Hoping for better luck the second time around...as I kid, I kept a betta. It would be more accurate to say that I briefly kept three bettas, one at a time, because they never seemed to last very long. We didn't really know about new tank syndrome or water parameters or anything like that, and had a one-gallon tank and no live plants. So I'm trying again, hoping that I won't kill my daughter's new pet, Mekong, a female elephant ear betta. So far, so good. She's very active, explores and patrols every inch of her five-gallon tank, and has a good appetite. And my plants haven't died yet, either! I stuck with supposedly easy plants -- a couple java ferns, some anubias nana and nana petite, and some java moss -- so hopefully they'll hang on, too. I really enjoyed putting the tank together, but I'm trying not to go overboard right away. I appreciate forums like this, where people can share tips and advice.