betta fish with plant

Which Is The Most Suitable Live Plant For Betta Fish?

Having live plants for betta fish can be very beneficial for your fish, as well as the overall health of your aquarium environment. There are many different types of live plants that you can use in your betta tank, and each type has its own unique benefits.

Benefits Of Having Live Plants In Fish Tank

Here are some of the most common reasons why having live plants in your aquarium can benefit both you and your pet fish:

1- Emulate The Natural Habitat

Freshwater fish thrive in a variety of different habitats, just like their wild counterparts. Certain species thrive in caves, others in deep waters, and some even prefer the shallows. Having live plants can help you to recreate these conditions in your tank and make it feel more like home for your pet fish.

2- Natural Source Of Oxygen For Fish

If you’ve ever seen a tank with no plants in it, you know that the water tends to look very cloudy and murky. This is because fish produce carbon dioxide as they breathe, which plants absorb. In this way, they help to improve the quality of your water and remove toxins from it. The process is even more effective if there are multiple types of different plants in your aquarium; each plant species has its own unique strengths when it comes to filtering out nitrates and other harmful substances from your tank’s water supply.

3- Source Of Food For Fish

The most obvious benefit of having live plants in your aquarium is that they are a source of food for your fish. Some species of fish are naturally omnivores, which means that they can eat both plant and animal matter. Plants provide a good source of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals to these fish as well as many other nutrients and antioxidants that are essential for their overall health.

However, you should be aware that not all species will eat the same kind of plant material or prefer different types of plants over others; this will depend on the individual preferences of each fish species so it’s important to research your options before making any purchases.

4- Provide Sanctuary For Fish

betta fish near leaves

Live plants in your fish tank can provide a home for your fish to hide, breed, eat and sleep. They are also a place for them to grow as well as play. The more activity you have going on in your aquarium the healthier it will be for all the inhabitants and these live plants will help provide that atmosphere.

5- Help To Keep The Substrate In Place

Live plants can also help keep the substrate in place. Without live plants, the substrate may shift and move around as it becomes disturbed by fish or other aquarium inhabitants.

6- Keep The Water Temperature Stabilized

This is also one of the most important benefits of having live plants in your fish tank. Live plants help to absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, which means they keep your tank’s water temperature stable. If you have an aquarium with too many decorations and not enough light, the temperature may fluctuate drastically. This can be harmful to your fish if it happens often enough since sudden changes in water temperature are not good for them.

7- Promote Beneficial Bacterial Growth

The most common type of beneficial bacteria is called nitrifying bacteria. Nitrification is the process by which ammonia (NH3) is broken down into nitrites (NO2) and then into nitrates (NO3). Ammonia poisoning can be fatal to fish, so it’s really important to have a healthy population of these little guys in your tank. You’ll know that they’re working when your water clears up and you see fewer algae growth than before on your plants or rocks.

If you’re wondering where these helpful critters come from in the first place, don’t worry. They’re already there but if you want them to multiply faster than they would naturally in an aquatic environment like yours, adding live plants will help get those numbers up quickly.

8- Decorate The Fish Tank

fish tank with plants

Live plants can be used to decorate the fish tank. They can be added for their beauty and also for the oxygenation of the water. The choice of live plants should depend on how large you want your aquarium to be and what kind of fish you are going to keep in it, as some types of plants need more light than others. For example, if you have a small aquarium, then you could use java moss or java ferns because they do not demand much sunlight but grow very well even under low light conditions

List Of Suitable Live Plants For Betta Fish

As you know, not all plants are appropriate for every environment. When it comes to choosing the best live plants for betta fish, there are a few things to consider. Below is the list of best live plants that work well with betta tanks.

1- Java Moss

Java moss is a plant that’s easy to grow and a good choice for beginners. The moss can be used as a background or foreground plant, and it’s also an excellent choice for betta tanks.

Java moss grows very quickly in warm water. It does well in both high-nutrient water and low-nutrient water, making it an ideal candidate for betta tanks because of its ability to thrive on minimal maintenance.

