Setting up your betta fish tank is a lot of fun. Using live aquatic plants instead of fake plants is not only attractive but healthy.
However, toxicity is one drawback of using live plants versus plastic plants for betta fish. Some houseplants are toxic, especially if your fish nibble at the plant roots.
It is safest to purchase suitable plants from aquatic plant nurseries.
1. Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)
The pothos, or money plant, is a popular houseplant easily grown in water. While the stems and leaves are technically dangerous due to insoluble calcium oxalates, the roots are safe.
Since bettas do not eat plants and are carnivorous, they’ll be fine.
If they’re hungry enough to nibble on a pothos plant, you’re not feeding them enough and these toxic plants can cause irritation and swelling in the mouth and throat.
Learn more about growing pothos in betta tanks here.
2. Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)
The peace lily plant is a tropical plant with glossy, dark green leaves and striking white spoon-shaped flowers. Peace lilies have a high concentration of calcium oxalate crystals.
If eaten, calcium oxalate can cause irritation and swelling in the mouth and throat.
3. Hygrophila Balsamica
This is a beautiful stem plant native to the Indian subcontinent. Many aquarists use it because of its green beauty.
This toxic plant is highly poisonous in its emersed state.
Emersion will cause it to release toxic chemicals from its leaves, stems, and roots into the water. It is better safe than sorry for this bog plant, as you cannot tell how long the grower has submerged it and whether it will be toxic.
If you take the chance on Hygrophila balsamica, submerge it for several days separately before adding it to your aquarium plants.
4. English Ivy (Hedera helix)
English Ivy is a fast-growing vine with small, green leaves, usually grown outdoors. This plant contains saponins.
Saponins can cause gastrointestinal upset, breathing difficulty, and other health problems.
5. Philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum)
The philodendron plant is a houseplant with heart-shaped leaves in different shades of green. It contains insoluble calcium oxalates.
If bettas eat them, they can cause irritation and swelling in the mouth and throat.
6. Dieffenbachia or Dumb Cane (Dieffenbachia seguine)
A popular indoor plant with large, variegated leaves, some fish keepers might be tempted to add them to their betta tanks. Unfortunately, this plant contains insoluble calcium oxalates.
Eating them causes irritation and swelling in the mouth and throat.
7. Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiotes)
Water lettuce is a floating plant with long, broad leaves resembling lettuce leaves. These leaves spread all over and block light if not trimmed.
It covers the water surface too thickly and can deprive your fish of oxygen. This plant contains saponins. These cause digestive issues and other health problems if eaten by betta fish.
8. Golden Pothos (Scindapsus aures)
Golden pothos is a vining plant with variegated green and yellow leaves. This plant contains insoluble calcium oxalates. If eaten by betta fish, these cause irritation and swelling in the mouth and throat.
9. Elephant Ear (Colocasia)
The elephant ear plant is a tropical plant with large, heart-shaped leaves coming in various colors. This plant contains insoluble calcium oxalates.
If eaten by betta fish, these cause irritation and swelling in the mouth and throat.
10. Arrowhead Plant (Syngonium podophyllum)
As its name suggests, this popular houseplant has arrow-shaped leaves in different shades of green. This plant contains insoluble calcium oxalate crystals.
These cause irritation and swelling in the mouth and throat if eaten by betta fish.
11. Calla Lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica)
The calla lily is a beautiful flowering choice of plant with large, funnel-shaped flowers in different colors. It contains insoluble calcium oxalate crystals.
If eaten by betta fish, these cause irritation and swelling in the mouth and throat.
12. Alocasia (Alocasia macrorrhiza)
Alocasia is a tropical plant with large, glossy leaves. This plant contains insoluble calcium oxalate crystals.
These cause irritation and swelling in the mouth and throat if eaten by betta fish.
13. Oleander (Nerium oleander)
Oleander is a flowering shrub with showy, fragrant flowers. It contains toxic cardiac glycosides.
These cause heart failure and death if eaten by betta fish.
14. Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)
Hydrangea is a beautiful plant with large, colorful flowers. This plant contains cyanogenic glycosides. If eaten by your betta, these can cause digestive issues, breathing difficulty, coma, and even death.
15. Water hemlock (Cicuta)
Water hemlock is a highly toxic plant with tall, hollow stems and small white flowers arranged in an umbrella-like cluster at the top.
It contains a toxin called cicutoxin, which affects the central nervous system and can cause convulsions, tremors, and death.
Bettas can absorb the toxin through their gills and exhibit erratic swimming behavior, difficulty breathing, seizures, and death.
16. Caladium plant (Caladium bicolor)
Caladium is a tropical plant with large, heart-shaped leaves. This plant contains insoluble calcium oxalate crystals.
These cause irritation and swelling in the mouth and throat if eaten by betta fish.
17. Schefflera (Schefflera actinophylla)
Schefflera is a houseplant with glossy, green leaves. This plant contains insoluble calcium oxalate crystals.
If eaten by betta fish, these cause irritation and swelling in the mouth and throat.
18. Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia milii)
Crown of Thorns is a succulent plant with small, colorful flowers. This plant contains a milky, irritating sap.
The sap contains toxic chemicals which cause gastrointestinal upset if eaten by Betta fish.
19. Dracaena (Dracaena fragrant)
Dracaena is a houseplant with tall, cane-like stems and long, narrow leaves in different colors and patterns. This plant contains saponins.
These cause digestive issues and other health problems if eaten by betta fish.
20. Corn Plant (Dracaena fragrans ‘Massangeana’)
The corn plant is an indoor plant with yellow-striped leaves. This plant contains saponins.
These cause digestive issues and other health problems if eaten by betta fish.
21. Azalea (Rhododendron simsii)
Azalea flowers are funnel-shaped. This plant contains grayanotoxins.
These are toxic to Betta fish. If eaten, it can cause gastrointestinal upset.
22. Japanese Yew (Taxus cuspidata)
The Japanese Yew is a dense evergreen shrub with dark green needles, this toxic plant contains taxine.
Taxine is highly toxic. If eaten, it can cause heart failure, respiratory failure, and death.
23. Castor Bean (Ricinus communis)
A plant with large, tropical-looking leaves and colorful, spiky seed pods. This plant contains ricin, which is highly toxic.
If eaten, it can cause gastrointestinal upset, seizures, coma, and death.
24. Easter Lily (Lilium longiflorum)
Popular in the spring around Easter, this lily is a flowering plant with large, white, trumpet-shaped flowers. This plant is highly toxic to betta fish, especially the bulbs.
We have a list of flowering aquarium plants for your betta tank that are safe here.
25. Amaryllis (Hippeastrum hybridum)
Amaryllis is a bulb plant with large, showy flowers. This plant contains lycorine, which is toxic.
It also has alkaloids in its bulb, leaves, and stem. If eaten, it can cause gastrointestinal upset, vomiting, and diarrhea.
26. Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis)
A delicate, sweetly scented plant with small, bell-shaped flowers. It contains toxic cardiac glycosides.
These cause heart failure and death if eaten by betta fish.
27. Tulip (Tulipa)
A popular bulb plant with large, cup-shaped flowers in a variety of colors. This plant contains tulipalin A and B, which are toxic to Betta fish.
28. Crocus (Colchicum autumnale)
A small, early-blooming bulb plant with colorful, cup-shaped flowers. This plant contains colchicine, which is toxic to Betta fish.
If eaten, it can cause gastrointestinal upset, seizures, coma, and death.
29. Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta)
A slow-growing, tropical plant with stiff, spiky leaves plant. This plant contains cycasin, which is highly toxic to Betta fish.
If eaten, it can cause liver failure, neurological problems, and death.
30. Hyacinth (Eichhornia speciosa)
This floating plant has thick, round leaves and delicate lavender-blue flowers. It can contain alkaloids.
