Is molly plant safe?

[Too Many Hobbies]

Would my carpeting plant (dwarf tears) be safe if I put mollies in the tank?

 

[PheonixKingZ]

They should be safe. I have never heard of mollies eating dwarf tears. Just out of curiosity , do you use any Co2, or liquid ferts?

 

[Too Many Hobbies]

Nothing yet. Just planning. I may use excel which I already have.

 

[Byron]

Nothing yet. Just planning. I may use excel which I already have.

I would not advise Excel. This product is glutaraldehyde and water (Seachem have a trade name, but this is all it is). Glutaraldehyde is a highly toxic disinfectant that is used in hospitals to sterilize surgical instruments, in embalming fluid, in anti-freeze--you get the idea. This does not belong in a tank with fish. If used at the level on the label, it usually kills some plants (Vallisneria seems especially sensitive), and some use it to kill algae. This shows how dangerous it is. If it should be overdosed, it could kill fish, plants and all bacteria.

Every substance added to the water gets inside the fish via osmosis. Fish are affected by this product, no matter what Seachem will tell you. Don't risk your fish.

 

[Too Many Hobbies]

That’s too bad that its advertised for aquarium plants. What liquid fert do you recommend?

 

[Retired Viking]

I picked up a bottle of Flourish but have not used it. I do not like adding chemicals to the tank unless I have to. I have a fully planted 30 and 55 gallon tanks and rely more on the fish waste to take care of my plants. Most of my plants draw what they need from the water the few that use their roots I use root tabs. I have gravel and the plants seem to be doing fine. I have also thought of carpeting my tank with dwarf tears but heard it is not an easy plant to deal with.

 

[Too Many Hobbies]

I picked up a bottle of Flourish but have not used it. I do not like adding chemicals to the tank unless I have to. I have a fully planted 30 and 55 gallon tanks and rely more on the fish waste to take care of my plants. Most of my plants draw what they need from the water the few that use their roots I use root tabs. I have gravel and the plants seem to be doing fine. I have also thought of carpeting my tank with dwarf tears but heard it is not an easy plant to deal with.

I agree. I haven’t used ferts for my existing tanks. How often do you so wc on the 30?

 

[Byron]

That’s too bad that its advertised for aquarium plants. What liquid fert do you recommend?

If you need a fertilizer (another issue), the best are those that are comprehensive or complete. These have all the essential nutrients (oxygen, hydrogen and carbon excepted but these occur naturally) and in proportion to each other which is important in a closed aquarium. I use Seachem's Flourish Comprehensive Supplement for the Planted Aquarium, and another near-identical is Brightwell Aquatics FlorinMulti. There may be others I've not seen/tried.

Plant nutrients occur naturally from the decomposition of fish waste in the substrate and water changes. Depending upon the tank lighting, and the plant species and numbers, this may be all you need. Floating plants tend to be fast growing and a fertilizer supplement is usually beneficial, but it all depends upon the system.

 

[Stan510]

Mollies are the only thing I know that will eat thread algae and bluegreen occasionally. Now,they are safe with MOST plants..but i would not use then with very soft leaved plants like Hydrocotyle tripartita..that's asking too much. More stiff than that plant is then fine.