the shipping carrier.
While we work hard to ship orders quickly, delivery times may vary due to factors outside of our control, including:
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Weather conditions
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Carrier delays
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High shipping volumes
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Transportation disruptions
Aquarium Plants Factory is not responsible for shipping delays caused by the carrier.
Delayed or Lost Packages
Occasionally, shipments may take longer than expected.
A package is considered lost only after 15 business days (approximately 3 weeks) from the ship date.
If a package is confirmed lost by the carrier, we may offer a 50/50 replacement, meaning:
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Aquarium Plants Factory covers 50% of the replacement cost
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The customer covers 50% plus shipping
Address Accuracy
Customers are responsible for providing a complete and accurate shipping address when placing an order.
Please ensure that your address is correct when using payment methods such as:
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Credit / Debit Card
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PayPal
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Apple Pay
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Google Pay
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Amazon Pay
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Shopify Pay
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AliPay
Orders returned due to:
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Incorrect address
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Refused delivery
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Failed delivery attempts
may not be eligible for a refund.
Order Cancellations
If you need to cancel an order, please contact us as soon as possible.
Orders can only be canceled before they have been shipped.
Once an order has been shipped, it can no longer be canceled.
Returns
Due to the sensitive nature of live goods, all sales are final.
We do not accept returns or exchanges for:
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Live plants
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Live animals
For any shipping questions, please contact us before placing your order.
Aquarium Plants Factory
https://www.AquariumPlantsFactory.com
What We Guarantee
24-Hour Live Arrival Guarantee — We guarantee that live plants and live aquatic animals will arrive alive. In the rare case of a Dead on Arrival (DOA), you must notify us within 24 hours of the delivery time recorded on the carrier's official tracking page. The guarantee is void after that 24-hour window, as condition can no longer be attributed to transit.
How to Submit a Claim
- Take at least 2 clear, well-lit photos of the affected items in their original, unopened, sealed packaging, plus a photo of the shipping label on the box.
- Email your photos and order number to hello@aquariumplantsfactory.com within 24 hours of delivery.
- Do not photograph plants or animals after they have been unpacked, planted, or introduced to your aquarium — once an item enters your aquarium's ecosystem, it is no longer covered.
Approved claims are resolved with a replacement, store credit, or refund at our discretion, under the terms of our Refund Policy. Each item is eligible for one replacement only — replacements are final and we cannot replace a replacement.
Conditions That Void the Guarantee
- Incorrect or incomplete shipping address (vacant address, missing apartment number, or any issue that prevents delivery)
- Packages marked "invalid address," "undeliverable," refused, or returned to sender
- Packages left unclaimed, held at a carrier facility at the customer's request, or not retrieved promptly after delivery — live goods must be brought indoors and unpacked the day they arrive
- Carrier delays, weather events, or delivery exceptions once the package has left our facility
- Shipments to freight forwarders or package-forwarding services
Providing accurate, complete shipping information and monitoring your tracking are essential to keeping your guarantee valid.
Please note: the Live Arrival Guarantee covers arrival only. We cannot guarantee ongoing success — aquarium environment, water quality, nutrients, temperature, lighting, filtration, and CO2 all affect long-term results.
What We Can't Guarantee
- Pest-free plants (potted & bare-root): Although our plants are grown in our own clean greenhouse, we cannot guarantee they are 100% free of snails, algae, or other hitchhikers. We recommend rinsing and quarantining all plants before adding them to your aquarium. Tissue culture (in vitro) plants are the exception — they are grown in sterile lab conditions, are 100% free of pests, algae, and disease, and have never been in contact with any aquarium.
- Pesticide-free plants: We use homemade, organic pest control in our greenhouse and never use copper-based pesticides, which are toxic to invertebrates such as snails, crabs, and shrimp. However, we cannot guarantee plants are entirely pesticide-free — always rinse and quarantine before use in invertebrate tanks.
- Your aquarium's success: We are not responsible for your aquarium inhabitants, including fish, shrimp, snails, and turtles. Please quarantine all plants before use.
- Growth form: Unless specified, we do not guarantee plants will grow emersed or submersed in your particular setup.
