Aquarium caves dangerous?

[Kuronue]

Some commercial caves can have edges from the mold when they were made, but nothing a scrap of sandpaper won't fix.

[Tikibirds]

Well I mean do you need a cave specifically? Or does a plant with large leaves make a decent enough hiding place?

Oversized plants will work too. In one tank, I have a few plants like a forest and the other side pretty bare. The plants were originally to slow down the outfloe from the filter but he seems to like to be in the plants more then the Tiki Hut. SOmetimes he goes in it but not alot.

Cichlid stones also work. I got them for my plecos to hide in but find my females in them more

[finnfinnfriend]

I was just wondering because I really like the whole minimalist look. I wouldn't take my little guy's cave away from him, but maybe with my next betta I would like to have one large leafy silk plant on one side of the tank and then nothing else but gravel. If he doesn't use the open space on the other side I think that's fine, because male bettas are naturally not usually very active anyway and I just like to have 5 gallons for water quality and maitenance reasons more than anything else...Though I think a betta would go to the other side out of curiosity anyway because there will either be a heater or a sponge filter over there ;)

[Tikibirds]

Thats kind of what I have - but I have several plants on one side.
The blue one is like an 18inch plant but I like how it bows over to the side. This is a 5G

[finnfinnfriend]

Originally Posted by Tikibirds

Thats kind of what I have - but I have several plants on one side.
The blue one is like an 18inch plant but I like how it bows over to the side. This is a 5G

Thanks for sharing :) do you have a full tank shot?

[Polkadot]

Originally Posted by finnfinnfriend

Do bettas need caves? Or can they just have a plant?

They probably don't specifically need a cave,but I think definitely some sort of hideout would be appreciated.Yes a big leafed plant would be good,a log or anything they can get in or under just to feel safe and get out of the light if they want to.You will get to know what your Betta prefers for sure,so you can swap things around and see what he/she favours best.