Tanks: Decorations

             Now, here comes the fun part! There are numerous variations of tank decorations available to make your Betta’s habitat both comfortable and beautiful. When purchasing decorations, you’ll have to be careful not to get items with sharp edges that could snag your Betta’s fins. To test this, take a piece of panty-hose and drag it across the surface of the item. If the panty-hose snags on the ornament, it is likely it will snag your Betta’s delicate fins. Here are just a few items and ideas for your tank. Enjoy!

 

Caves are great for Bettas; they love to swim through them and hid in them when stressed or startled. Bettas also enjoy taking naps in them during the day. Remember, Bettas cannot close their eyes, so a dark, shaded place for them to relax is very beneficial. Caves can also make your tank look pretty interesting.

 

 

Plants, whether real or artificial, are a must-have in your tank; when choosing artificial plants try to find silk aquarium plants. Silk plants are realistic looking and also won’t snag your Betta’s fins. If you are unable to find silk plants, try to find plastic ones without any sharp leafs. Do the panty-hose test if you’re unsure. We’ll discuss real plants for your Betta tank later-on.

 

           

Rocks can add a little something extra to your tank, creating a more natural looking environment. You’ll have to be careful to avoid rocks that could have a change on your water hardness though. I would stick with rocks found in aquarium shops, or river rocks. Avoid the temptation to put sea-shells in your tank, these have a major change on water-hardness!

 

 

Driftwood also makes your aquarium really come to life! Driftwood is also a great base for some aquatic plant life to attach itself to the wood and flourish. Always purchase driftwood from an aquarium shop. This wood has been properly treated for safe use in an aquarium. It’s also a good idea to soak the wood for about two weeks in a separate bucket before placing it into the aquarium. Change the water in the bucket twice a week; it is possible for the wood to leach in this time.

 

Backgrounds are readily sold in pet stores and aquarium shops. These come in a variety of colors and scenes. If you want to go for one solid color, stick with dark blues or blacks. For scenes, choose ones which fit your aquarium scheme. I personally like the underwater scenes with plants and rocks in the background. Scenes can give the illusion that your tank is larger and this makes your fish feel more immersed in the environment.

***I used personal experience for this posting***