# My betta bulb plant looks sick



## berniesmom (May 16, 2011)

Hello, I'm new to aquarium keeping. Got my Betta, tank, etc less than a month ago. Threw some betta bulbs in the tank and two of them started sprouting. Yeah! I was so happy, but now they're both starting to look kind of brown. Plus my betta ate one of the new shoots on one of them. I know they're meat eaters, but I swear he did. I saw him nipping at the end of one of the shoots, then when I came home from work, one of the tallest shoots was gone, no where to be found. So all I can conclude is that he ate it.

anyway, back to the plants. I think they may not be doing well because the water is too hard. I'm still in the process of cycling my tank, so I don't want to throw everything off (I think I'm almost there), but what can I do for my plants? Should I buy some fertilizer for them?

Thanks!


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## egoreise (Mar 16, 2011)

Betta bulbs? Hmm... I'm guessing they are some sort of aponageton bulb. Do you have pictures?

What else can you tell us? What sort of lighting do you have? How are your bulbs planted? Do the roots look healthy? What kind of substrate do you have?

Bettas are not just meat eaters. They'll eat some greens, too. Maybe you could buy some Hikari algae wafers, and very occasionally (once or twice a week), break off a little corner of a wafer and give him that. He will love it, and it will add a lot of nutrients to his diet.


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## iheartfish:) (Jan 19, 2011)

I don't like those "grow it yourself" bulbs.  I got some recently and they kind of started sprouting but then they got fuzzy and smelled like a mixture of poop and vomit (not kidding or exagerating). And they made my water smell. Supposedly we had gotten some when I was younger and one sprouted and grew up (that's according to my mom).... but.... I don't like them.

Maybe try getting regular plants...


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## egoreise (Mar 16, 2011)

Almost all of my bulbs are doing awesome! I can't seem to get the water lilly ones to sprout before they go bad, though.


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## berniesmom (May 16, 2011)

egoreise said:


> Betta bulbs? Hmm... I'm guessing they are some sort of aponageton bulb. Do you have pictures?
> 
> What else can you tell us? What sort of lighting do you have? How are your bulbs planted? Do the roots look healthy? What kind of substrate do you have?
> 
> Bettas are not just meat eaters. They'll eat some greens, too. Maybe you could buy some Hikari algae wafers, and very occasionally (once or twice a week), break off a little corner of a wafer and give him that. He will love it, and it will add a lot of nutrients to his diet.


Hikari algae wafers? Boy, I'm learning something new almost every day.

Here's a link to a picture of Bernie lounging on one of the plants, which is looking pretty sick. The other one looks better, but is younger (started sprouting later). the younger one looks like a different variety. The one he's laying on looked so good until he ate that one sprout. After that it just went downhill.

http://s295.photobucket.com/albums/mm143/pattioftroy/?action=view&current=morebernie005.jpg

There's a 15 watt bulb (I think) on the tank, and it's in a room that gets pretty good light I think. They don't have any real substrate to speak of. It's sitting in a dish designed to be a watering dish for reptiles and held down with large rocks. I hadn't wanted to deal with small gravel bought the tank because I thought it would be harder to keep clean. (I'm new to keeping a fish.) I bought some plant food (Nutrafin Plant Gro) today and put some in the tank, so I hope they start to perk up.

I'm open to ideas and opinions, though, because I can tell Bernie loves the plants, so I think they're good for him.

Thanks for your help.


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## egoreise (Mar 16, 2011)

Ok... someone with more experience with live plants is going to have to help figure this out.

I think those might indeed be two varieties of aponageton... seems to be the most common bulb sold, and labeling it "betta bulb" is just an advertisiing thing...

Your betta does look like he loves that plant! Bettas like to rest in plants, so it might be a good idea to invest in a silk or plastic plant with nice, broad, non-pointy edges (to protect those beautiful fins), so he has something to rest in. Something that reaches the top of the water is best. 
At least until you get this figured out...

And I do recommend some algae wafers (hikari brand really is the best I've tried... my fish gobble that one up so fast!) and possibly some veggie-based flakes to mix into his regular diet. I think it may help him resist the urge to munch on the plants!


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## iheartfish:) (Jan 19, 2011)

Yes, on the packages in Petco it says that they are aponageton bulbs.


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## berniesmom (May 16, 2011)

I'll go pick up some of those Hikari algae wafers today. Do you think it's safe to buy a fully grown plant from Petsmart or Petco? I'd read that they can carry diseases like ich, so I've not wanted to get any, although if they're kept in a separate tank from fish it should be ok, shouldn't it? I have one plastic plant in the tank, but he doesn't seem to be inclined to lounge on it, although he does swim around it and hide behind it sometimes.


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

try no plants.


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## humdedum (Feb 18, 2009)

I have gotten "adult" (I'm not a plant expert, as you can tell  ) plants at common stores as you have mentioned, and they are kept in a tank without fish. The only issue with plants sometimes is the hitchhiking pest snails! 

I had a betta who absolutely adored sleeping in the leaves of my cabomba plants. He looked like a little cardinal perched up in a tree! I guess a little experimentation will help you find the type of plant he prefers.


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

try rocks?


