22 Best Plants For Betta Fish (Complete Beginners Guide)

Live plants for betta fish: A betta fish tank that reflects a betta fish’s natural habitat is sure to make them happy. In the wild, they live in rice paddies. These rice paddies have lots of vegetation and space for the betta fish to explore. So, an aquarium with lots of space and live plants is perfect for betta fish.

Best Live Plants For Betta Fish

These are the best betta fish plants:

Anacharis

Anacharis is a fast-growing, bright green plant that helps filter toxins and deters algae growth by absorbing nutrients and creating shade. An excellent plant for any Betta fish tank. You can plant it or leave it to float. It all depends on how you choose to aquascape your tank. Aquarium snails tend to enjoy eating Anacharis, but because of its fast growth rate, it shouldn’t cause much harm unless you have a lot of freshwater aquarium snails.

Anubias Nana

Anubias nana is a hardy freshwater aquarium plant that grows up to 8 inches in length and has beautiful dark green leaves. It’s the best plant for betta fish because they like to perch themselves on the broad, wide leaves when resting or sleeping. The plant is easy to care for and is one of the best low-light aquarium plants. They are small enough to fit in most fish tank dimensions, and because they grow at a slow rate, they are easy to maintain.

Amazon Frogbit

Amazon Frogbit is an excellent plant for Betta fish tanks because it is easy to maintain. It has large dangling roots that provide Betta and its tankmates places to explore and build nests.

Amazon Sword

The Amazon Sword Plant is a Rosette plant that is very popular with aquarists. These plants can grow to approximately 20 inches in height under proper water conditions. Because they can grow so tall, it’s best to keep them in at least a 10-gallon tank or larger. Amazon Sword plants need to be rooted, so a high-quality aquarium substrate is essential for their health and growth.

Banana Plant

Banana plants have specialized roots that look like ‘bananas.’ These roots are where the plants store all the nutrients it collects. Banana plants form a lily pad like leaf that grows on the surface. The color of the leaf varies from reddish purple to lime green.

Christmas Moss

Christmas Moss is a hardy, slow-growing plant that looks similar to Java Moss. It forms little clusters of tree-like plants that resemble a tiny christmas tree.

Duckweed

Duckweeds are small, free-floating aquatic plants that combine to form a green ‘carpet’ on the surface of the water. Each plant consists of a single, rounded, leaf-like body usually not more than a ¼ inch in width, floating on the surface with a thin root below. Duckweed can overrun a tank if left unchecked. To help mitigate problems, use a floating plastic ring to prevent it from taking over the surface of the planted Betta tank.

Hornwort

Hornwort is one of the easiest freshwater plants to grow. Like most other betta fish plants, it can grow while rooted or left floating in the aquarium. It thrives in low-light environments and is great at removing toxins and nitrate from the water column.

Hygrophila

Hygrophila is reasonably easy to maintain and makes for a great addition to betta tanks. It grows up to 24 inches tall and forms dense green leaves. One of the main benefits of hygrophila plants for betta fish tanks is that the plant grows well in conditions where betta fish also thrive.

Java Fern

Java Fern is another good plant for betta fish tanks because they are easy to grow, care for, and do well in low lighting. If you decide to plant Java Fern in your aquarium, be sure not to bury the rhizome. Instead, attach the plant, using rubber bands or string, to rocks, driftwood, or other fish tank decorations.

Java Moss

Java Moss is hardy, easy to care for, and easy to grow. It’s a great beginner plant for Betta fish tank. If you add Java Fern to your Betta aquarium, you can let it float, tie it to driftwood, or carpet the bottom of the aquarium.

Marimo Moss Balls

Marimo Moss Balls are not a plant, but their fun shape, movement, and minimal care requirements make them an attractive addition to any freshwater aquarium. The moss ball is a type of algae in the form of a sphere. Betta fish tend to roll the moss balls around or rest on them from time to time.

Pennywort

Pennywort is a popular plant for betta fish because it thrives under or on the water’s surface. It’s easy to grow, requires little light, and requires little maintenance. The only thing to consider is that pennywort can overrun the surface and block out light for plants below. Remove a bit to allow space at the top for light. Betta fish also need to venture to the surface for air occasionally.

Pogostemon Helferi – Little Star

Pogostemon Helferi is native to Thailand just like bettas. This plant is great for a betta aquarium as it doesn’t grow large at all and doesn’t need gravel/ substrate to thrive. With sufficient light and fertilizer, Pogostemon Helferi will form a dense carpet. 

Water Sprite

Water Sprites are versatile Betta fish plants because they tolerate low to high light conditions and grow as a floating plant or rooted in the substrate. The plant grows fast, so there is a bit of maintenance involved in terms of trimming. Currently, we can only find them in this listing below…

Water Wisteria

Water Wisteria grows vibrant green leaves on stems that can reach up to 20 inches. It’s a hardy and easy to care for plant that you can plant in the substrate where it grows upright towards the surface or spread across the substrate as a carpet.

Fake Plants for Betta Fish Tanks

Fake betta fish plants are best for when you do not want to care for live plants. Artificial plants made of soft material like silk are best as other materials can damage your Betta’s scales. These are the best fake plants for Bettas:

Marino Natural Silk Red Plant

This artificial plant is roughly 6 inches tall and large enough to allow betta fish to rest or sleep. The silk material and soft tips ensure that your Betta won’t be damaged or harmed.

Zoo Med Betta Hammock

The Zoo Med Betta Hammock is a single leaf that you attach to the side of the aquarium. The purpose of the plant is to allow your Betta to rest or sleep as they do in the wild.

Zoo Med Floating Betta Log

Though not a plant, the Zoo Med Floating Betta Log replicates natural logs found in a Betta’s natural habitat. Betta fish will sleep, play, breed, feed, or make bubble nests on the log.

MyLifeUNIT Plastic Fish Tank Plants

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