The Betta fish, or Betta splendens, is a small freshwater fish native to the slow-moving canals, rice paddies, and floodplains of Southeast Asia. They are celebrated for their breathtaking beauty, featuring long, flowing fins that billow like silk and a dazzling array of colors from vibrant red and blue to iridescent white. This striking appearance, combined with a feisty and territorial personality, has earned them the common name “Siamese Fighting Fish,” a nod to their history of being bred for aggression.
A key to their survival in oxygen-poor waters is a unique organ called the labyrinth. This allows them to breathe atmospheric air directly from the water’s surface, a trait not shared by most other fish. This evolutionary adaptation is why you will often see a Betta rise to the top to take a gulp of air. However, it also means they require warm, humid air above their tank and consistent access to the surface, making them more delicate than their hardy reputation often suggests.
In captivity, Betta fish thrive in a rich environment that mimics their natural habitat. Contrary to popular misconception, they cannot truly live in tiny bowls or vases. They require a heated, filtered tank of at least 5 gallons, plenty of hiding places like live plants and soft decorations to reduce stress, and a gentle water flow that won’t batter their delicate fins. When provided with proper care, these intelligent and personable fish can live for 3-5 years, displaying curious behaviors and even learning to recognize their owners.
Best Plants For Betta Fish
Anubias
A virtually indestructible, low-light favorite. Anubias plants have thick, dark green leaves that Betta fish love to rest on. Their slow growth and hardy nature make them perfect for beginners. Crucially, their rhizome (the thick horizontal stem) must not be buried in the substrate; instead, attach them to driftwood or rocks with thread or gel super glue.
Java Fern
Another beginner-friendly, low-light champion. Similar to Anubias, the Java Fern has a rhizome that should be attached to decor rather than planted. Its long, flowing leaves provide excellent cover for Betta fish, making them feel secure and encouraging them to explore. It propagates easily by growing small plantlets on its leaves.
Amazon Sword
A classic background plant for a lush aquascape. The Amazon Sword produces a tall rosette of long, sword-like leaves, creating a perfect dense forest for a Betta to swim through and hide in. It is a root-feeder, so it benefits from nutrient-rich substrate or root tabs. It can grow quite large, making it ideal for tanks of 10 gallons or more.
Java Moss
The ultimate versatile and easy carpeting plant. This moss can be attached to surfaces to create a green carpet, walls, or trees (moss balls). It provides an excellent place for Betta fish to explore and for beneficial infusoria (a food source for fry) to grow. It requires no special care and thrives in almost any condition.
Betta Bulb (Aponogeton)
A simple and rewarding bulb plant. Often sold as “Betta Bulbs,” these plants from the Aponogeton genus are very easy to grow. You simply place the bulb on the substrate, and it will sprout long, wavy leaves that quickly reach the surface, providing perfect broad leaves for a Betta to rest on near the water’s air interface.
Water Wisteria
A fast-growing stem plant for quick coverage. Water Wisteria can be planted in the substrate or left to float. Its dense, feathery leaves are excellent for providing shade and shelter. Its rapid growth helps consume excess nutrients (nitrates), improving water quality and slowing algae growth.
Hornwort
A fantastic floating or background plant. Hornwort is a fast-growing stem plant that can be planted or left free-floating. When floating, it creates a tangled mat of fine needles at the surface, which is ideal for Betta fish to build bubble nests under and to feel protected. It is excellent for nitrate control.
Cryptocoryne (Crypts)
A diverse and colorful group of root plants. Crypts come in many varieties (e.g., Wendtii, Parva) and colors (green, red, brown). They are slow-growing and form dense clusters over time, providing great ground cover. Note that they sometimes “melt” when first added to a new tank but will usually regrow with new leaves adapted to your water.
Dwarf Hairgrass
For creating a beautiful underwater lawn. This is a more demanding plant that benefits from high lighting and nutrient-rich substrate, but it’s worth it for the aesthetic. It forms a dense carpet that Bettas enjoy swimming over. It can also be grown in lower-tech tanks, though it may be less dense.
