Adding Freshwater Plants To Betta Tank

Hello! I've gotten some freshwater plant clippings from a friend along with two small little fertilizer root tabs. I'd like to introduce them to my betta's tank (there are currently no live plants inside with him; he is in a 12 gallon Fluval Edge with gravel substrate). I have Cryptocoryne wendtii, Java fern, Flame moss and Christmas moss, along with general instructions on how to plant them. I'm a beginner when it comes to freshwater plants, so any advice regarding how to introduce them along with their upkeep would be appreciated! Thank you :'-)

 

Ooh, flame moss is so gorgeous! Have you got any rocks or driftwood to tie anything to? That's where you'd want to put the java fern and mosses. For those you probably also don't have to worry very much about their upkeep, just don't bury the fern in the substrate. The crypt will melt on you at first, almost guaranteed, but it should come back just fine. I had pretty good success with that species in a medium light tank with root tabs (in sand). Do you have a special light fixture or just the normal one that came with the tank? If you've got a high light setup, that'll influence your plants and your care for them more than anything else.

 

Ooh, flame moss is so gorgeous! Have you got any rocks or driftwood to tie anything to? That's where you'd want to put the java fern and mosses. For those you probably also don't have to worry very much about their upkeep, just don't bury the fern in the substrate. The crypt will melt on you at first, almost guaranteed, but it should come back just fine. I had pretty good success with that species in a medium light tank with root tabs (in sand). Do you have a special light fixture or just the normal one that came with the tank? If you've got a high light setup, that'll influence your plants and your care for them more than anything else.

Thank you so much! I'll hopefully be picking up some larger rocks and driftwood today to tie them to. I currently only have the tank's light; would that be sufficient throughout the day? Do you have any specific recommendations for water changes now that plants are going to be added? Thanks again

 

Thank you so much! I'll hopefully be picking up some larger rocks and driftwood today to tie them to. I currently only have the tank's light; would that be sufficient throughout the day? Do you have any specific recommendations for water changes now that plants are going to be added? Thanks again

No, with in-house lighting you probably don't need much in the name of ferts for those plants (i.e., water changes should stay about the same). And yeah, the saying for java fern and java moss at least that I've heard is that if you can see them, they have enough light to grow (they'll just grow more slowly with less light).

 

No, with in-house lighting you probably don't need much in the name of ferts for those plants (i.e., water changes should stay about the same). And yeah, the saying for java fern and java moss at least that I've heard is that if you can see them, they have enough light to grow (they'll just grow more slowly with less light).

Thank you so much!