Plant setup for my Betta Tank

[enrique4jc]

I've kept tropical for a few years, but have never used live plants. Now, I'm setting up a Betta tank in my office and would like to give it a try.

I will be using an Eclipse 6 tank, and I am not interested in purchasing additional lighting or anything else special for the tank. I would like to be able to use it as is. It has been suggested that I might use java fern, java moss, anubias nana, and ancharis. Are there any other thoughts on this? Anything to add?

Also, I saw where someone on here posted about having bamboo in their tank. Since this is a Betta tank and I plan to use some asian themed decor, I would really like that. Would bamboo be suitable for my tank? Is it actually live, or do you just put the dead, cured bamboo in the tank like some people use for decor elsewhere?

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[webcricket]

If you're talking about the "lucky bamboo" plants you commonly see for sale in malls and specialty shops, you can plant the bottom stem portion in water, but the leaves will need to stay above the surface or the plant will die and foul the water. Due to the nature of the Eclipse hoods, that will be impossible for you to do without keeping the water level several inches from the top of the tank.

If you're attached to that bamboo look, the Tetra Water Wonders line has a silk version which looks nice, it would look good mixed in with some of the live plants you mentioned.
http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/animalworldnetwork_1920_11886548

[Marinemom]

Have you thought about floating plants? Hornwort and anacharis come to mind. Bettas love to build bubble nests in them.

Marinemom

[bearskookum]

Hey I have some tetra wonders asian bamboo they look really good but the wires inside the bamboo is starting to rust...and its just been a few days...has anyone had this problem? I even tried to patch up the wires on the bottom with hotglue...

[cyborob]

I have a Male Crowntail in this very tank. Wendtii, Red Ludwigia, Frogbite and Anubias are all doing well.
Dwarf Sag and Alternanthera reineckii doing ok.

[GirlieGirl8521]

An Eclipse 6 doesn't have enough wattage for Alternanthera or Ludwigia. :)

Crypts, Java fern, moss, Anacharis, and Anubias are good choices of plants.