Betta Fish Question

[rjramer06]

I saw that someone else had posted questions regarding betta fish on here, so I thought I would give it a try as well.

We currently have a fish and is doing quite well. He is in a 2 gallon tank with an air pump and under gravel filter. We clean the water every other week, etc. etc. But I'm worried that his plants aren't suffice enough for him to "relax" on. I've heard that some people have silk plants that resemble rice paddy plants but I can't seem to find anything that works well.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what kind of plant types (fake, please) that would work? I'm looking for silk types, since plastic could cut him or his fins too easily.

[trump_cinnamon]

When I had fish, I used real plants and replaced them whenever they got eaten. So I'm unsure of any soft fake plant types. You might want to look into real plants.

[juliaaa]

I'm not sure about the plants, but I don't think you need an air pump for betta fish. Correct me if I'm wrong!

[SteamRaven]

This makes me miss my betta. Silk is the best way to go, I could never get live plants to last long. Check out Thatpetplace.com, I got the curly crispus and the bichetti pongol for my betta. I hope you find something that works well for you.

[princesspoppy]

Found these 19 AQUARIUM SILK PLANTS By PENN PLAX FISH TANK LOT NEW - eBay (item 120463255508 end time Sep-02-09 19:17:25 PDT)

[Wodentoad]

Originally Posted by juliaaa

I'm not sure about the plants, but I don't think you need an air pump for betta fish. Correct me if I'm wrong!

Bettas are a kind of fish referred to as Lung Fish. That is to say: they breathe air. This is why, when they are in a bowl, surface area is important! They are used to fairly stagnant ponds and a bubbler can stress them. And if you see a lot of bubbles on the side of the tank, congratulations, he's building a bubble nest for you! One healthy fish!

We have a 1 1/2 gallon bowl for him (think classic fishbowl) with a low silk plant with broad leaves and a couple of river rocks. Bettas need something to rest on while they sleep so that they don't drown. We feed him beta-min every day (just a tiny pinch, enough that I find none or only a little at the bottom later, and bloodworms every other day.--Of course, if he does not get his bloodworms on HIS schedule, he taps on the glass, we just haven't figured out how. I have recently heard that Hikari Betta Bio Gold is the best, but I'm still trying to find it in my area.

We use spring water from walmart, left sitting by his bowl overnight, replace what evaporates twice a week, and do a full change every 2-3 weeks, depending on the water quality. But we keep it crystal clear, and in lieu of a heater, he lives in the kitchen where it stays around 80 f most of the day.

The average lifespan of a Betta is around three years, though they are usually adults when you bring them home and already six months to a year old, so you're looking at about two years with your fishy friend.

I hope all of that ranting helped, as this is ALL I know about them, and our first one lived a to a ripe old 2 years old (from when we got him.)

[Wodentoad]

Originally Posted by princesspoppy

Found these 19 AQUARIUM SILK PLANTS By PENN PLAX FISH TANK LOT NEW - eBay (item 120463255508 end time Sep-02-09 19:17:25 PDT)

The second one from the right on the top row is what we have.