# Plants?



## Indefinitive (Apr 6, 2009)

So, last night, I realized how lovely an aquatic plant would be for Gregory to have in his tank. It'd probably look a lot nicer than the silk ones, too. So when I went to grab some food for him today, I went and checked out some of the plants in the store.

I saw a lot of spiny looking plants. Kind of like branches on pine trees. I'm not sure what they are, but they don't look like they'd be ideal for putting in my tank. I'd be terrified that they'd rip poor Gregory's tail.

Are there any live plants that you guys can recommend?


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## Nataku (Feb 22, 2009)

Ones I've been recommended and hear that betta seem to like and get on well with are Java fern (microsorum pteropus), Java moss (vesicularia dubyaba), Anacharis (egeria densa) and/or Anubias. Supposedly they are pretty easy to take care of plants, and don't require too much in the way of co2 and fertilizers. The Java fern and Anubias are plants with large, non-pointy leaves that bettas often sit on, Anacharis has smaller rounded leaves, but gets nice and tall (supposedly grows like a weed xD) and the java moss is, well a moss. It's soft at least?

I'm actually going to one of my local stores today to get some java fern, going to put it in one of my tanks I'm setting up and see how it does on it's own for a couple weeks before I stick fish in, see if I can kill it off or not. xD Aside from that there's really not much information I can offer on them other than just saying to google the names and look for yourself, as I haven't got tenough personal experience with them to say anything one way or the other.


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## Chicklet (Feb 9, 2009)

I really like water sprite, You can leave it float or plant it, Java moss is really good too I use it mostly with my guppies, But betta's like it to, just throw it in and it will stick to anything and grows like crazy, Then theirs the banana plant, those I really like as well Big leaves betta's like resting on or hiding under. Some leaves vines grow really long others stay short, So it provides a nice mixture. Those three are my favorites


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## Chicklet (Feb 9, 2009)

Java Moss,







Water Sprite with a couple banana leaves that grew long stems.







Banana plant with some Java moss to the side,


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## onefish2fish (Jul 22, 2008)

:thumbsup: Great post with pictures chicklet.


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## Chicklet (Feb 9, 2009)

Also just something I have learned, 
Salt added to the water WILL NOT Kill Java moss or Water sprite, and only slightly affects SOME banana plants...
all three grows crazy with or without salt...
Don't care what anyone has to say differently on this matter,
I know it to be a fact!

Just thought I'd mention that 


I also know a lady that runs a large fish store in her basement,
She has salt in all her tanks, 2 tbsp per 10 gallons, Everything gets salt, shes been doing this for over 20 yrs and shes got some hell of nice fish there and some Hugh fish, I was blown away the first time I saw it all...
And shes got plants everywhere growing like mad in all the salted tanks..

And shes rarely ever had any sickness's in any of her tanks, She raises most all her own fish or buys locally...
So I've even begone to question these folks that says to only use salt as a treatment... I'm having serious doubts on that one too.... Been seeing to much evidence pointing to the everyday use as being far superior...

So when someone tries to tell me that salt will kill my plants, I immediately question their knowledge..
I've run into that on many forums,
This forum seems to be the best forum I've been to yet....real down to earth people, with some really good advice...

I think many people read a few sites or a few posts and then seem to think there ready to give advice,,...
No you need the experience, real experience and then you see so many discrepancies in different forum members advices.....

And no I'm not talking about the folks on this forum, But past foorums I've been a part of and left....


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## anastasiavixen (Mar 30, 2009)

*Salt in the water?*

Someone tell me about putting salt in a tank, what is that for? I haven't heard of that before. Is it something to help with softening the water or something?


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## Chicklet (Feb 9, 2009)

Salt adds electrolytes, it also prevents many diseases from ever happening, Some fish will get the shimmies and die unless Salt is added to their water, Mollies are bad for that,,, Salt cleans the digestive system as well. 
Salt is good for many things...

I am wondering if it wouldn't also be a good thing for bloat in Betta's as it aids/cleans the digestive system, 

Use your own judgment before jumping into doing anything.
I just felt the need to voice some irritating subjects I have been thru on some forums...
and proved them very flawed in their facts, based on my experiances and those I have seen in person and a witness too...


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I have heard so many different opinions on the use of salt. It's been very confusing.


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## Chicklet (Feb 9, 2009)

I know where you stand on that one "dramaqueen" & I understand completely.

