What Substrates Do Your Betta Prefer?

[Nightfall]

I'm planning a second, larger tank upgrade and I'm wondering what substrate you guys use. So far the suggestions I've had (or things I've used myself) are:

pond pebbles
large, smooth gravel (over 4mm)
small gravel (>3mm)
sand

I have a little 3g tank that is massively overplanted for its size, but because it's planted I've been using small gravel. I'm wondering if sand might not be better?

What substrate(s) do you use that your Betta enjoys? I'm especially eager to hear from people with planted Betta tanks.

 

[KuronoEnyo]

With my 50/50 aquarium 50% Being Eco complete the other 50% being white sand he enjoys both I can see him finding his way into hiding spots and wiggling around against it or even draping over food to try to be a butt head so he can get more then the others. Oh there's also numerous river rocks I gathered myself by going to the lake on a few occasions (Which was difficult cause of cold water). Pic of my aquarium.

 

[msasa19]

WOW your tank is amazing

 

[Animal Lover 2000]

OH MY GOD THAT IS THE MOST BEUTIFUL BETTA TANK EVER I NOW WANT IT i may do something similar but on a smaller scale if you dont mind?

 

[KuronoEnyo]

WOW your tank is amazing

Thanks put a lot of thought into it even drew out a few designs and talked with a few fish buddies

OH MY GOD THAT IS THE MOST BEUTIFUL BETTA TANK EVER I NOW WANT IT i may do something similar but on a smaller scale if you dont mind?

Feel free thanks for the compliment too!

 

[Animal Lover 2000]

thank you and i have a 5 gallon for my betta and i have black rocks woth blue and was looking to get *white sand with a bit of orange* mixed in
thanks
p.s. if anyone kmnows where to find *this*
also, was wondering if i could go outside find some rocks simalar to yours in the middle and wash them and put them in my tank??

 

[Nightfall]

That tank is gorgeous, it makes me want to raid the dry creek bed next to my house!

Unfortunately, this ended up being a moot point because the tank I bought has an undergravel filter, so no sand or even small particle gravel for me. I might end up replacing the filter because I really despise undergravel filters, but I couldn't pass up a 7g tank for such a good price.

I think it would be okay to take rocks from outside provided you soaked them in hot water, scrubbed them, soaked them in hot water again and so forth and then once they're clean baked them in the oven at a high temperature to kill anything remaining once and for all.

 

[KuronoEnyo]

Actually with these rocks I dived into the river myself with goggles on and grabbed some I took them home dried them out dropped some vinegar on them (Heard if it reacts dont use them) Nothing happened so I boiled them once they cooled popped them into the aquarium they've all grown some algae on them which is really nice and they shrimp and corydora love giving them some attention plus restin on them. Btw all I did was boil didn't scrub since these rocks were very clean to begin with when I grabbed them from the river they had no moss or growth on them these were all pretty close to the dry area's too in that I only had to dive at most 5 feet for some. (which was totally fun!!!) I had a blast that summer.