Plant Suggestions for Smaller Tanks?

[jpgarc01]

Hi all,

I'd love to hear your suggestions for another plant to add to my 15 gal tank (picture below).  The tank has 6 white clouds and 6 glow light tetras in it.

I'm so new that I really don't know the options - what would be good vs bad, etc.  My criteria: easy to maintain and hard to kill   The plants I have in there are: Anubias nana (I think), and a Staurogyne Repens (bought 1 plant, split into 3).

While I'm asking, any suggestions for a floating plant for my betta tank?  Same criteria if possible. 

Thank you all in advance for your suggestions!

-JP

 

[TheCzarista]

I have had really good luck with anubias, and the nana petite for sure.  Also, water spangles (salvinia minima) make GREAT  floaters for the smaller tanks, although they can spread fast, so you have to watch them.  

Also, java moss gives a lot of cover.

Nice tanks, by the way 🙂

[GameCzar]

So far we hare having great luck with the dwarf aquarium lily bulb from aquarium co-op, and you can't much easier to care for.   It would give you some color contrast too. 

[TheCzarista]

Also, Amazon frogbit is great for bettas too.  Both those and the spangles were big hits with our betta, who liked to hide in the roots and pretend we couldn't see him...

(spoiler alert: we could still see him)

[NanoNano]

I'll second Frogbit as it leaves enough gaps between leaves and stems for notoriously lazy Bettas to be able to access the surface to take air.  Frogbit is extremely resilient- it will pretty much do nothing (but stay the same size) when nutrients are sparse but grow prolifically when nutrients are overabundant.  Super easy to prune as well- you can easily grab sprigs off the surface and then pinch off both stems and hanging roots with your fingers to control growth.  Pinched roots will grow back without a second thought, so don't be afraid of trimming and discarding them.

Edited June 29, 2021 by NanoNano

[Bobbie]

I agree that salvinia is a great floating plant. For the betta tank, you could also buy a java fern or a few anubias and glue them to the wood - my betta loves hiding in them. 
 

If the anubias is growing well in your tanks then it won’t hurt to buy quite a few and stick them near each other to make a dense planted area for your fish, they’ll love to race through the roots and rest on the leaves and it gives them a nice wee safe space to hide when they’re spooked. I kept my anubias in their pots and just surrounded them with pebbles/stones so it almost makes a cave system, but they do well attached to wood or planted in the substrate. 

[Mmiller2001]

Pearl Weed.

[anewbie]

For smaller tanks I'm partial to echinodorus parviflorus 'tropica' (a lovely but very small sword plant) as well as pinto and golden nana anubia. For a bit of colour (but hard to grow) there is alternanthera reineckii mini and some of the smaller crypts. I used to like floaters but i've now decided they have no place in a small tank.

[Guppysnail]

For smaller tanks I worry about keeping my water good so I always use hornwort and or Anacharis elodea but it needs pruned often. I let it grow tall and do it’s thing until is overgrown. Not a perfect scape but I think it looks cool and does wonders for the water quality 

[Jeff]

Rosetta Sword. They grow horizontally, and not vertically. I have them in my 10g and love them. 
 

They're perfect to go around rocks and wood. 

Edited July 6, 2021 by Jeff

[Brackon]

I like Pogostemon stellatus 'octopus' as you can trim it short or let it grow tall and it can sweep around and cover the top of the tank much like vallisneria but easier to grow in my opinion. Most rotala species are also pretty easy and will grow under any light. Hygrophila difformis/water wisteria and ceratopteris thalictroides/water sprite are lacey fast growers too which can quickly fill a tank.

On the slower growing side you have anubias which along with java fern are basically bulletproof and I see you already have some of each. Crypts are also slower growing and the most common wendtii (green, brown, red, tropica) are a personal favorite. Then there's larger ones like blassi, pontederiifolia and usteriana along with smaller ones like parva, lucens and lutea.

[anewbie]

I'll second pogostemon stellatus octopus; also if you let it grow above the water line it will produce a very nice flower.

[Patrick_G]

Good suggestions so far. In my smallest tank I’m having good luck with Java Moss, Micro Sword and Rotala H’ra. The Micro Sword has a cool grass like look and the Rotala gives a pop of red. My wife has great luck with Bacopa Carolinian and Ludwigia in her betta tank. I’d go for Java Ferns, Anubias and small Crypts if your lighting is very low. Dwarf Lily and Red tiger lotus grow from bulbs so you don’t have to worry as much about nutrients, plus they’re beautiful! 

[AlgaeIsYum]

I think it'd be nice to go for some vertical stem plants in the back to add a bit of height to your tank. If you're after some slower growing, smaller ones Rotala indica and Bacopa monnieri 'compact' are great. The former will add slight reddish tones, the latter will be bright, fresh green.