Tried HC Cuba and watched it float away? Monte Carlo is the carpet that stays put. Small round bright green leaves creep across the substrate on runners, and it roots far more securely than HC — which is why it has largely replaced it as the default carpet plant.
What You’ll Receive
- Fresh-cut Plants: Loose portion of fresh-cut stems, unrooted, approx. 8+ stems
- Fresh-cut Bunched: Approx. 8+ stems, bunched with foam and plant weight
- Fresh-cut Potted: Approx. 8+ stems, potted with net pot and rockwool
Plant Profile
- Common name — Monte Carlo, MC, New Large Pearl Grass
- Scientific name — Micranthemum tweediei 'Monte Carlo'
- Origin — Argentina and Uruguay
- Placement — Foreground carpet
- Shipped size — Approx. 8+ fresh-cut stems, roughly 1-2 in
- Mature height — 1–2 in
- Suits — 5 gallons and up
- Growth rate — Fast
Care
- Difficulty — Intermediate, but far more forgiving than HC Cuba
- Light — Medium to high. Stronger light keeps it flat rather than climbing
- CO₂ — Recommended, not required! It still carpets in a low-tech tank, just slower
- Water — 68–78°F · pH 6.0–7.5
- Substrate — Required. Fine nutrient substrate holds the stems best
- Growth habit — Amphibious. Also grows emersed
- Propagation — Runners — trim and replant
Grower’s Notes
- Plant small portions an inch apart, not one clump. It closes the gaps by runner faster than you expect, and spacing is what gives you an even carpet instead of a lumpy one.
- Push the stems in properly. Monte Carlo roots well once anchored, but freshly cut stems have no roots yet and will lift if the substrate is coarse — fine aquasoil holds them best.
- Trim once it reaches an inch. An untrimmed mat thickens, shades its own base, and eventually lifts off the substrate in sheets.
- Our stock is grown emersed, so expect the first leaves to melt back as it converts. New creeping growth follows within one to two weeks.
- Also available as sterile Monte Carlo Vitro Culture.
Want to go deeper? Read our complete Monte Carlo Care Guide.
Notes
- Photos are for reference; density and color vary with lighting, CO₂ and nutrients. Some melt during transition is normal.
- 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 this aquatic carpeting plant for arriving "healthy and beautiful" with generous quantities. Shoppers noted excellent packaging that protects plants during shipping, even in extreme temperatures. The plant "grows like crazy" with CO2 and established roots. Some customers noted it can be challenging to establish, with occasional struggles, but most found success leaving it in large bunches.
- Arrived in great shape. Packed well and there is plenty in one bunch.
- Came quickly, healthy and have been growing like crazy in my tank.
- Arrived very healthy, with long established roots.
S
I’ve found it’s best to leave it in a big bunch and let it do its thing especially if you have fish that are sifters like I do. The bunches on rock are glued and grow extremely well, one large bunch I planted has also done very well. I have a few other patches of smaller bunches I tried out that didn’t go well however there’s a better then not chance it will try to regrow. Ultimately that’s just the story of Monte Carlo for some of us, I’d actually never had any success with it til now after a few attempts and I’m glad to confidently say it’s going to do well this time.
G
This monte carlo arrived in great shape. It was packed well and there is plenty in one bunch. Very happy with this purchase. The picture shows the monte carlo as well as dwarf hairgrass and hydrocotyle.
A
Came quickly, healthy and have been growing like crazy in my tank
Photo is after two weeks in a tank with CO2
A
I have some scapes laid out (3) ready for for planting and placed an order with two sites to check quality before ordering the full stock. Buce send me a bagged netcup with brown goo on top, loose in a box. APF, though a couple of days later ( free shipping ) arrived with a live distinguishable plant, bagged and wrapped in foil bubble insulation. I placed my remaining order here with APF expedited shipping knowing there’s care taken with my order.
Till the rest of the order gets in iv just placed the pot in a tank and it’s greening up well. This isn’t the tank this plant will go in but the pic shows the quality of the MC on the left.
J
Came looking green and healthy. I split it into two groups and just waiting/watching to see what it does over the next few months.
C
Nice
C
Nice
T
I like it
C
They are beautiful and I got honestly more than I expected. I'm very pleased with them!
B
Absolutely beautiful and healthy. Arrived in great shape!
E
Wrapped nicely. Will see how this plant will do
H
Arrived in good condition and received decent amount
T
Nicely packaged and they look great
K
The montecarlo arrived very healthy, with long established roots, and it didn't seem to have any living creatures attached... this was so helpful, a great buy, thank you
T
My plants arrived earlier than stated and were very well packaged. They were sitting in my mailbox for hours at about 45 degrees. When I opened them I was blown away with how green and healthy they were. I am currently dry starting and I will update in a few weeks.
B
Plants arrived early and in pristine condition despite the heat
D
Fantastic quality and amount!
W
Arrived healthy but are struggling
A
Great 🪴 and service
P
Got this to grow in a terrarium not submerged, It is doing ok, some wilt on one of them but not bad, I know this will definitely need some time to adjust to being out of the water.
So far doing great. have great hopes for it.
thank you
L
Plants came in very good condition! A pot has lots of individual stems that can be easily separated to start a carpet. They arrived quickly and survived the cold midwest weather just fine!
J
Excellent condition , well packed .
Very good , green color !
R
They came in pretty decent packaging. Happy with the purchase though it doesnt cover a wife surface area its to be expected. I will wait and see how theyll slowly carpet but for not its pretty good.
O
What is the difference in quantity of the Fresh-Cut and Bunched Plant? Does the bunched plant have twice as much, 1 and a half times as much..?
Good question! The stem/leaf quantity is actually about the same between the two - both the Fresh-cut and the Bunched option contain approx. 8+ stems. The difference is really just in how they're prepared for shipping: the Bunched option groups those stems together with foam and a small weight so they're ready to anchor in your substrate right away, while the loose Fresh-cut option arrives as individual stems you'll plant yourself.
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