# 5 gallon



## Lizdu (Dec 17, 2012)

Hi all! I was wondering what plants would be best suited for a 5 gallon tank? I want to have one set up for the new betta once he arrives. Thanks!


----------



## luckyswell (Jan 7, 2013)

I have a betta that lives in a philodendron plant and he seems to love hiding in the roots! You can get them at almost any store that sells house plants. Also I've heard bettas like Peace Lilies! But mine really loves his philodendron


----------



## Meggie6347 (Jun 18, 2012)

I love jungley looks in tanks...some good plants for this (they are also great at sucking up ammonia!) are hornwort, elodea (aka anachris), cabomba (I have not had great luck with cabomba in the past, but I have heard they are easy).

Some other great plants that are really easy are java fern, anubias, crypts, etc...and you could always go for a moss ball or two 

Also, I am a personal lover of frogbit, and it grows like crazy in my tanks!


----------



## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

Depends on the lighting. Plants can live in any space it seems, but lighting is important to their growth and health. My 5g canopy only holds a light on one side and in order to get a 6500K plant light in it I had to remove the protective rubber sheath.. So, it can get risky but mine is fine now. Been running for months. 

I have floating salvinia, hornwort, java fern, anubias (don't know which variety), marimo moss balls and a small bit of floating hygrophilia which was left over from my dead mass. I keep anything I want to grow or get back to health on the side of the tank where the light is strongest.

It then depends on the gravel, soil. Some need soil and sand to grow while others (all the ones I have) can free float, be tied to driftwood or live in gravel.


----------



## Lizdu (Dec 17, 2012)

I've put together my natural tank! It contains two albino Cory's, a mystery snail, two guppies, and a CT. They are all getting along beautifully.


----------



## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

What a nice tank Your betta might benefit from having more surface cover such as a betta log or semi-floating plants (real or silk)


----------



## Lizdu (Dec 17, 2012)

Thanks! I do want to get him one of those floating logs, and maybe one of those little leaves that stick on the side. My local fish store carries dwarf baby tears, and I love them, but don't know how I'd put that in. There's some hornwort in there. I guess I can float that.


----------



## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

Hornwort is fine to float. Mine floats all over the place, the boys weave. The betta hammock is a good little thing, I noticed mine only use it if there are a lot of plants around. I seen them testing out various areas of the real plants with their weight but then lay on the hammock. the only plant I have which supports them is the anubias and that's on the bottom. 

I don't know if betta logs are cheaper online but in store here they're like 10.99. The only thing stopping me from buying it lol


----------



## Lizdu (Dec 17, 2012)

Lol... Yeah, I saw that price and I held back. I'm checking if they go on sale.


----------



## sunlight (Apr 24, 2012)

Hey Lizdu just want to ask how is your betta? I know you had problem with yours previous bettas to survive. So just want to make sure the new one is ok


----------



## carbonxxkidd (Oct 30, 2012)

I have cabomba, wisteria, anubais, amazon sword, frogbit, duckweed, anacharis narrow leaf, a small crypt, giant hygro, bacopa caroliniana, subwassertang, java moss, hornwort, and a few other clippings (guppy grass, java fern) in my 5 gallon...I love it and so does my fish!


----------



## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

Wow. That tank is SO nice!! How do you keep it looking so nice when you need to vacuum? My tank is just a mess. lol


----------



## carbonxxkidd (Oct 30, 2012)

It's pretty new, only set it up a couple weeks ago. It's a NPT, so I have only done water only changes...so far it's doing great


----------



## Lizdu (Dec 17, 2012)

sunlight said:


> Hey Lizdu just want to ask how is your betta? I know you had problem with yours previous bettas to survive. So just want to make sure the new one is ok


Thanks for asking! He is doing great!!! Definitely had to have been PetSmart's breeder. I bought this little guy from PSP, and he's a joy!


----------



## Lizdu (Dec 17, 2012)

carbonxxkidd said:


> I have cabomba, wisteria, anubais, amazon sword, frogbit, duckweed, anacharis narrow leaf, a small crypt, giant hygro, bacopa caroliniana, subwassertang, java moss, hornwort, and a few other clippings (guppy grass, java fern) in my 5 gallon...I love it and so does my fish!


Definitely what I'd like mine to look like. For some reason, it looks like my anubia is dying. The tank has LED lights, and I don't think they are helping. I just don't think I can replace them with a different light.


----------



## carbonxxkidd (Oct 30, 2012)

If you can switch them out, it'll help. I have another 5 gallon that came with LED lights (kit from Walmart) and the only thing I have in there is a marimo ball, hornort (that won't grow even though it goes nuts in my other tanks) and some pothos pieces. If that's the tank you have, you almost need to buy a new hood for it because there's really no way to switch out he light. I have a compact fluorescent 6500K bulb on my NPT and it definitely grows stuff! My anubais is kind of iffy, two of it's leaves are damaged and yellowing but they were like that when I got it, not sure if I should remove those leaves or not so I just left them for now...


----------



## sunlight (Apr 24, 2012)

Lizdu said:


> Thanks for asking! He is doing great!!! Definitely had to have been PetSmart's breeder. I bought this little guy from PSP, and he's a joy!


Wow i am glad!!! I thought it something with your water. I can't believe that store has all there bettas sick. I feel bad for all other people who buying ....and trying to figure out what wrong. You had 5 bettas in the row died. It so sad. I am happy for you though I hope he will continue doing great!


----------



## Lizdu (Dec 17, 2012)

carbonxxkidd said:


> If you can switch them out, it'll help. I have another 5 gallon that came with LED lights (kit from Walmart) and the only thing I have in there is a marimo ball, hornort (that won't grow even though it goes nuts in my other tanks) and some pothos pieces. If that's the tank you have, you almost need to buy a new hood for it because there's really no way to switch out he light. I have a compact fluorescent 6500K bulb on my NPT and it definitely grows stuff! My anubais is kind of iffy, two of it's leaves are damaged and yellowing but they were like that when I got it, not sure if I should remove those leaves or not so I just left them for now...


 
That's how my anubias is. Some of the leaves are yellowing, and when I got it, they were all beautiful and green. I definitely need to look into getting a new hood to fit.


----------

