Live Plant Question From Novice

[zwalter]

Hi guys,

I am new to keeping a tank and recently got some live plants from Petco to put in my tank. I now know that the plants I got are non-aquatic.

Here are the plants:
White ribbon - Dracaena sanderiana
peacock fern - Selaginella willdenovii
Argentine swords - Echinodorus argentinensis
Kyoto - Ophiopogon Japonica

What are the negative effects of keeping them in the tank besides rotting in a few months? Will they poison my fish? I just feel really bad because right now I have $7 worth of fish and $16 of plants. Any help would be welcomed.

Thanks,
Zach

 

[Curiosity101]

As they rot they will harm the fish as there will be a dramatic increase in ammonia production. Often filter bacs can't keep up with a mass die off of plants so it really is best to just remove them.