i moved my betta into a bigger tank at the start of this year but it feels bare. should i get more plants for the middle section? the back middle is so empty! sometimes he seems bored so i want to add more enrichment to his tank.
PSA
i know real plants would be better but for now I have artificial plants that are soft enough for his fins. after i graduate i was going to start getting into real ones.
also the bubbles are from the glass cleaner, he likes to follow them around and watch them
https://i.redd.it/ft9uiy3iwpkg1.jpeg
Posted by IllImpression9952
10 Comments
also i have a black poster board on the back, should i leave that or take it down?
This looks like a 10 gallon. It can support a couple more fish once the tank is cycled. You can think about things like ember tetras or neon tetras. Very small schooling fish. Avoid danios because they peck fins.
Maybe shrimp instead if you like that. Your betta might target shrimp. Each betta is different so it’s never guaranteed they cohabitate well.
If you just want to fill space, I’d look for driftwood or a medium sized rock. Something that adds height, that you can place the plants around. Also consider floating plants that might have cool root structure to fill the top of the tank.
So many options!
If you don’t want to do real plants for now, they make betta hoops, logs, and leaves that stick on the glass with suction cups. You can make a little betta obstacle course in the back middle. Some people even train their bettas to swim through rings like show dogs jumping over bars.
I would keep the black background, personally. Makes his color pop and reduces reflections on the inside of the tank so he won’t flare at himself!
Silk plants with soft cloth leaves – much safer and better for bettas vs fully plastic sharp prickly plants that can snag and rip a betta’s fragile fins. NYLON PANTYHOSE test – if it snags/rips that, then it can and will do the same to your betta’s fins.
There are a lot of easy beginner plants that don’t require too much care, especially the more weedlike ones that are highly adaptable to most water parameters. Dwarf Hygro and Limnophila sessiliflora are among my faves. Don’t get any living parts of the plant down your water drains though. You don’t want them to possibly go out and become invasive in local waters. It’s definitely worth a try!
Personally I love my snails. Get a couple mystery snails to put in there! They are so personable and weird lol
I wouldn’t add other fish just to “fill” the tank.
Maybe you like it more looks, but it doesn’t help your betta for example by getting more places to hide or rest – the opposite, he has to share what he has.
If it’s a 10 gallon I wouldn’t add other fish. If you want to try shrimp it’s best to try amano shrimp. The best way you can introduce them is by placing your betta out of the tank for a moment, maybe switch some of the deco/plants around and add more hiding spots. Maybe you can find a nice piece of driftwood or spiderwood. Add the shrimp, let them discover the tank first so they also know where they can hide. Would do this for at least 30 minutes to an hour. Then add your betta back in.
I would add more clutter! Maybe some driftwood for the tannins (if you don’t mind the dark water effect.) Definitely add live plants as soon as you can. It really improves your water quality and oxygenates your tank! You can even do some floating plants if you’d rather not bother with rooted plants
Just came here to say that’s a beautiful set up, I love it! I used to rotate stuff around during water changes and tried to keep mine in an area in the house where we were around often enough to entertain him lol
Is that an oil burner as a cave?! That’s so cool