setting up my first betta tank today!

[LebronTheBetta]

Real are better but a few plants need a lot of light. I suggest Java Moss, Java Fern, or a Marimo Moss Ball. They need only a little bit of light and helps with the water quality. You could get fake so you don't have anything to do for them but make sure you get silk plants. The plastic ones can damage their fins. :)

[thelaserluke]

Originally Posted by LebronTheBetta

Real are better but a few plants need a lot of light. I suggest Java Moss, Java Fern, or a Marimo Moss Ball. They need only a little bit of light and helps with the water quality. You could get fake so you don't have anything to do for them but make sure you get silk plants. The plastic ones can damage their fins. :)

Silk it is! haha I think I had one more question but I dont remember it right now..

[Freyja]

The Marino moss ball is always a cool addition. I'm quite fond of mine although Freyja doesn't pay it much mind. She likes swimming through her floating Ancharis stems better. As Lebron said real is best because they help with water quality.

[lexylex0526]

I use marbles :) I think they look prettier and they are really eat to clean. Plus they have them. At the dollar store so their really inexpensive. Also you use water conditioner to make water safe for bettas.

[staffylover]

Always use tap water condition and once a week I add stresszyme which helps promote good bacteria
I prefer to use live plants and gravel as it is a lot easier to clean with a syphon. I think trying to clean fish poop out of marbles may be a bit tricky

[Meggie6347]

I have sand in all of my tanks and I LOVE it. I like it way more than gravel (which I had in the past) ..very easy to clean IMO. All you do is skim the top with the gravel vacuum because all the waste sits on top...with gravel it doesn't sit on top you have to dig for it with the gravel vacuum (not tha big of a deal but I think sand is easier and I like the look better but it's all personal preference)

I also have live plants in all of my tanks and I love them...I wouldn't ever want to go back to fake but again, personal preference...plus, when you get into more species of plants besides the few really simple ones like java fern, java moss, moss balls, etc, you have to start worrying about fertilizers, lighting, co2 (in some cases), and if I were a beginner again, I wouldn't want to have to worry about trying to keep my plants alive along with everything else that comes with beginning fish keeping...so, as Lebron suggested, IF you ate going to do some live (or even all live), I would stick to the more simple and less demanding plants, then maybe get more into them in the future when you get the hang of things..

I can't remember if you already mentioned this, but how big will your tank be? Are you going to have a heater? Filter?

[thelaserluke]

My tank is 1.5-2.5 in between there im not quite sure because i got it from a friend and also i bought my first betta!! :D

[thelaserluke]

Oh i have a heater but not a filter yet.