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I want to get a male betta(have given in - Keith's pic of his one is tooo gorgeous) and have just read that I can keep him in an unheated tank.

so I would like plant recommandations for a 2G tank lit with a sixty watt desk lamp?(should I get a different light?) that will survive weekly 100% water changes.

Could a java fern be potted?

Am I asking too much?

cheers

GFG

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Why would you want to pot it ? Any plant will become rootbound eventually and placing it in a pot will bind it sooner rather than later...which is why you're supposed to unpot a plant.

Doing a 100% water change doesn't nececessarily mean that you have to dump the whole bowl and scour it out weekly...you can also simply change just the water with a small gravel vac 50%+ at a time.

Considering how javafern likes to grow, if you are planning on netting the guy out and dumping the water weekly you'd do better to have the java rooted to some wood or rock which can be removed...java hates having it's rhizome burried in the substrate .

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Personally, I wouldnt
leave a betta tank "unheated"
Remember in the wild bettas come from
waters with temperatures around 80F and above.
They really do do better in heated water.
You can buy small 50 watt heaters which would work well in that tank. If you are concerned of it melting an acrylic tank you can get a thin peice of slate and mount it on the slate instead of the acrylic.
Otherwise keep the bettas tank in a very warm room,
like a room thats 76F and above 100% of the time.
Fluctuations in temperatures, espescially in the winter are very unhealthy for fish.
As for plants,
how about doing a substrate, with either some java fern, a cryptocorne plant or a banana plant.
Dwarf lotus would also work if you continue to clip the biggest leafs off.
Bacopa Carolinia is easily tamed to be small and bushy as well, and can be very beautiful.
Then just use the tube off your gravel vac minus the big peice and do 30% water changes weekly as per any other tank.
They also have these tiny mini filters too, and sponge filters also work excellent.



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hmmm, I always thought it would be dodgy to keep a betta in an unheated tank, but then I read this and got my hopes up!

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If I got Java fern attached to a piece of Wood would I need to have Gravel do you think? Would the fern want to root in the gravel?(I have no idea if that is a stupid question)

I will check out the small heater thing, or try and work out some kind of experiment to see the temp of the water.

for my two main tanks, the tanks have stayed at a rather worrying 80 all summer, actually the fish have never looked better, (the heaters never come on.) I suppose I could never know how low the temp on the two G goes at night/ early morning. hmmmm will have a rethink

cheers people

GFG

_______________________________________
Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.
Harvey S. Firestone

"If I got Java fern attached to a piece of Wood would I need to have Gravel do you think?" - No difference either way.. The java will be on the wood.

"Would the fern want to root in the gravel?" - Yes, the small stringy roots will grow out looking for places to attach to, if gravel is there, it will attach to that. You could even just put the java right on the substrate (rhizome above the gravel) and the small roots will grow to anchor it in place. Weigh down with a small stone for a bit. But Java looks best on a driftwood or rock.

Your betta will enjoy the cover the java will provide


Last edited by DaFishMan at 15-Sep-2005 19:03

The Amazon Nut...

What about java moss or dwarf hairgrass? Wouldn't that be an easier solution to java fern?

Plants can be potted before putting in a tank. Usually to keep the size and roots under control or to prevent them spreading into areas of aquascape you don't want. It's no problem if you are intending to keep the plant to a manageable size.

Wouldn't do that with java fern. Mainly because it's a whole lot easier and better to just tie it to a small rock or piece of wood. Plop it in. Makes it easy for maintenance- take it out and rinse it anytime. No need for gravel or substrate. If you do need to take out the fern just make sure it doesn't dry out, always keep it wet.

Forget about Crypts and Hairgrass. You want something simple and hassle free - just use the fern.

60 watt light ? Is that a regular incandescent ? If it is just swap it for a 5 or 9 watt compact flouro bulb.

Last edited by bensaf at 15-Sep-2005 21:01

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