Betta tank update...

Hey guys! Just figured I’d do a betta tank update. My 10g betta tank includes my Male Plakat Hellboy spadetail betta and some snails.

Here it is 1 month ago:

Here is is now:

Note: Literally no plants were moved/removed/added. They all grew out. Please tell me your thoughts/opinions!

The plants definitely filled out

They did indeed! I really do need to trim them. They never do look the same once you trim them though...

Id add a hollow log or some rocks in the front empty sand. Maybe some leaf litter. It would look awesome and give him some places to explore

Dont trim your lovely anacharis. Itll form a beautiful floating cover that bettas love. Its so nice and full, itd be a shame to trim

What leaves are safe for fish tanks and how to I prepare them?

@Byron @Colin_T

PheonixKingZ said:

What leaves are safe for fish tanks and how to I prepare them?

@Byron @Colin_T

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Oak, beech and Indian almond are the ones I know of

Oak, beech, elm, indian almond, maple, sycamore, magnolia, tuliptree, birch, poplar, cottonwood...

Ive used all of these no issues

I guess I’ll have to do my research on tree and leaf types, lol.

Do I let them dry out? Or how do I prepare them?

PheonixKingZ said:

I guess I’ll have to do my research on tree and leaf types, lol.

Do I let them dry out? Or how do I prepare them?

Click to expand...

Yeah let them dry. You could probably bake them at a low temp for a number of hours to get them to dry faster

Leaves from hardwood trees are usually safe; if the wood is safe for aquaria, the dead leaves should be too. Oak is ideal, and beech, maple; never use conifers, and most evergreen trees (rhodos, etc) are so far as I know unsafe. Indian almond obviously are OK, some fish stores carry them.

You need to collect the leaves when they are dead dry, lying on the ground. When they fall off in the autumn is the usual practice, as these leaves are dead dry. You can rinse them off, I would not boil them as this removes some of the benefit, and they will fall apart much faster; lay them out to dry, then store in bags.