One of my first planted tank projects was creating this 15 Gallon Tall sorority tank. It has undergone many changes in the last year, but has also had many beautiful iterations. This was the tank mid January, when it last seemed really beautiful to me. Being such a tall tank with a small footprint, I tried to find hardscape and plants that would allow me to access all the vertical regions of the tank. Especially with bettas, I wanted there to be possible resting or perching spots near the water surface.

This tank features:

• Tall Plants: Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides), Willow Hygro (Hygrophilia angustifolia), Red Crypts (Cryptocoryne retrospiralis), Ludwigia – Broad (Ludwigia repens)
• Mid Plants: Amazon Swords (Echinodorus amazonicus), Alternanthera reineckii
• Short Plants: Crystalwort (Riccia fluitans), Dwarf Baby Tears (Hemianthus callitrichoides)
• Floating: Duckweed and Salvina sp.

I used injected gas CO2 off an on with this tank, but at this point had just removed the system. I would occasionally dose with Seachem Flourish or Seachem Excel.

The betta sorority in this tank is so interesting to watch! I began with a single blue-ish purple betta, purchased to keep flatworm and other little critter populations down in a snail tank. Having never owned a betta previously, I had no idea how interesting they could be to watch. Each seems to develop its own personality and small quirk including their own favorite hiding spots, foods, and bullying routines.

Here are some shots of the inhabitants of this tank:

Always overeats – even when not fed!

After the last crash – caused by gassing CO2 – most of the wisteria died. I also have a post coming out in a day or two about how I tried to salvage the HC Cuba mat in the front, which had become overrun with Riccia fluitans. Hopefully I’ll be able to remake this tank into another beautiful world soon.