# Planted Betta Tank Considerations



## jameson_uk (29 Jun 2017)

Just wondering if there is anything I need to take account of when planting up a tank for a Betta.

Tank is a 22l / 30cm cube and will only have a small sponge filter which is driven by a 25lph air pump so there will be little flow and will be low tech.

Are there any plants that do better with low flow?

Currently thinking of some sort of combination of:

Foreground

Moss ball(s)
Bucephalandra 'Wavy Green'
Mid ground

Hygrophila 'Compact'
Monosolenium tenerum

Murdannia keisak
Background

Java Fern
Vallisneria americana 'Asiatica'

Rotala rotundifolia (Although this doesn't do too well in my main tank)
Trying to avoid Anubias but any of these I should rule out, any I should really consider?


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## dw1305 (30 Jun 2017)

Hi all,





jameson_uk said:


> Trying to avoid Anubias but any of these I should rule out, any I should really consider?


You definitely want a floating plant if you are keeping a _Betta. 

<"Pistia stratiotes"> _or_ <"Limnobium laevigatum"> are_ my floaters of choice. _Pistia_ has better roots, but _Limnobium_ is easier to grow.

Another essential is a _Ceratopteris spp (_you should be able to find _<"C. thalictroides">), _you can grow it floating or planted, and that is where your Betta will spend a lot of time, in among the fronds.   

Not essential but a _Cryptocoryne_ sp. would be good.  _<"Cryptocoryne x willisii">_ is my suggestion, but any of the smaller species would do. 

I should have spares of these if you can't find them elsewhere.

cheers Darrel


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## AverageWhiteBloke (30 Jun 2017)

You know what, I've been a member of this forum for ages and I never realised The Plant Data Base even existed! Probably with me spending so much time in the algae section


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## AverageWhiteBloke (30 Jun 2017)

Just to add, my bettas like Cabomba, they would chew it up and spit it it their bubble nests but that could get messy.


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## dw1305 (30 Jun 2017)

Hi all,





AverageWhiteBloke said:


> my bettas like Cabomba, they would chew it up and spit it it their bubble nests but that could get messy


_Cabomba_ is good. I have _<"Cabomba caroliniana_"> in the tanks, but I thought it might be a bit of a rampant grower for 22 litres.

I've not tried the other species of _Cabomba (C. aquatica, C. furcata),_ but I know that they are less "bullet-proof".

cheers Darrel


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## jameson_uk (2 Jul 2017)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,You definitely want a floating plant if you are keeping a _Betta._


Hadn't even crossed my mind 
I do have an excess of Amazon Forgbit in my main tank but when I added this to my shrimp tank (same 22l Aqua One tank) it didn't fare to well and just melted away.
Not sure if this is due to moisture from the lid, there is about a couple of cm gap between the water line and the glass lid (and this will be the same with new tank as not sure I fancy a Betta tank without a lid) or the flow (which will be less in the new tank).

Pistia is Dwarf Water Lettuce?  Is this harder to grow as it needs more nutrients?    Looks like this sits above the water so I guess would suffer the same issues with a lid?



> Another essential is a _Ceratopteris spp (_you should be able to find _<"C. thalictroides">), _you can grow it floating or planted, and that is where your Betta will spend a lot of time, in among the fronds.


This is Water Sprite yes?   Must admit I had not come across this before and never seen it for sale.  I like the look of it floating but it is very hard to figure out size etc.   I can see pictures of it planted and it seems to look a bit like a _normal_ stem but when floating I have seen various picture that make it look like anything from a bit bigger than Frogbit to the size of a house. 

When planted low tech does it actually grow quite full like the pictures or does it get quite leggy?

Most of my LFS only sell Tropica plants and looks like they don't do this so might be on the lookout for some 



> Not essential but a _Cryptocoryne_ sp. would be good.  _<"Cryptocoryne x willisii">_ is my suggestion, but any of the smaller species would do.


Must admit I was trying to bypass Java Fern, Anubias and Crypts because I have them in my other tanks but this smaller one does look quite interesting.   I have a large Cambodian temple to fit in though so not sure I will have enough room for one.



dw1305 said:


> Hi all,_Cabomba_ is good. I have _<"Cabomba caroliniana_"> in the tanks, but I thought it might be a bit of a rampant grower for 22 litres.


Isn't this banned in the UK   This does look a bit like how my Limnophila Sessiliflora should look but I am guessing wouldn't get so leggy!


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## dw1305 (2 Jul 2017)

Hi all,





jameson_uk said:


> Isn't this banned in the UK


Yes it is on the <"EU banned list">. I've seen _Cabomba aquatica_ for sale, but it is more difficult. 





jameson_uk said:


> Limnophila Sessiliflora should look


I managed to kill it off fairly quickly. 





jameson_uk said:


> I do have an excess of Amazon Forgbit in my main tank but when I added this to my shrimp tank (same 22l Aqua One tank) it didn't fare to well and just melted away. Not sure if this is due to moisture from the lid, there is about a couple of cm gap between the water line and the glass lid (and this will be the same with new tank as not sure I fancy a Betta tank without a lid) or the flow (which will be less in the new tank).


Flow possibly.





jameson_uk said:


> Pistia is Dwarf Water Lettuce? Is this harder to grow as it needs more nutrients? Looks like this sits above the water so I guess would suffer the same issues with a lid?


