# Betta Bulbs start?



## BuddysHumanMum (Apr 19, 2015)

How do you start betta bulbs? Do you put them in the gravel/substrate, or germinate them some other way? 

Thanks in advance.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Moved to Planted section.


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## BuddysHumanMum (Apr 19, 2015)

THanks.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

After all that I forgot to answer! 

I bury them about half-way into the substrate or far enough down that they don't float back up.


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## BuddysHumanMum (Apr 19, 2015)

Thank you.


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## fernielou (May 19, 2015)

Throw them in. In my experience the ones that float are duds. But the ones that sink Will sprout. the only ones I didn't have work was a floater


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## BuddysHumanMum (Apr 19, 2015)

fernielou said:


> Throw them in. In my experience the ones that float are duds. But the ones that sink Will sprout. the only ones I didn't have work was a floater


Maybe I'll try planting and floating.  

Thank you.


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## ohBry (Nov 19, 2014)

I tried the three pack once and only one grew (I just tossed them in the tank). I decided to send the duds back to the manufacturer since they say they'll send you new ones and in about 2 months I received a package of 10-15 various bulbs. The instructions said to place them on a damp paper towel in a windowsill. Only two grew and some of the others had a very foul odor. I've decided to stay away from bulbs as I don't seem to have much luck with them.


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## Fenghuang (Dec 28, 2012)

I gotten one pack from Walmart before for a 1.5 gallon tank with just regular gravel. Think there were 8 bulbs in the pack. It was one of those assorted packs that had water onions, apongeton, and I guess, a tiger lotus lily. I pushed them into the substrate, leaving them partially uncovered. A few floated and refused to stay buried, but eventually sunk after themselves after a little while in the water. No special lighting (though the tank was somewhat near a window). Out of the bunch, I think 5 grew after a couple of day. Of the ones that didn't sprout, 2 didn't do anything, but 1 started to get kinda mushy and started to smell. Now I know that is pretty normal for dead/dying aquatic plants. My water onions, apongeton, and lily ended up growing too large for the 1.5 gallon I had them in. The water onions and apongeton even started to flower. 

If you get the apongeton to grow, know that it is normal for it to suddenly "die-off" after flowering. It is not actually dead, the plants have a tendency to go into a dormant phase after a period of extremely fast growth. Just leave it along and it will grow back.


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## BuddysHumanMum (Apr 19, 2015)

I wish the plants came with some sort of instruction. But no. Thanks for the insight.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

BuddysHumanMum said:


> I wish the plants came with some sort of instruction. But no. Thanks for the insight.



Dontcha know that's why we're all here. :-D


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## BuddysHumanMum (Apr 19, 2015)

Update: all 3 bulbs have sprouted. One sprouted a few days earlier than the other two.


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## BuddysHumanMum (Apr 19, 2015)

*Pictures of the Sprouts*

Yay!


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## Anne713 (Jul 18, 2014)

I got mine from petsmart. One bulb was a dud but the others grew. Grew fast. It was crazy. I actually think I may grab some today to add to my tank. The lily was gorgeous until I killed it because I can't keep my hands off things.


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## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

Congratulations on your sprouts!


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## ThatDangCat (Jun 25, 2015)

Betta Bulbs were the plants I started with for my betta boy. I had sand in the tank I had them in. Was a 1.7 gallon. Seen here:








They took a couple days to sprout and I barely buried them. I don't have a green thumb when it came to keeping plants alive so I feared that they might not survive. But they got to the point where the leaves were folding over once they reached the top of the tank. LOL This was just a couple weeks ago!

Few days ago, I upgraded the tank, added more plants, got some plant gravel and mixed it with the sand... Well... they grew like wild fire. ._.; They are now folding over at the top of my 10 gallon!









Color Code: Red - Betta Bulbs, Yellow - Already grown plants that were discounted because they were half dead (I'm seeing if they'll sprout back), Blue - New Bulbs (not Betta Bulbs, I forgot what they're called. They're new additions.). Pink/Purple - Fake plants til the real ones have grown.









Some plants do take longer to sprout though and if you bury them upside down, give them a few extra days before claiming they're duds. xD (ah ha, I did that to two of the betta bulbs. LOL I thought they were duds til I gave them a few extra days)


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