2- Amazon Sword

Amazon sword plants are also a popular choice for betta fish tanks. These beautiful plants have long, flat leaves and grow quickly, so you’ll have to trim them frequently to keep the aquarium healthy. They do well in low-light conditions but should be placed near the front of your tank so they receive full light from your lamp or window. Amazon swords prefer a pH level between 6.0 and 7.5, with water temperature between 75°F and 80°F (24°C – 27°C).

3- Cryptocoryne wendtii

Cryptocoryne wendtii, also known as the Red Crypt, is an easy-to-grow plant with medium light requirements. This plant has dark green leaves and red veins running through them (hence the name). These plants grow fast and can reach 2-3 feet tall in 10 years if grown under optimal conditions. They are best suited for aquascapes that have room to grow into large bushes or trees but can be planted individually in small aquariums as well.

4- Java Fern

Java Fern is a very hardy and low-maintenance plant. With proper care, it can grow in your tank for years without any problems whatsoever. It’s also one of the easiest plants to propagate and maintain, which makes it a great option if you want to add more live plants into your aquarium without spending hours replanting them from scratch every few weeks.

Java Fern doesn’t need much light at all because it prefers shaded areas where there isn’t much direct sunlight hitting its leaves. If you do keep your Betta fish tank under bright lights, make sure that Java Fern isn’t exposed directly under those lights; instead, place it near or behind some other plants so that they provide shade for this delicate fern while still allowing enough light through for photosynthesis (the process by which plants convert carbon dioxide into sugars and oxygen).

5- Banana Plant

The banana plant is a very easy-to-care-for live plant that also works well in betta fish tanks. The banana plant can provide an interesting environment and beautiful appearance for more experienced hobbyists as well. This plant does not have many demands, but it does look great even if you don’t have much experience with keeping aquatic plants alive.

6- Water Wisteria

Water Wisteria is another good choice because it grows well in tanks with a lot of light and can grow up to 20 inches long. The leaves are green or red, depending on the variety you choose, with small white flowers that bloom in summer. This plant has a bushy appearance and is best suited for tanks with plenty of surface area.

Tip: You should make sure that your tank has some kind of filtration system so that you don’t have too much algae growth on the bottom (which can be harmful).

7- Marimo Moss Balls

Marimo moss balls are a type of filamentous green algae that grow in the northern hemisphere. They’re also known as water bears, after their resemblance to the cute little critters that can walk on water.

They don’t need any special lighting or feeding. They will thrive in almost any water condition and only require a little bit of maintenance once a week if you want them to stay healthy and pretty.

8- Anubias Nana

Anubias Nana is a plant that grows in the wild in the rainforest. It’s a slow-growing plant, but it can grow new leaves quickly. You can also trim off old leaves if you need to keep your Anubias Nana from getting too big.

Anubias Nana doesn’t have any particular needs when it comes to light or water quality, so you don’t need to worry too much about where you put them or what type of water they’re living in.

9- Aponogeton Ulvaceus

Aponogeton Ulvaceus doesn’t require much maintenance and makes a beautiful addition to any tank. It grows in waterfalls and streams of South Africa. It can also be found growing on riverbanks or in shallow pools of stagnant water.

This lovely little plant will thrive when planted in a substrate with medium light conditions, with leaves that grow up to 1 inch long and stems that reach 6 inches tall. The flowers are small and white in color, growing at the end of long stalks which emerge from the basal rosette formation during summertime months when there is plenty of sunlight available.

10- Water Sprite

Water sprite is a slow-growing plant that can easily be grown in an aquarium or in a bowl. It’s also a good plant for betta fish and can grow in low light conditions as well.

11- Marsilea Minuta

This plant is a beautiful addition to any aquarium and adds a nice touch of green, especially if you have a darker-colored tank. It has small leaves that grow in bunches, which makes it look like grass in your fish tank. The great thing about this plant is that it doesn’t require much maintenance at all; just make sure you keep the water clean and change it regularly, and your betta fish will be swimming through its leaves in no time!