These cause digestive issues and other health problems if eaten by betta fish.
31. Water Buttercup (Ranunculus lingua grandiflora)
This toxic plant has yellow flowers and round, lobed leaves. It contains toxic glycosides.
If eaten by betta fish, these cause digestive issues, seizures, and even death. It also contains a compound called ranunculin.
Ranunculin breaks down to form an oil called protoanemonin which is toxic.
32. Water Arum (Calla palustris)
This plant has large, heart-shaped leaves and white flowers. It contains insoluble calcium oxalates.
These cause irritation and swelling in the mouth and throat if eaten by betta fish.
33. Water Parsnip (Sium suave)
Water parsnip has small, white flowers and feathery green leaves. It contains toxic alkaloids. These cause respiratory failure and death if eaten by betta fish.
34. Foxglove (Digitalis)
This plant has tall spikes of pink, purple, or white flowers and large, fuzzy leaves. It contains toxic cardiac glycosides. These cause heart failure and death if eaten by betta fish.
35. Water Lily (Nymphaeaceae)
This plant has large, round leaves and fragrant flowers in various colors. It can contain alkaloids causing digestive issues and other health problems if eaten by betta fish.
36. Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)
Lotus plants have large, round leaves and showy flowers in various colors. They contain toxic alkaloids and tannins.
These cause digestive issues, respiratory distress, and even death if eaten by betta fish.
37. Golden Club (Orontium)
This plant has bright yellow spikes of flowers and long, narrow leaves. It contains toxic glycosides.
These cause digestive issues and seizures if eaten by betta fish.
38. Water Chestnut (Eleocharis dulcis)
This plant has floating leaves and white flowers. It contains saponins.
Saponins cause digestive issues and other health problems if eaten by betta fish.
39. Water Hyssop (Bacopa monnieri)
This plant has small, purple flowers and needle-like leaves. It contains toxic alkaloids.
These cause respiratory failure and death if eaten by betta fish.
40. Water Smartweed (Persicaria amphibian)
This plant has pink or white flowers and narrow leaves. It contains toxic glycosides.
These cause digestive issues and seizures if eaten by betta fish.
41. Water Poppy (Hydrocleys nymphoides)
The water poppy has yellow or orange flowers and round, floating leaves. It contains toxic alkaloids.
Alkaloids cause digestive issues and other health problems if eaten by betta fish.
42. Blue Flag Iris (Iris versicolor)
This plant has blue or purple flowers and long, sword-shaped leaves. It contains toxic glycosides.
These cause digestive issues and seizures if eaten by betta fish.
43. Water Shield (Brasenia schreberi)
This plant has oval leaves with a waxy surface. It floats on the water’s surface and can block too much light.
It contains toxic alkaloids. These cause digestive issues and other health problems if eaten by betta fish.
44. Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris)
Marsh Marigold has yellow flowers and shiny, green leaves. It contains toxic glycosides.
These cause digestive issues and seizures if eaten by betta fish.
45. Water Milfoil (Myriophyllum)
This plant has feathery, fern-like leaves and small, white, or pink flowers. It can contain toxic alkaloids.
These cause digestive issues and other health problems if eaten by betta fish.
46. Pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata)
The Pickerelweed plant has spikes of blue or purple flowers and large, heart-shaped leaves. It can contain toxic alkaloids.
These cause digestive issues and other health problems if eaten by betta fish.
47. Waterweed (Elodea)
Waterweed has long, thin stems with small, feathery leaves. It can contain toxic alkaloids.
These alkaloids cause digestive issues and other health problems if eaten by betta fish.
Better for Your Betta
Fortunately, there are many betta-safe plants to choose from for your aquarium.
Go with an aquatic plant safe for your aquaria, such as Anubias plants or betta bulbs. These are good plants for beginners.
It is better not to use non-aquatic plants or common house plants in your betta fish tank as many contain toxins that harm your betta fish.
For more information on real plants and your betta, visit our plant tips page!
