[mursey]

I noticed my bettas really loved to hang out in floating plants, but at the aquarium store the staff helpfully taught me how to tie the plants down to some driftwood and told me my plants wouldn't continue to grow if I just stuck them in a jar of pebbles in the tank. Now I have attached my plants to driftwood, but I think my fish miss the mass of floating plants from when I was waiting to get my driftwood and had just "thrown" the plants in their tank temporarily.

I think one of the plants I was talking about are a type of Anubia but I am not sure.

My questions:
1.) Can plants survive just floating around with nothing to put their roots on, (I was given FlorinMulti to put in the water)

2.) If only certain kinds of plants can survive just floating around, which are they and what kind do you think betta would like. Mine seem to like resting on big leaves and hiding near the roots.

3.) Is there a way to grow a few betta-friendly plants in small tanks without having to go totally nutzo getting very deep into learning all about aquascaping? (I'm all for learning things, but 1 step at a time works for me)

 

[Hallyx]

Yes, floating Anubias is our gift to Betta. I have five different kinds. Long-leaf, big, medium, small and tiny. Some I tie to a bead so I can move them around when I vacuum my bare-bottom tank.

Wisteria can't be beat, planted and floating. Mine like it as bubble-nest anchor and bedroom. I'm not very good with plants, but I may not need much else.

 

[ao]

That second plant you have there, if real is not an aquatic plant

 

[mattoboy]

Try Cabomba. It can either be rooting or floated. I have both in Truffle's tank and she LOVES it!

 

[mursey]

That second plant you have there, if real is not an aquatic plant

Hmm, I got every plant at a pet store from a tank. The last one with the orange betta in between was from Petco and the others from a much nicer planted aquarium store.

 

[mursey]

Yes, floating Anubias is our gift to Betta. I have five different kinds. Long-leaf, big, medium, small and tiny. Some I tie to a bead so I can move them around when I vacuum my bare-bottom tank.

Wisteria can't be beat, planted and floating. Mine like it as bubble-nest anchor and bedroom. I'm not very good with plants, but I may not need much else.

Great! So you're saying I can just leave the next ones I get just floating around if I want, and they will survive a while? The fishies really did love that.

Thanks to everyone who suggested more plants to me! I will write those down and try to find them.

 

[Shadyr]

I like "banana plants" - they have root nodules that look like a bunch of bananas and grow broad leaves. My version of "planted tank" means throw a bunch of live plants in and let the betta sort it out. So far, the bananas, moneyworts, and moss balls seem happiest, none of the plants I have except a little potted sword (jury is out on its' projected survival) are actually *in* the gravel.

 

[mursey]

Ok. I like your style, ha ha .. honestly my bettas seemed to like that the best. I just wasn't sure if the plants die faster if they're not rooted.

Anyone have a favorite online place to order plants?

 

[Aus]

Anubias and wisteria are great! You can also get anubias and cryptocorenes in little ceramic tube pots, which might be handy if you want plants at the bottom too and don't have a substrate or want to plant in it. Your plants will thrive if they get the correct sort of light for several hours a day. I'm finding a cheap 6500Kelvin LED lamp (about $12 from LFS, I think) is keeping my plants alive and growing well in my small tanks. Daily filtered sunlight will do the same, but that makes for algae growth, too.. with a light and fish waste to live on, the plants make for cleaner water, also.

I want to try a banana plant next!

 

[mursey]

Thanks! I just need to figure out if the lights some of my tanks came with will be enough .. and I need to either upgrade Alejandro's 2.75 gallon bowl or find a light that clips onto it. I'm trying to find the right tank. . . the filters aren't so great with the bowl. I have one hanging on by 1 suction cup right now. . lol

 

[Cattitude]

Hornwort is another good plant, it grows quickly and its tendrils grow longer than the tank is tall and float at the top. I have hornwort tendrils and wisteria floating right now.

 

[Silverfang]

I like brazillian pennywort. Just have something that will nom decaying plant matter, to keep it clean. I know my girls and my apples loved it.