How does one care for live plants?

[moonbubble]

Upgrading betta to at least a 5 gal(right now it's a 2 gallon bowl) tank within a few days. Don't know if I should try live plants or not...


Pros and cons of life plants, hard or easy to care for?

[ChoclateBetta]

Live plants help water and easy plants are practically no work. Anarchis Cryptocornye Wendettia.

[MissLyss1024]

It depends on the plant. I have two types of Java Fern, Anacharis, Anubias and just got Microsword and Wisteria. There are so many options and they look a lot better than fake ones. Get decent lights, 2-3 watts per gallon and depending on the plant, tie it to wood/rock or plant it directly in the substrate. They do take a little extra effort than just suctioning a plastic one to the tank, and you do have to trim them and pick up any dead pieces before they decompose. Also, with the proper lights ( I wouldn't do flourescents btw) you have to make sure to keep it on maybe 8 hours a day, or you'll get algae growth. I believe there is a guide on this site with some pictures and info on some plants. Good luck

[ChoclateBetta]

Duckweed

[LeoTheLakerBetta]

I like Anacharis. Grows pretty well in my community tank without doing anything except giving light.

[moonbubble]

Okay, very helpful! If I got live plants though, and I got some sort of snail, the snail would probably eat the plants, wouldn't they?

[Canuck Fins]

The worry with snails isn't that they will eat the plants. Snails are dirty and leave a mess to clean up.

[lauraannq]

i thought the snail cleaned the tank... do the shrimp clean the tank?

[ChoclateBetta]

Shrimp eat some waste.