Tank items to make betta happy...

[Maz_Beh]

what items should i be putting in my betta tank to make sure there happy. eg plants gravel other items such a toys or something.... all responses welcome i just want some ideas on what i can put in my new tank setup for my betta male and female. thanks

[BettaLu&Meg]

LIVE PLANTS, LIVE PLANTS, LIVE PLANTS! bettas natural habbitate is full of vegetation, getting live plants for you betta will not only help filter out the water and make it full of oxygen, it allows your bettas to swim in and out, through and around it and also provides hidding places and a place to rest when tired!
Now, you can find plants that are approriate for this; Large stems of Giant Hygro (Hygrophila Corymbosa), thick plantings of Water Wisteria (Hygrophila Difformis) are both good tall breaks for the line of site, both are proper in a SE Asian setting (though not occurring in the same habitat as bettas)

Mid level plants will be Java Fern (Monosorum Pteropus) attached to hardscape (driftwood or rough rocks) and most of the Cryptocoryne species (which require a nice sandy and deep substrate)

Of these, i highly recommend Crypocoryne Wendtii and Cryptocoryne Beckettii as both have done well in my lower light aquariums with a minimum of 'Crypt Rot'.

Java Moss (Taxiphyllum Barbieri, incorrectly called Versicularia Dubyana) can be useful as well, but must be kept in check, It should also always be rooted to driftwood, rocks or a framework lest it drift around uncontrolled making a mess

Also bettas LOVE TO HIDE so if you have room for a decor i would consider it. BUT NOTHING WITH FAKE PLANTS STICKING OUT OR ROUGH AND SHARP EDGES! Getting something with those edges can rip your bettas fins and rip scales hurting and leaving your betta vulnerable with open wounds, for infections.

Gravel would be ok for a community tank, or reg tank. For a breeding tank this is a BIG NO-NO. Gravel for a breeding tank will be a bad thing to do, because when the fry hatch and live food is fed, usually the live food will eventually settle on the bottom of the tank, so being if gravel is present the fry's food will hide and be undergravel where the fry aren't strong enough to get to, thus resulting in stress and starvation.
But if your getting it for your community tank its ok, But a little word of advise, Gravel eventually collects wastes and everything else suck as uneaten food that sinks to the bottom thus making it hard to get out with out moving gravel around, and this can cause stress to your betta. Purchasing snails can help with this problem.

The types of snails that are perfect betta tank mates are Golden Apple Snails(apple, mystery snails are the same) or RamsHorn snails. these little guys eat everything in sight and keeps algae levels down.

[Maz_Beh]

thanks Lu.

[anna101]

ive got some glass marbles and an abamba (or something) which i cut most of because it was just too big.

[BettaLu&Meg]

no problem maz! thats what i'm here for!