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## berniesmom (May 16, 2011)

First, thank you Egoreise for the lead on Hikari wafers. Bernie loved them! and I like the idea of his getting some "veggies" in his diet. 

I have a new shoot growing on the apongeton bulb. Yeah!!!!! It's nice and green, and is about 1/2" tall today. I hope Bernie doesn't try nibbling on it. I sort of feel like I should keep him well fed for a while so he isn't tempted.

Even though I increased the amount I'm feeding him, he still seems hungry. I see him picking at things on the floor of the aquarium, and eating them sometimes. Should I feed him more? I think I'll give him a couple of pieces of algae wafer in the afternoon as a snack.


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## berniesmom (May 16, 2011)

Betta man said:


> try rocks?


I have some rocks in the aquarium. What kind are you referring to? Do you mean you have no live plants in your aquarium at all?


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## Pandapop (Dec 29, 2009)

I don't know anything about plants, but have you thought about getting a little tank-mate for your boy?

Each of my betta boys have their own 1g set-up with a few silk plants, some colored glass pebbles and a single mystery snail. Four out of the five boys interact with the snail, and it's so funny to watch. They'll stare it down and follow it slowly around their tank, darting off whenever the snail happens to touch them with its antennae. At first I thought the stare-down would turn into violence, but after two months, I've found it's completely harmless. 

My females in the 55g do the same thing, and even with the panda cories and oto's. My girls are pretty small (still young, just barely developed their full color about three months ago), and watching them stalk the cories like a shark is hilarious. They'll hide in the silk plants and pop out whenever the cories decide to move to another spot to graze for algae. 

Also, try some variety of food with your betta! I feed mine freeze-dried brine shrimp, daphnia (sprinkle a tiny bit) and bloodworms, as well as Hikari betta bites (they LOVE these), Hikari sinking algae wafers (which I see you're feeding yours), and every now and then they'll get some live brine shrimp when I feed my livebearer fry. 

Your betta is gorgeous. c:


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## berniesmom (May 16, 2011)

Pandapop said:


> I don't know anything about plants, but have you thought about getting a little tank-mate for your boy?
> 
> Each of my betta boys have their own 1g set-up with a few silk plants, some colored glass pebbles and a single mystery snail. Four out of the five boys interact with the snail, and it's so funny to watch. They'll stare it down and follow it slowly around their tank, darting off whenever the snail happens to touch them with its antennae. At first I thought the stare-down would turn into violence, but after two months, I've found it's completely harmless.
> 
> ...



Thanks! I think he's gorgeous too, and he's also kind of a ham. Whenever I take a picture and the camera flashes, he swims up to the front of the tank to get closer. At first I thought the flash might spook him but it doesn't do that at all.

I had thought about a snail as a companion, but wasn't sure if he'd get eaten or what. I'm not into nature shows, although I wouldn't want him to be lonely. Also wasn't sure what extra care they would require, if any. Do they require any other food? What's a cory? Would any snail do?

Do you break up the algae wafers for your betta, or do they pick at them after they sink? I assumed they wouldn't pick at them, so I chopped one up into little bits and feed him one bit at a time.

I'll have to get some other food for him, but I don't think I can do anything live.


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## direlime (Jul 17, 2008)

Live food is one of those huge controversial issues in this hobby. Some people like to feed them, and rightfully so as they are full of nutrients. But sometimes they can carry disease, which is most definitely not a good thing. I personally don't feed live food, but I do use frozen bloodworm and regular old fish flakes. Fish flakes, as plain as they are, are well-suited for most fish as they are designed with the fish in mind. They carry a ton of nutrients, which makes them a great choice. Also bloodworms are loaded with protein, so it's not a bad idea to feed the bloodworms once or twice a week. You can find frozen cubes of bloodworms at most petstores, then all you need to do is cut a small piece off and melt it in some tank water, and feed them. 
I have a male betta in a 3 gallon tank all by himself, and he seems fine all alone. I did try a snail once (It was a small little hitchhiker snail, the ones that sometimes come in off live plants) but i think i sucked it up during a water change and accidentally disposed of it  . He does seem fine by himself though, and he interacts well with me. He flashes and flares his fins when i get near, trying to keep me out of his territory  It's incredibly fun to watch. As for your snail question, pretty much any snail will do, just try not to get an apple or mystery snail, because they grow pretty darn big. Especially with a betta it might outgrow the smaller tank very quickly. Also the snails usually don't need extra food if you have enough algae. If you don't have enough algae in your tank, you can purposefully add alittle bit more food that the betta doesn't eat for the snail. He'll clean it up for you and get his food that way. Just ensure that he actually does pick up the food within a day or so, and if not remove it. 
A Cory is a variety of small catfishes. Google them, they are really cool. Although they like being in groups of I think about 5, and therefore they won't have enough room in the smaller tank. The male betta also might not enjoy the company of another fish, I know i made that mistake and I now have a neon tetra without an eye  although he adapted well and is doing fine now. 
If you need any extra help feel free to PM me. I'm on the site regularly


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## berniesmom (May 16, 2011)

Thanks Direlime. Good info.


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## direlime (Jul 17, 2008)

No problem


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