Betta fish are also referred to as the Siamese Fighting Fish. The betta is a prevalent freshwater aquarium fish. The “betta” is actually one of 73 species in the genus Betta. Their lifespan in an aquarium is 3-5 years. The betta fish’s scientific name is Betta Splendens, and they are generally 2.8 inches long as adults.
The betta fish enjoy many different types of decorations for the environment. Marimo balls, sinking ceramic betta log, silk aquarium plants, and betta leaf hammock. But the #1 decoration for a betta fish aquarium is live plants.
What are the best live plants for your betta tank? There is a wide array of live plants that betta fish love having in their environment. Water weeds, Java Moss, Duckweeds, and Wisteria, are just a small handful. Live plants help maintain your aquarium water’s health, and they make the aquarium look amazing.
Betta fish like to use the leaves as hiding spots or to rest on. They will also build bubble nests around the plants.
Since betta fish should be kept alone because they are extremely territorial and fight with other betta fish, especially if you have 2 males together, you can build a slice of heaven for your betta fish in a 10-gallon tank. You can also opt for a 5 gallon, but I would not go any smaller than that. They need plenty of room to swim around comfortably.
Many people believe that they can go to the pet store and purchase a betta fish, a small fishbowl, and a few rocks or pebbles. You can, but your betta fish isn’t going to last for very long. They are just like any other fish; they need heat, lights, filtration systems, and plenty of room to swim. No matter what fish you want to have, they all need to have an aquarium set-up that mimics their natural environment, out in the wild.
We are going to give you a full list of the best live plants for your betta fish. We will give you a brief description, origin, and the reason why the betta fish prefer to have that specific plant. There is a huge selection of plants that you can have in a betta tank, so let’s get started.
8 Best Live Plants For A Betta Fish Tank
01. Anubias Nana: this is a hardy plant that is one of the most popular with aquarists. These are tall plants with various sizes of leaves. When you plant the Anubias Nana in an aquarium, you want to take care of the roots and the rhizome.
Even though they can be tall, they are the perfect size for a 10-gallon aquarium. These plants are slow growers, easy to maintain, and are great for low-light aquariums.
02. Java Fern: this particular aquarium plant can be found in Malaysia, Thailand, and Northeast India. They only get to be about 8 inches tall, so they fit perfectly in any aquarium.
The Java Fern is easy to grow, and they thrive in low-light environments. You will need to rubber band them or string them to rock or driftwood to avoid their rhizome from being buried.
The Java Fern is also very easy to maintain and provides the perfect sanctuary for your betta fish. Because of this fact, you only need to get 1 or 2 Java Ferns to start.
03. Java Moss: extremely popular for freshwater aquariums, it will also attach itself to driftwood, rocks, and other hard surfaces in your tank. New Java Moss growth is a bright green, where older Java Moss is a darker, deeper green. It grows to be about 3-10 inches long, so you will need to trim it regularly. Java Moss is perfect for a beginner who is just starting a betta tank.
You can let the Java Moss blanket the bottom of the aquarium or just let them free float as they do not need to be grounded to the tank in any way. If you don’t mind a semi-messy looking aquarium, then go for the Java Moss.
04. Pennywort: beware, this is a rapidly growing aquarium plant that can reach 8+ inches tall. It is one of the easiest plants to grow and is ideal for any aquatic set-up.
Pennywort can thrive above, on, or under the water and has a low-light requirement. It naturally gravitates to the surface, providing excellent coverage for your betta fish. You want to trim it often to keep it from consuming the surface of the water.
Pennywort is visually appealing in your tank, perfect for your betta fish, and generally easy to care for. The plant prefers moderate to high light but will do survive in a low-light tank. Humans can even pluck a leaf or 3 and use them for cooking. It is edible and has a spicy taste, similar to pepper.
05. Hygrophila: this aquarium plant is prevalent in a betta tank. The bright green leaves can get up to 5 inches long, providing the perfect resting spot for your betta fish. Because this particular plant grows so quickly and can reach 28 inches tall, a 20-gallon tank is recommended.
If you want a splash of color in your betta tank, the Hygrophila also comes in a red leaf form. They are easy to care for, bettas love them, and they need very little maintenance.
06. Wisteria: another popular live plant option for any type of freshwater aquarium. The suggested tank size is 10 gallons. This plant has lace-like leaves and makes a perfect hiding spot for your betta fish. You can grow the Wisteria as a single-rooted plant or trimmed down to form a carpet effect in your tank.
It grows quickly and can get quite large, so regular trimmings are going It is a MUST, or it could over-take your aquarium. Wisteria is great in helping to keep your tank water clean and healthy, but keep an eye on your betta to make sure they do not over nibble.
07- Christmas Moss: this is a hardy, slow-growing aquarium plant that is similar to the Java Moss. It will naturally attach itself to a piece of driftwood or rocks in your tank and be a free-floating carpet in the aquarium.
The Christmas Moss prefers a water temperature between 76-80 degrees. It also enjoys moderate lighting but can tolerate other light levels. This moss is extremely easy to care for, therefore making it perfect for beginners.
08. Anubias Barteri: one of the most resilient aquarium plants that you can find. It is a hardy plant that has arrow-shaped leaves in lush green color.
Like Anubias Nana, it prefers to attach itself to rocks, driftwood, or other hard surfaces in your aquarium. Burying the rhizome can cause rot and The possible death of your Anubias Barteri.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many live plants that are ideal for your betta fish aquarium. But, those are not all of them. You will have a handful of options that we were unable to list here today.
You can put your betta in a 5-gallon tank and still use most of the live plants listed above, but it is recommended that your tank size be a minimum of 10-gallons for most of them. In which case, your betta fish could have the ultimate paradise, or you could add a couple of fish that would be good tank mates for the betta fish.
As with everything for your aquarium, you need to do your research. Make sure you know exactly how to take care of your live plant. If you should or shouldn’t bury the roots, how often (if at all) do they need to be trimmed if they prefer a certain water temperature and the lighting source they sustain best in.
You also need to know whether or not to put them close to the water input next to your filtration system. The majority of the live plants are easy to take care of, and trimming them will only take a few minutes out of your day, but it will provide your betta fish with everything they desire.
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