It just think it needs more light, and yes it does sit much higher above the water level. 





jameson_uk said:


> This is Water Sprite yes? Must admit I had not come across this before and never seen it for sale.


Yes "Water Sprite" or "Indian Fern". It grow bigger planted, but I always end up with it floating. 

I'm sure it must be for sale, but I got my original plant at least ten years ago (and probably a lot longer) I've had it ever since. If you can't find any I always have plenty spare.

If your water is hard then Horn-wort (_Ceratophyllum)_ would be another option.

cheers Darrel


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## dean (10 Jul 2017)

A must is a plant that will grow to the surface and has large enough leaves to use as a bed 
I have Bettas that actually sleep above the water surface 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Aqua360 (10 Jul 2017)

dean said:


> A must is a plant that will grow to the surface and has large enough leaves to use as a bed
> I have Bettas that actually sleep above the water surface
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



above!? Pics please lol.

I use frogbit and duckweed in my set-up, works well; if you're looking for fronds that will extend further down however, salvinia natans works well


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## dw1305 (10 Jul 2017)

Hi all, 
<"Aqua Essentials"> have an offer on <"_Ceratopteris thalictroides_"> at the moment.

cheers Darrel


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## jameson_uk (10 Jul 2017)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,
> <"Aqua Essentials"> have an offer on <"_Ceratopteris thalictroides_"> at the moment.
> 
> cheers Darrel


Cheers, will order some tomorrow.  Now just have to get permission as to where this tank can live


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## AverageWhiteBloke (10 Jul 2017)

dean said:


> A must is a plant that will grow to the surface and has large enough leaves to use as a bed
> I have Bettas that actually sleep above the water surface
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Yeah, I've had betta that like to lie on top of whatever, usually the filter or sometimes large leaved plants. I think they try and find somewhere still out of the flow to sleep. Probably because of their long fins, be hard work staying in one place if they're in water flow. 

Sent from my STH100-2 using Tapatalk


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## jameson_uk (28 Aug 2017)

Was planning on setting tank up today but now ended up having a dilemma what to do regarding substrate.

The plants I am looking at definitely getting are:

Moss Ball(s)
Bucephalandra 'Wavy Green' (or perhaps another Buce species)
Ceratopteris Thalictroides (I will probably end up floating this)

Cryptocoryne Willsii
I guess the substrate only really makes a difference with the crypt but I am looking at adding some other (taller, background) plants just can't make up my mind on what..

So I guess it is still thinking about whether anything other than inert sand / gravel is any use.   My main tank is just inert sand but my shrimp(less) tank is Tropica soil and the plants in there look healthier than my main tank.

I guess one consideration is replacing the substrate.   I have hard water so anything that changes the chemistry is going to need replacing relatively quickly where as I guess inert sand will never need replacing?  Given the tank will be much lower flow than my other tanks does this make a difference?   With lower flow is a sand more likely to develop anaerobic patches (or would this only happen if it was really deep?).

There is then Eco-Complete and Flourite which I can't quite figure out.   Some places say each is inert and others say they affect chemistry...

For a betta I believe pH isn't too important so I am leaning towards just adding some sand (any particular size that would be better for planting?) and just adding some root tabs for the crypts and occasional dosing of ferts into the water column (Main thought being not having to replace the substrate but I am guessing most would actually survive as long as the betta anyway ...)

Anyone got any thoughts on whether this is best (and easiest) route or whether I should look at something else?


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## HiNtZ (30 Aug 2017)

My floater of choice is salvinia auriculata - hoovers up excess nutrients too.

Can send you some out if you want - I've got loads.


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## jameson_uk (1 Sep 2017)

HiNtZ said:


> My floater of choice is salvinia auriculata - hoovers up excess nutrients too.
> 
> Can send you some out if you want - I've got loads.


I had that in my main tank but ended up removing it as it was pretty rampant and blocked lots of light.  Took ages to actually get it out of the tank!  Using frogbit now which I prefer.


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## jameson_uk (1 Sep 2017)

Any thoughts on substrates?


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## HiNtZ (3 Sep 2017)

jameson_uk said:


> I had that in my main tank but ended up removing it as it was pretty rampant and blocked lots of light.  Took ages to actually get it out of the tank!  Using frogbit now which I prefer.



Oh yeah, it's ruthless for sure! I have an open top tank so I just scoop a handful out once a week and compost it.

I used Westlands pond compost in my low tech tanks.


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## jameson_uk (3 Sep 2017)

HiNtZ said:


> I used Westlands pond compost in my low tech tanks.


Have you capped it with anything?  I have been looking at soil tanks and thinking about it...  Does the soil only feed root feeders or does it supply nutrients to the water column too?


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## HiNtZ (3 Sep 2017)

jameson_uk said:


> Have you capped it with anything?  I have been looking at soil tanks and thinking about it...  Does the soil only feed root feeders or does it supply nutrients to the water column too?



Mine is capped with about 3 inches of sand. I doubt there's much leeching going on.... nor do I assume there is much being pulled up by the roots - but it seems to do the job with very minimal NPK dosing and a little bit of iron now and then.


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## jameson_uk (3 Sep 2017)

HiNtZ said:


> Mine is capped with about 3 inches of sand.


With an inch of soil that would be a third of the total height of the tank!  Off to do more reading...


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## HiNtZ (3 Sep 2017)

Ahh, well the actual dirt layer is about 5 inches! I like wasting tank space for some reason.....


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