rebeccmh

I have a 2.5 gallon MiniBow betta tank that is currently cycling and I am thinking about getting a small live plant. I've heard a lot about Java Fern and Java Moss for Betta tanks, but I really like the Anubias Nana (http://www.aquariumplants.com/Anubia...na_p/po089.htm).
Does anyone have any experience with this plant in a Betta tank? From the research I've done it is a easy to care for low-light plant which is perfect. Is it really easy to care for though? What kind of maintenance will I have to worry about with it? Water additives? I'm still trying to figure out if I actually want to go ahead and get one so any advice would be really helpful. Thanks

Annadvn

Anubias Nanas are very easy plants, they are slow growing. They don't require much light to do well.

I think one of these plants will be fine in your tank, the betta might even use the leaves to rest on.

Anna

EDIT: They like to be attached to rocks or driftwood, don't burry the rhizome if you decide to plant it in the substrate.

rebeccmh

I was thinking about having it potted since they are able to be. I don't have any driftwood, nor I am interested in having to buy any. I was thinking a nice small potted plant would help the water quality of my tank as well as make my betta happier.
In addition to deciding if I'm going to get one or not I'm very confused about CO2 and fertilizers and all that stuff which is the main reason why I started this thread. I'm not looking for anything high maintenance or expensive.

Annadvn

You don't need CO2 for this plant especially if this is the only plant you are going to have in the tank. I don't think 1 plant in a betta tank would need any fertilizer.

I would personally remove it from the pot it come in and remove the "rock wool" from around the roots carefully, this usually container fertilizer which is good but some fish decide to see if its edible and can die from ingesting it.

I would recommend finding a small pot and placing some of the substrate into the pot with the anubias plant to bury the roots. (you could use the current pot it comes in and replace the rock wool with substrate if its gravel)

Anna

rebeccmh

This is the gravel I have in my tank right now http://www.petco.com/product/107325/...landSubstrates Would that be ok?
Also, what kind of lighting should I get since it's a low-light plant? Right now I have the bulb that came with my tank (I think it's a 15 watt incandescent blub). People have been telling me to get a compacy florescent light, but would that be ok with the plant?
Thanks for your help...I know nothing about plants so I want to make sure I do everything right if I do decide to get one.

Annadvn

That gravel will be fine.

Either light will be fine to use, but for me personally i prefer the compact florescence lights as they do not heat up as much, i had a 5g hex tank with a incandescent that got heated up one summer with the bulb (had no heater in the tank) to 90F and killed my betta.

If you want to splurge the money you could get one of these:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...70&pcatid=9870

But for one anubias plant in a small tank its really not needed.

Go get the plant, im sure you won't regret it!

Anna

rebeccmh

Those lights look amazing! Too bad they are backordered until September though I'll definitely keep an eye out for them though!

Drew 43920

I have an Anubias in my Bette tank ( 5 Gal.) .
Works well. I put one fertilizer tab in the bottom of the pot and that was it.

rebeccmh

I found the florescent lights and ordered two from amazon. I also went ahead and ordered the anubias I choose 2nd day air shipping so I should be getting it sometime next week since they don't ship over the weekend. I will leave it in the pot with substrate as suggested.
Drew, where in your betta tank did you place it? I was thinking of putting it in the corner opposite of the filter. Also, can you still gravel vac the tanks when doing weekly water changes or would this take away nutrients from the anubias? And what kind of fertilizer tabs do you use?

Annadvn

I gravel vac all my tanks even ones that are planted, i just don't dig as deep or move as much of the substrate around the plant so as not to damage the roots.

I prefer to use tetra flora pride liquid when i fertilize my plants, so someone like Drew will have to answer about which root tabs are best. Just make sure you don't over dose such a small tank, too much and you might encourage algae to grow and take over.

I have heard that flourish excel can cause plants to wilt, but i have not tried this my self so cannot say if this is true or not!

Can't wait to see a pic once you get the plant of the tank.

Anna

rebeccmh

Another question...I have seen a lot about quarantining plants..do I have to do this? and how do I do this? I've seen things about bleaching, but I'm afraid I'll mess up and accidently kill it. Are there any other ways?

rebeccmh

I got the Anubias and lighting yesterday! It's in the tank now and I posted the pictures up in my other thread (Can't figure out what's happening to my Betta's fin?). I'm also putting them up in my gallery. I also got API Leaf Zone for it.

Annadvn

Anubias looks good,

You can use hydrogen peroxide to dip the plant for algae if you want, there is a step by step in the plants section with a sticky that butterfly did. I know its a bit late now, as its in the tank, if you see snails a few won't hurt as long as you don't over feed they won't multiply that quickly. I haven't quarantined any plants before adding them to the tanks.

Anna