2 -2.5g tanks -1 with UGF want to plant them. ideas?

Question

i am looking for suggestions of common aquatic/semi-aquatic plants suitable for small tanks and medium to low light. I would like to do the tanks open top and let the plants gow up and out. The taller or floating plants may have access to higher light conditions but the bottom of the tank would be low light.

I have no set plans for inhabitants and would also appreciate any suggestions for an inhabitant that doesn't mind small space and won't be likely to jump out or climb out. (i can clean regularily and upgrade filters) i'v considered ghost shrimp, betta, endlers livebearers and dwarf african frogs (not in the same tank!).. although i would be happy with plants alone aswell.

thank you for reading all that

Answer 1

Can you set up light a clip-on light? Or a lamp behind the tank shining down into it? Without any direct fluorescent light, aquatic plants have a hard time growing.

The hard thing with tanks that small is that many plants rapidly overgrow the tank. If you don't mind pruning often, and if you can some light over your tank:
hygro: http://naturalaquariums.com/plants/redhygro.jpg
rotala: http://tropicalresources.net/phpBB2/templates/BMan1Blue/plant_profiles/pics/plant_profiles_macrandra.jpg
ludwegia: http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/People/h-ludwigia.jpg

If you can get a nice piece of driftwood, you can die of these plants to it. Looks terrific:
anubia: http://www.java-plants.com/timber/timber_05.jpg
java fern: http://www.java-plants.com/timber/timber_06.jpg

These are just neat looking plants
Banana plant: http://www.tropical-aquarium-plants.co.uk/images/bannana%20plant.jpg
moss ball: http://www.tropical-aquarium-plants.co.uk/images/moss%20ball.jpg

The aluminum plant: http://www.plantoftheweek.org/image/pilea.jpg will grow out of the water, and so will some lillies.

If you go with a lot of plants in the 2 gal, but no filtration, you could get an african dwarf frog and some red cherry shrimp.
http://www.azgardens.com/images/shrimp_cherry.jpg

In the 2.5 with UGF, you *could get a betta, but they are known to jump.

Or a killifish
http://garden-ponds.com/images/Kill%201.jpg
http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/images/noth_rachovi.jpg

Most other fish are not suitable for such small tanks because they need more swimming room than a 2.5 gal can provide.

Answer 2

I am a big fan of java moss tied to driftwood. It looks greats once its grown to cover. It requires little light and little care.

Duckweed is a cool floating plant that fish will actually eat.

Both of those reproduce fast.

All the fish you mentioned will go great with both plants listed.

Answer 3

Some good plants to consider can be found on this site.
http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/plants/plants.htm
A good place to get plants is here:
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/categ.cfm?pCatId=768&ref=3392&subref=AJ