What Type of Plants Can Live With My Beta Fish?

The betta fish is a tough, small fish popular in aquariums. There are more than 50 species of bettas, but the best known is the Siamese fighting fish, recognizable by its spectacular colors and fins. Some bettas brood their eggs in bubbles, others in their mouths. These bettas like a high water temperature -- from 77-86 degrees Fareneheit -- and good light; they are not sensitive to pH and water hardness.

  1. Siamese Fighting Fish

    • The Siamese fighting fish is native to the Malaysian peninsula and Thailand. It has a slender body and flaglike anal, dorsal and caudal fins; the pelvic fins are narrow and elongated. It can grow up to 2.5 inches long. The male is wildly colorful, ranging from scarlet to emerald green to peacock blue to deep purple. while the females are duller in hue. Males are also very aggressive, and two males shouldn't be kept together -- they will fight to the death. Indeed, the male and female will fight each other after they're introduced for breeding. After the male builds a bubble nest and the female lays the eggs, she should be removed as the male broods the eggs. After the eggs hatch, the male should also be removed after three days.

    Floating Plants: Hornwort

    • Hornwort is found all of the world. It hardly has roots and floats in the water just below the surface. This is important because the betta has a propensity to try and jump out of its tank. The hornwort has very small male and female flowers and the fruit has three long spines. One should make sure the hornwort for a betta tank is a tropical species that can thrive in the warm water the fish likes.

    Floating Plants: Aponogeton natans

    • Aponogeton natans is native to India and Sri Lanka. It has a irregular round rhizome, lance-like leaves and bluish flowers. In an aquarium, the plant needs good light and a good substrate; it also requires a resting period during which the floating leaves are cut off to encourage the underwater leaves. It likes temperatures of 72-82 degrees F.

    Plants for Bubble Nests: Crinum thaianum

    • The male fighting fish will need upright plants to support his bubble nest. Crinum thaianum is part of the amaryllis family and develops from a large bulb. The leaves are 20-78 inches long and .4-.8 inches wide. The flowers have violet stamens. The plant is undemanding, but will only grow to full size in bright light and planted in a rich substrate at the bottom of the tank. It likes temperatures from 72-79 degrees F.

    Plants for Bubble Nests: Cyptocoryne versteegii

    • Cyptocoryne versteegii, another good plant for bubble nests, is from New Guinea. It grows from 4 -6 inches tall and has rounded, triangular, fleshy green leaves. The flower is a spathe with a red upper part and a yellow throat. It needs good light and a rich substrate, but still grows slowly in temperatures from 72-79 degrees F.