Reading things on the net you get so many opinions, and it is soooo confusing,

I've just seen it for real Now, and talked to some very knowledgeable people on the matter,,

I have one of them been trying to convince me to start raising her some Betta fry for her pet store,
She has told me how to do it, as shes been doing for yrs with very much success with,
says if I'm interested she'll tell me more information on how to do it, 
what shes explained to me so far is way different then I have ever read on the net and soo much simpler.....
I have been tempted to try it, Nothing beats the first hand knowledge of actually seeing the results before your eyes......
and it don't cost no load of money either to do, anybody could do it with what most people have already in their kitchen..

She has been totally blowing me away with information and the proof to back it up with...

Shes also told me a trick with having bigger female betta communities, I'm in the process of trying it and so far I ain't had a lick of troubles either.. I got 15 females in a 10 gallon tank and so far not one is fighting, I'm somewhat surprised and yet waiting on a disaster,

Amazing the things people will do for you when you find out your closely related


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I used salt regularly for awhile then I quit because of all the confusion. I've heard that it messes with their osmoregulatory system.


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## Chicklet (Feb 9, 2009)

Never heard that one before " osmoregulatory system."

I've just been totally sold on adding salt after all I've seen...

We each do what were comfortable with....

and you know, I also heard salt was bad for cories,
She shock her head and said I been getting some awful bad information, That I need to leave the internet alone,
She told me to add the salt with my cories and watch them,,,
My cories haven't been doing to good after having gone thru a cycle process, made me sick what I did to them forcing them to endure all that..
For the first time after all that cycle they went thru, They actually started playing again, I got so excited I called my husband in to witness it,, 

Oh and one corie has been laying on his side for weeks, Kept thinking he was dead, But I'll be dang if he didn't straighten up, I really can't figure that one out..

I'm just plain sold on Salt...


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I agree that we should do what we are comfortable with. So the salt didn't hurt the cories? I have heard that cories are rather delicate.


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## Chicklet (Feb 9, 2009)

I know thats what I have heard too, But geeze I put the salt too my cories like she told and I ain't seen nothing bad yet, Just all positive,
like I stated in the previous post, I can't even tell which one was the guy living on his side for weeks any more.. You just don't know how good it is to see them play again, I use to get such a kick outta watching them play.. Finally I get to see it again thanks to the salt....

I'm not trying to say do this, I'm just really amazed at what I;ve seen and been seeing.. just needed to share


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I never had a problem with it when I used it. I'm glad your cories are doing ok now.


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## Nauriel (Nov 9, 2008)

Oh, salt. It is wonderful stuff. And yes, if you put too much salt in, it will mess with thier osmoregulation. Basically thats just a fancy way of saying that, due to osmosis, if you put a fresh water fish in salt water, it will "shrivel up and die" because all the water in the fish is diffusing to the solvent (salt) rich water out side thier bodies, and if you put a salt water fish in fresh water, it will "blow up and die" because the fresh water will flood thier solvent rich cells. 
In short, laymens terms: don't use too much salt! Its bad. 

Personally, I like salt. It helped my male betta after he ripped his fins (he though it would be fun to slip past the tank divider and beat on the female. He lost the fight...) and its also helped him in stressful situations. 

I also have plants, and they don't seem to suffer any ill effects from the salt. I'm careful not to add too much, because I want to be able to add a little extra just incase my betta gets parasites or bacteria. But all in all aquarium salt is pretty awesome

As for the plants...I strongly agree with the java fern. Those things are wickedly hardy. I've been pulling it out of the gravel, taking it long train rides (I'm a college student, with no car), and generally neglecting it, and it still thrives. Its even decided that it wants to have babies (I know have lots of little java ferns in my tank). 

Another good plant is bamboo. These plants are also hardy. Like the java fern, they don't need direct light, and so are perfect for a bowl or tank. With my bamboo, I just stuck them in the gravel and they took up residence. They're still bright and green and making my tank look good. 

I've also tried a couple other plants. Back when I lived at home, I had a nice ten gallon. I tried to plant anacharis, money wart, some plant that had the name scarlet in it, and some plant that had the word wisteria in it. These plants didn't work out as well. I think it may have been the metal band that weights down the plants. There's a very fine area of how tight the band can be. Too loose and the plants float away. Too tight and the plants rot. I couldn't find that happy medium, so I always had either entire stalkes of plants floating all over the place or mushy bits of rotted stems clouding my tank. I finally gave up on everything except my java fern.


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