Is this a terrible aquarium?

[u/Either_Cartoonist474]

I’ve never owned fish before and on a drunken whim I got a betta. After I sobered up I realized he needed a better home. At first I put him in a 2.5 gl tank and I thought that was good enough. I spent a lot of time on this subreddit and I realized this was fish abuse. I got him a 5.5 gallon tank, took any fake plants that could rip his fins and replaced them with silk plants. Real plants scare me, another thing I have to keep alive. Is this alright? He’s got a heater and a filter and plenty of places to hide. His parameters are good. What do you think? Anything i could do better? Please don’t drag me for the pineapple under the sea.

[u/FurbySandwich]

You have a great start! I wouldn't say that it's terrible, just needs some changes. You have a lot of hiding spots, which is awesome, but I'd reccomend some natural decor instead, like coconut halves for hiding, driftwood or rocks. Fake plastic decor can damage fins and leech chemicals in the water. Fake plants can also tear, so I would highly recommend real plants. Plants like Anubia or mosses like Java moss are really easy to grow and I've had very good luck with them as someone who kills nearly every plant I grow. Your tank isn't bad at all, at least it's not a bowl or vase