Please review your state's regulations on restricted plants, as we are committed to not shipping plants that are restricted in your area. Do not release any plants into the wild or waterways, as this can harm local ecosystems by introducing invasive species.
Your cooperation in protecting the environment is appreciated. For continuously updated information, refer to the USDA State Noxious Weed list here.
Thank you for your responsible commitment to environmental preservation.
Customers praised the healthy plants that "arrived green and robust" with excellent coverage and strong roots. Many noted "carpeting nicely" with quick growth and new shoots. Most shipments arrived quickly despite occasional delays. Some customers experienced melting initially, though many recovered. A few received melted plants. Works in low-tech setups but prefers intense lighting and CO2.
- Spreading quickly and becoming a thick carpet.
- They arrived healthy and very quickly.
- I was amazed by the quality.
R
I know this plant to strongly prefer intense lighting and CO2, but I wanted to give it a try in my tank with moderate lighting and just soil, no CO2. It arrived green and robust, and most of the plugs are doing well. I had a few parts melt, but they have already grown new leaves. This micro sword was my first choice for a foreground plant in my low-tech set up, and I am happy with what I received from Aquarium Plant Factory.
T
I ordered two potted and was greatly deceive by the pictures. Mine arrived with one pot completely melted. As one of the plants I was highly looking forward to in this order, I'm certainly disappointed.
J
Ordered (40) so with buy 2 get 1 offer, received (60).
Each portion came in an approximately 2x3 plastic bag. All plants were very healthy and plump. Split each portion in 1/2 to fit in my temporary holding device (see pic).
So far after several days, plants still look extremely healthy with zero die-back or melt.
K
Arrived healthy with good roots. Spreading quickly and becoming a thick carpet. Pictures attached of when it was initially planted vs 3 weeks of growth. All plants pictures are from aquarium plants factory. I haven’t received a bad plant from them yet after two large orders.
Z
Plant showed up in perfect condition. Ordered not today!
S
These are healthy and dense. I was surprised at the amount I was sent!
C
I received my order of plants fast, and they arrived very quickly. I am very happy with you product and service.
Thank you
Craig in Houston
D
With all the negative publicity about the USPS, I thought my order would take over a week. Within 4 days I had my order from California to Wisconsin. My plants looked very healthy and were planted immediately. I had watched some YouTube videos on how to separate and plant as you can see in the picture.
This is my fourth time ordering and I continue to be impressed with the quality and speed of service.
L
I ordered this plant and it came to me in NC in about 5 days. It came is great shape. Was able to separate the plant into 3 pieces. Really enjoy this plant.
J
I ordered 1 bunch and got a pretty big piece. Was able to separate into 2 pieces. Great value. 10 stars. Would order again. Watch out for hitchhiking trumpet snails.
E
Arrived green and happy.
e
Good looking healthy plants.
A
Planys arrived well even though package got delayef in shipping
S
They arrived healthy and very quickly. They took a moment to get established in the substrate but they're doing very well and are sending out new shoots already.
J
Arrived healthy and looks great lots of coverage per pack
J
Arrived fine but all withered and melted now. Hopefully they recover and don’t need to be replaced.
J
I ordered this fairly recently and bought the rooted bunch.I was amazed by the quality.I will definitely be buying more in the near future.
E
The plants arrived in great condition and were easy to separate and plant. I have also learned never to use USPS for anything that's alive, because they are always late. I will buy more plants from APF in the future
B
Order came in a very timely manner - all 3 bunches are healthy and have been awesome additions to my carpeting areas. Definitely recommend!
c
Arrived on time and healthy. Will be ordering more in the future.
T
Came faster than expected.
L
Came all healthy and happy, the micro swords are growing good and look great still.
D
Plants came in quick, healthy and very well packed. Will definately purchase more plants from this site. Fairly priced items
P
These plants are adorably packed and super healthy. My fish love it
W
Everything well packed, Clean, healthy looking plants, looking forward to ordering again. Re: Micro sword specifics:Nice portion of well rooted plants. Not so much individual plants as a mat of them, which I like. Very simple to plant a small, full "bunch" or divide out for a large number of starts.
C
not bad
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