Marsilea Minuta can also be used as an accent piece for vivariums and terrariums because of its lovely look, but please note that the leaf color will vary depending on the lighting conditions of where you place it (the brighter the light source, the greener its leaves will become).

12- Marsilea Minuta

Another great plant for betta fish is Marsilea Minuta, a small fern that grows on rocks and wood. This plant is perfect for your betta’s tank as it floats on top of the water. This allows oxygen to reach the bottom of your tank where your betta’s fins are located.

It will also help keep the water clean by catching any waste that has fallen from your fish or other objects in their habitat such as driftwood and rocks.

13- Pygmy Chain Sword Plant

The pygmy chain sword plant is a hardy, easy-to-grow live plant. A single plant can grow to be over 6 inches tall, but it tends to stay smaller in aquariums because of the limited space. As its name suggests, this plant has short leaves that look like swords or blades hence the “pygmy” part of its name.

If you want to place this low-maintenance aquatic houseplant in your betta tank or vase, place it somewhere warm where it will get direct sunlight (at least six hours per day). Water temperature should be between 68 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit, this is roughly 20ºC – 30ºC.

The best way to achieve these temperatures is by using a submersible water heater attached directly to your filter system’s output line as close as possible above where you’ll place your plants; this way there won’t be any hot spots where nearby objects might block heat from reaching them properly.

14- Pogostemon Stellatus Octopus

Pogostemon stellatus octopus can grow up to 18 inches tall and prefers warm, low-medium light with medium water flow. Pogostemon stellatus octopus will thrive in your aquarium and provide you with beautiful greenery, as well as helping keep the substrate clean by eating excess food particles before they break down into sludge.

Pogostemon stellatus octopus is also beneficial because it reduces nitrate levels, making water cleaner for your fish by removing excess nutrients from their environment. Additionally, its roots absorb ammonia (which can be harmful to betta fish) from the surrounding water while emitting oxygen back into it through photosynthesis.

If you have an anoxic environment (too little oxygen), then this type of plant will help restore balance to your tank by adding more oxygen into it through photosynthesis or even absorbing toxins before they become harmful to bettas.

15- Sword Plant

The sword plant also works well with betta fish and other types of fish, which makes it a great choice for beginners looking to add some greenery to their tanks. The sword plant can tolerate low light levels and low water quality, making it ideal for anyone who isn’t ready to commit fully as an aquarist yet but still wants some plants in their tank.

16- Betta Bulb

The Betta bulb is also known as the waxy leaf, and it is a small plant that grows in a spherical shape. It is a low-maintenance plant. It does not require much sunlight to thrive. So no problem there as well.

Because of its round shape, it gives bettas something to hide behind when they feel threatened by loud noises or bright lights. It also has beautiful green leaves that will add color to your tank.

17- Amazon Frogbit

Amazon Frogbit is a small plant with a bright green leaf that grows well in the aquarium. It’s also a good choice for betta fish because it doesn’t have any sharp leaves that could injure your pet.

Amazon Frogbit has bright green leaves and can easily adapt to different water temperatures and pH levels, unlike some other live plants that need more specific conditions.

So Which One Is The Best Plant For Betta Fish?

java fern live plant for betta fish

If you were to take my opinion, Java fern is the best plant for betta fish. But keep in mind it all depends on your aquarium type and what type of fish you have in your aquarium. So do some research and see if you can find the best match for you.

Are There Any Problems With Keeping Live Plants In Aquarium?

betta laying on bottom of tank
  • You will have to give some time to maintain healthy live plants.
  • Some plants do need light. So you may have to buy lights for your fish tank as well.

In our opinion, this list is only a few disadvantages compared with all of its benefits!

Where Can I Buy Live Plant For Betta Fish?

You can find live plants for betta fish from many online stores, such as Petco, Amazon, and Chewy. Some people even sell them at the local pet store.

Conclusion

Now that you’ve read this article, you know more about the best live plant for betta fish. We hope that it has helped you make an informed decision when it comes to choosing a live plant for betta fish.