Floating Plants (e.g., Duckweed, Frogbit, Salvinia)
Essential for mimicking the Betta’s natural environment. Floating plants with long roots, like Frogbit or Salvinia, are perfect for Bettas. They diffuse bright light, which Bettas prefer, and provide cover at the surface, making the fish feel safe. Their dangling roots also offer an interesting area for the Betta to explore. (Note: Duckweed multiplies extremely quickly and can be hard to control).
Marimo Moss Ball
A unique, low-maintenance algae ball. Marimo Moss Balls are not true moss but a rare, slow-growing form of filamentous algae that forms a sphere. They are incredibly easy to care for, requiring only occasional gentle rolling to maintain their shape. Bettas sometimes like to push them around, and they help absorb nitrates and provide a small surface for beneficial bacteria.
Dwarf Water Lettuce
A top-tier floating plant with decorative roots. This floating plant features velvety, cup-shaped leaves that lie on the surface and long, dangling, feathery roots. It provides exceptional shade and cover for Bettas, encouraging bubble nest building. Its roots offer a fascinating jungle for the fish to explore while filtering the water. It grows quickly but is easier to manage than Duckweed.
Rotala Rotundifolia
A versatile and colorful stem plant. Rotala is a popular stem plant that can display different colors based on light intensity, from green in low light to pink and red in high light. When planted in a dense group in the background, it creates a beautiful, thick forest for your Betta to swim through. It’s a fast grower, helping to maintain water quality.
Dwarf Sagittaria
An easy-to-grow foreground carpeting plant. Dwarf Sagittaria is a grass-like plant that sends out runners to form a dense carpet across the tank floor. It is much easier to grow than Dwarf Hairgrass and thrives in low to moderate light. It creates a lush “lawn” that Bettas enjoy hovering over and helps prevent substrate stagnation.
Brazilian Pennywort
A flexible plant for any level. Brazilian Pennywort can be planted in the substrate, where it will grow upright, or left to float on the surface. Its large, circular leaves are perfect for Bettas to rest on. As a floating plant, it provides excellent shade and cover. It’s a fast grower and very adaptable to different water conditions.
Bacopa Caroliniana
A sturdy, slow-growing stem plant. Bacopa is a hardy plant with thick, round leaves that grow in pairs along a sturdy stem. It’s a slow-to-medium grower that doesn’t require high light or CO2. Its robust structure is great for Bettas to anchor themselves against the current or simply to rest on at different levels of the water column.
Pearl Weed
A versatile plant for carpet or bushes. Pearl Weed is a bright green, fast-growing plant that can be treated in two ways: left to grow tall and bushy in the background/mid-ground, or trimmed short to form a dense, lush carpet. It’s relatively undemanding and provides excellent infusoria-rich cover for Betta fry and shrimp.
Red Root Floaters
A beautiful floating plant with a colorful twist. As the name suggests, this floating plant develops bright red roots and, under the right lighting conditions, its small, circular leaves will also turn a deep red. It provides all the benefits of floating plants (shade, cover, nitrate control) while adding a stunning splash of color to the water’s surface.
Vallisneria
A classic background plant that creates an underwater jungle. Also known as “Vals,” this plant sends long, ribbon-like leaves from the substrate all the way to the surface. It propagates rapidly by sending out runners, quickly creating a dense background “wall” that is perfect for a Betta to hide and play in. It is a very hardy and undemanding plant.
Bucephalandra (Buce)
An exotic and colorful epiphyte. Similar to Anubias and Java Fern, Buce is an epiphyte that should be attached to rocks or driftwood. It is highly prized in the aquarium hobby for its incredible variety of leaf shapes, sizes, and colors, which can include deep green, blue, and even metallic-silver spots. It’s a slow grower and provides unique textural interest.
Pogostemon Stellatus ‘Octopus’
A dramatic, fast-moving background plant. Named for its long, thin leaves that wave like tentacles in the water current, this plant adds incredible movement and life to an aquarium. It grows very quickly, making it excellent for nutrient export. Its fine leaves create a dense thicket in the background, providing a safe haven for shy Bettas.