TuesdaysChild

I'm in the process of redoing 3 tanks. Two of them are 5.5 gallons with a standard 8 watt fluorescent bulb. The third tank is a 5 gallon mini-bow with a 10 watt fluorescent bulb. I'd like them to be fairly heavily planted as the Bettas really seem to enjoy swimming through the plants. What type of plants would be good for these tanks and this strength lighting?

capekate

I have heard that java moss, is a wonderful soft bushy plant that the betta's love. The java moss is also a low light plant as well. I have java moss in the three betta tanks.. and also in two of my larger community fish tanks. I do know that one of my female betta's loves swimming through it.

TuesdaysChild

One of my females loves the java moss too. I was surprised to see her in it because it's so thick. I thought she was stuck the first few times I saw her in it. I wish she didn't like it because I hate the stuff. It gets everywhere.

Chief_waterchanger

Not sure about lighting requirements, because well... the fishhouse's light source is on 12 hours+ a day and is several million miles away , but Amazon Sword plants look nice. Or cryptocornes. (We do have a cryptocorne in the betta tank setup in the house with a normal tank light on it. )

fishrule101

How about some bamboo plants? They are sleek and they might be natvie to the bettas waters.

Chief_waterchanger

We have what is sold as "lucky bamboo" in a tank with some of our swordtails and it does well. (It is out in the fishhouse, so again, it gets a bunch of natural light, so unsure as to lowest light requirement.) The root system is a fairly tight one, so letting it float in the tank provides a place for the bettas to think they are hidden.

Ghostfish

I use microswords in small tanks. They give the fish a nice lawn.

clinton1621

Youre close to the 2 watts per gallon rule, not quite but probably close enough for java moss, java ferns, cryptocorynes.... amazon swords like a lot of light so they may not do as well

Lonely Angel

My 10 gallon betta tank has just a little bit more light than yours, and successfully grows java moss, java fern, and anubius nana. All three of these can be tied to driftwood/rocks (preferable) or left to float, so substrate doesn't matter. My first betta that was in the tank loved the anubius the best, because it has wide, flat leaves to rest on. The java fern also gives a nice "jungle" effect for the bettas to swim through.

I've also had great luck with amazon frogbit in my 20 gal. betta tank. It's a floating plant but the roots hang down and my female especially loves to swim through them. Just keep in mind that this multiplies VERY quickly so you have to clear it out a bit so your bettas have plenty of access to the surface for air, and also so it doesn't shade out any plants beneath it.

Good luck getting plants! My bettas love their plants and it also makes the tanks look so much better. All of the types I listed are also very low maintenance.