Driftwood in freshwater tank?

Question

I have a 16 gallon with just one betta as of currently, till im up in the city, i have a piece of driftwood in the middle of the tank, was wondering what plants i could get to grow on it or around it. It's store boughten natural stuff, soaked it boiled it, the germs and chemicals are gone, just need plant ideas. I have gravel not sand, 16 gallon.

Answer 1

Hurray for bettas in big tanks! :D

Anyway, most plants will grow on drift if they are attached, because the roots will attach to the wood. However, there are a couple plants that look fabulous on drift.
Java fern: http://home.austin.rr.com/mwhitten/images/java%20fern%20big%201024x768.jpg
anubias: http://www.zoon.lt/augalai/anubia_nana.jpg
pygmy chain sword: http://www.java-plants.com/plantsbig/java_003.jpg

But, as I say, most plants will attach themselves. Vallisneria, amazon swords, java moss, and, if you have high light, reddish plants like ludwegia, hygro, etc.

I prefer to use sewing pins to attach the plants. You insert the pin into the driftwood using pinchers, bend it a little, then put the plant like under the pin with leaves on either side, and curl the pin around it with the pinchers/tweezers. Eventually you can remove the pins. Or, you can use string, and just wrap it around. The string will disintrigate eventually, so you don't have to remove them later.

Answer 2

Well,
I am an aqauriest. I have a 100 gallon tank, the drift wood is good for a tank, you may notice that your tank will have a slight brown hue to it, thats the drift wood giving off resin. To a lot of fish, this is good because it softens the water for fish that like soft water. For the plants, I would get something like "sword" plants, they are usually pretty good and they do a good job at putting oxygen back into the tank. They are also good at making the tank ecosystem better for the tank in general. Don't get that floating crap, it just dies and spreads faster than you can clean it on a regualr basis. Hope this helps.

Wee Man.

Answer 3

Well im not sure about live plants actually. When i first got my 55 gallon i wanted to put live plants in there, but i went to the store and like all of the ones in the aquarium looked like they were dead.

So i went for fake plants, you can find some really pretty ones, and im sure your Betta will appreciate them just as much as live ones, if not more because they wont rot in his tank.

Good thinking on boiling the driftwood. If you do get live plants im sure all the other people are right about what type to get.

oh and thanks for the advice about my betta. I think it might actually be part of his gills. Anyways i put some Melafix with him and he seems quite a bit better today.

Answer 4

water does leach stuff out of wood, so you have to be careful on what type of wood you add to your tank. chances are, if its sold at a good pet store,it will not harm your fish or tank. if the wood has tannins in it, it may lower the pH and color the water. If you buy the petstore driftwood, rinse it off really good before you put it into your tank.

Answer 5

I would recommend the same plants already mentioned, but to attach it, you really just need some thing, cotton thread. Just tie the plant to the drift wood and the thread will eventually just disintegrate and the plant will become attached! No need to remove anything later!

Answer 6

Java moss. Its a floating plant but you can tie it down to the driftwood using any string and its grows sooooo easy. It will eventually anchor itself to the driftwood and you can undo the string. It will spread and requires hardly any care. Each strand of it is its own individual plant so when you tie it to your driftwood lay it across very thin!

http://www.floridadriftwood.com/aquarium_plant_java_moss.htm

http://www.aquahobby.com/garden/e_dubyana.php

http://www.geocities.com/nature_aquarium/XMoss.html

Answer 7

good thing you soaked and boiled...

there are 3 plants that i know of... Java fern, Java Moss, and Anubia...

you can attach them using rubber bands, and fishing line. It'll take a 1 month or more for them to attach.. then you can remove the fishing line.

Answer 8

yes

Answer 9

try water lilys you can buy them at petsmart as bulbs and they can grow with your beta