Best 10 Live Plants for Your Betta Fish

best betta fish plants
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We all know that betta fish can survive in a regular bowl with minimal extras, but as Sammy Davis Jr. famously sang, “want to live, not merely survive.” Bettas prefer living in a tank that includes live plants, and it can still be pretty easy to maintain.

One of the biggest perks of getting a betta is how easy it is to take care of them. Every plant on this list is:

  • Excellent for betta fish
  • Simple to maintain
  • Non-demanding plants

They are ideal for adding to a betta home without making the whole set-up labour-intensive. Here are the ten best betta fish plants to add to your tank. These plants give your fish a more fun and engaging living arrangement.

Water Sprite

When talking about best betta fish plants, the water sprite makes the list because people refer to it as the betta playground. You can either put this plant in soil or let it grow without being anchored.

Water Sprite works well in low light, but it thrives if you add an additional light. It grows very fast, so it should be fine even if you don’t have a green thumb.

Pennywort

Pennywort is a plant that grows in low light. It can take hold at the bottom of the enclosure or live floating at the top of the water. It provides excellent cover for your betta, and they will enjoy swimming through it.

The plant grows fast and does offer a slight chance of taking over the tank. You need to make sure to trim the plant when it reaches the surface so that your betta can still get to the top of the water occasionally.

Java Moss

Java Moss will carpet the bottom of your tank or float around the water. As the plant grows, it creates a tangle that your betta will enjoy exploring. It is a visually appealing plant that grows with very little light or effort.

The only maintenance Java Moss will need is trimming. It grows so fast that it may take over the whole tank if you don’t cut it back occasionally. There are a few different kinds of moss your betta will like, so you can find one that offers the best aesthetic for you.

Duckweed

Duckweed grows at the top of your tank, offering some helpful cover for your betta as it hangs out near the surface. It grows very fast and requires almost no light. As this is an extremely fast growing plant, add a couple of floating plastic rings to the water to contain its growth.

The downside to duckweed is it can grow so dense at the top that it can stop light from getting to lower plants. If you don’t add the rings, it can also make it impossible for your betta to get to the surface.

You have to err on the side of caution here, as duckweed can live up to its name – a weed.

Hornwort

You might notice a theme with the best betta fish plants because many can grow in the soil or floating around the tank. Hornwort can do both as well, and it grows swiftly even without added light.

Hornwort is excellent at pulling out toxins from the water, and your betta loves swimming through it. You will have to trim the plant, and it is not as hardy as some of the higher options, but its ability to keep the water clean makes up for these issues.

Wisteria

Wisteria is a fan favorite for many fish tanks because most people like how it looks. It is also a versatile plant. Depending on how you cultivate it, you get a free-standing plant or a carpet for the bottom of a tank. The leaf style even changes when you plant it in specific ways.

The plant gets pretty big, and so you can’t put it in tiny tanks. It is the type of plant that needs at least a 2 feet (60cm) tank option to grow safely.

Amazon Frogbit

Amazon Frogbit grows at the top of the tank. It provides wonderful cover for your bettas, and the stems grow long to give the fish something to explore for fun. The plant grows quickly, and you don’t have to add light to the tank for it to thrive.

You will want to make sure to add floating rings for this plant to give your betta somewhere to come to the surface. You may also want to cultivate the plant not to take over the whole top of the aquarium.

Anubias Nana

Many different types of Anubias plants could be the best betta fish plants, but the Nana creates a perfect perch for your fish. It can grow steadily and doesn’t require a lot of space to thrive. It is a decent addition to a small tank when you first get your betta.

The plant doesn’t grow fast, so you won’t need to trim it often. It is a great set and forget plant for your betta tank that you don’t want to work on too much.

Anacharis

Anacharis can grow super fast, both in the ground or floating around the tank. It develops dense enough to be fun for your betta to play in and hide. It also does a good job of filtering toxins and stopping algae growth.

The plant does need some light to grow well as compared to the others in this list. If you don’t have a light source on your tank, this option should be reconsidered.

Amazon Sword

Amazon Sword is a common fish tank plant that you may be familiar with if you have ever had other tanks. It grows well, even in low light, and it makes attractive plants that your betta will love.

However, this plant grows tall. It would help if you had at least a taller tank to let the Sword grow right, so it might not be an excellent option for small tanks.

Conclusion

The best way to care for your bettas is by using the right type of aquarium plant and keeping it clean, healthy and well-oxygenated. The most important thing you can do for your betta’s health is provide them with an environment that they will thrive in. If you are new to owning bettas or have never owned one before, then I hope this article helped you out!

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