decorating aquarium?

Question

I would liek to decorate my 10 gallon swordtail(yes they will be moved to a 20 gallon soon then next year a 55) I kinda want like a beach theme. I have like a little sand castle decoration in there. I am planning on sand for the bottom. I am also gonna put a piece of driftwood in. Anyone have any other ideas to make it beachy? Like are there any plants that look like seaweed(I would really like to add live plants)

After the swordtails are moved this tank will probably have...
3-4 corys
a few african dwarf frogs
1 betta(a female)

Also, for the 20 gallon the swordtails will be moved into, I would like it moderatly planted, any ideas for a theme that plants would do nicely in. I will probably have a mixture for substrate(like florite and sand) and a few corys

I have raised many livebearers before, and I know about the salt thing, but this only applies if they grew up with salt in their enviornment, and these didnt

Answer 1

this kinda looks like sea weed

http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/plants/RosettePlants/RosettePlants.php

Answer 2

Look in the hermit crab section of you pet store - they have palm trees, bamboo huts, a pair of "trees" with a hammock between them, etc.

Can you build up an area on the bottom on one end to make a "beach" side and an "in the water" side?

You can buy (fairly) realistic corals and marine plants in the aquarium decoration aisle in pet stores to use in the "water" side.

On the "beach" side, how about looking for second-hand doll (Barbie/Bratz sized) items and cleaning them well? A beach chair, sandals, bucket and shovel, radio, etc.)

If you really want to be creative, how about a volleyball net?

Check out aquarium supplies at this website for real/artificial plants. You have to do a search for "hermit crab" because the products for them show up under different listings. http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/index.web

(How about posting a photo of the finished tank somewhere?)

Answer 3

swordtails prefer brackish water -- that means water with a little salt in it. mollies and platies and shrimp are best in this kind of tank. you can grow java fern, java moss, hornwort and watersprite in brackish water. java fern and java moss are both really easy to grow -- just attach them to rocks or wood and sink them. you don't need to worry about substrata. they actually prefer not to be burried.

for the beach theme i have seen little palm trees for aquariums in stores. they make all that kind of stuff for hermit crabs. palm trees with hammocks, island huts, etc. just make sure it doesn't have metal in it that will rust. you could buld little dunes -- just pile up some sand and put you plants on one side and it will look kind of like dunes. i think if you go with the direction of the current -- ie use the plants to block the current from leveling your little dunes -- it just might work

Answer 4

I love Elodea, but here is a selection of aquarium plants that are available at most retail pet stores;
http://www.pondplants.com/aisle39.html