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I asked this in the betta forum but it didn't get answered - this is probably a better place to ask anyways. =)

How well will plants (specifically a java fern) do with 100% weekly water changes on a 2.5 gallon unfiltered betta tank? I'd always thought that live plants would starve in pristine water.

Second question: I'm thinking about not using any substrate and just having a bare tank bottom. Any comments on spreading some java moss over the bottom?

(I'm treating my betta for fin rot with Tetracyline - he looks a whole lot better now, even after just two days of medication, but I'll try to keep his tank super-clean from now on. ...which is why I want to try not using substrate because it's fussy to do 100% water changes with gravel.)

Thanks in advance. =)

Last edited by acinonyx at 26-Jun-2005 11:31

I'm not expert at plants but does ur 2.5 g have any fish inside? And also how is ur ferms looks like atm?

If there is a fish in that tank you should NEVER do a 100% water change (I'm pretty sure) Usually a 25% would be suffice. if a large water change is trully neccasarry than a 30-40% is OKAY not recomended. I once went against my own advice and did a 50% change and lost two of my fancy guppiesthey were in shock--never did that again!

Jess

100% water changes can cause trouble with plants, though you're right to do them with an unfiltered betta container. Java moss and java fern aren't exactly demanding, though. They'll likely do well, although you may see smaller leaves on the one and smaller fronds on the other; both will be a bit brighter green, too.

Java moss will float around the tank well but don't expect it to stick to the bottom without a substrate. However, a few river rocks with java moss tied to them could help you get a moss-floor look.

-Molly
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Yes, the 2.5 has one fish - a male betta.

The java fern is currently not in the tank, since I'm treating the betta for fin rot. The plant is in a plastic ziploc container with some gravel and water from the tank. It looks fine - it's sprouted some little plantlets.

I'm thinking once betta has fully recovered I'll stop doing the 100% water changes - I'll just siphon the visible gunk from the bottom, which I'll be able to see without any substrate. =) Probably 50% once a week, but I'll see how he does.

Thanks for all the advice. =) I think I will probably, once I find some java moss, spread it out over the bottom and weigh it down with rocks or decorations. =)

well..java moss needs something to hold on too..so a no substrate tank will makes the moss float around the tank...and the java fern needs sumthing to attached its roots...why not get a rock...a small one to affix too.

when it comes to water changes...its better to do small changes more frequently...im totally againt 100% water change...even with 50% is sumtimes too much with such a small volume of water...i say...do like 10-15% bi-weekly makes the water "live-able".

are you keeping the betta there for good or as a hospital tank?

i think having plants in a hospital tank is somewhat of a problem. wouldn't you like to disinfect it if something bad happens?
if not, then why not add some thin substrate? afaik, fish get more edgy when they get reflections from the bottom.

i'm not sure the fern can take that kind of abuse, but the moss will undoubtedly.
i had a java moss piece out of the water for a weak and it was still alive! (i trimmed it and had nothing to do with it right at the time, so i kept it outside water to see what happens).

I'm not too keen on 100% water changes either =), but that seems to be the prevailing advice on the "Advanced Betta Care" forum," and elsewhere on the internet. It _is_ rather a small tank, so I guess the waste would build up after a week.

It's...sort of a hospital tank. It's the same 2.5 gallon tank that my betta started out in, but I removed the plant and decorations when I started treating him with Tetracycline for fin rot.

I hope I won't be abusing my java fern, but my main concern is with keeping my betta healthy and happy. =) I won't put the java fern back in the betta tank until I've finished dosing him with Tetracycline and have removed all traces of it from the tank.

Little Mousling is right:

I'm sure that the slow growers you are using will be fine with 100% water changes. Your betta and food will provide ammonia, which plants can take up directly. If you replace all the water, these hardy plants can go a little while without a nitrogen source. As soon as you feed your betta, the java fern and moss will be able to access a nitrogen source again.

If you had a large tank with high light and CO2 with fast growing stem plants I wouldn't suggest that the plants would do ok with a 100% water change, but in your situation it should work out just fine.

A few stones or driftwood with moss and ferns attatched to them would look great!

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