Opinions on bringing plants from the wild

[Tacocat]

So earlier today I brought a plant from the lake I sail in as a new addition to the tank. However, I've read that you should always be wary of parasites and bugs and diseases that can be brought along with them. What should I do to sterilize new plants to prevent diseases?


Also I would like an id on it as well.

Thanks!

 

[Boundava]

My best guess, because I've never taken in a plant from the wild for my aquarium, would be to treat it for any snails whether you use peroxide or bleach or the aluminum dip. I would then quarantine the plant for about a month maybe longer in the theory that whatever parasites are on the plant would die off due to lack of any host. This is my best guess though as again I've never taken any plans from the wild and put them in my aquarium. Hope there's someone out there who's done this before and can chime in to give you something more definite but that would be my best guess as to how to treat them.

 

[Byron]

There really is no way to guarantee safety. The first observation though is that plants from temperate zones (all of Canada in the south and up to the Arctic) require a "winter" rest, and when placed in a tropical aquarium (which I assume is the case here) will possibly last the summer but not beyond.

The pathogen risk is very real. Pathogens that are detrimental to fish are different in temperate areas from those in tropical, and in between. This is one main reason why fish, plants and snails from an aquarium should never be released into the local ecosystem; these can carry pathogens to which the tropical species have an immunity, but local species likely not. The same obviously works in reverse; you can introduce pathogens for which the tropical species in the aquarium have no immunity. I have no idea if there is any method by which you can somehow kill these pathogens without harming/killing the plants themselves; I have never come across this, but all the biologists say do not do it, so I wouldn't.

 

[Tacocat]

There really is no way to guarantee safety. The first observation though is that plants from temperate zones (all of Canada in the south and up to the Arctic) require a "winter" rest, and when placed in a tropical aquarium (which I assume is the case here) will possibly last the summer but not beyond.

The pathogen risk is very real. Pathogens that are detrimental to fish are different in temperate areas from those in tropical, and in between. This is one main reason why fish, plants and snails from an aquarium should never be released into the local ecosystem; these can carry pathogens to which the tropical species have an immunity, but local species likely not. The same obviously works in reverse; you can introduce pathogens for which the tropical species in the aquarium have no immunity. I have no idea if there is any method by which you can somehow kill these pathogens without harming/killing the plants themselves; I have never come across this, but all the biologists say do not do it, so I wouldn't.

Ok so I should take it out immediately. Also, there is coontail and milfoil in my lake, can I take those and use them?

 

[Avel1896]

I will never take the least risk to bring wild plants to my aquarium : they can carry parasites or toxic substances.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

I have, at times, used wild plants in my aquariums. I try to select them from ponds or swampy areas that have no fish, since those areas seem less likely to harbor fish parasites or pathogens. But yes, it is a risk.

 

[coriesinhawaii]

I don’t risk it either, but I would definitely do a bleach dip before putting them in the tank if I did. I’ve had snail eggs and a damselfly nymph survive bleach dips before though….and some plants don’t tolerate bleach well. For those you could try a very salty dip or the peroxide that someone mentioned above. I haven’t ever used either of those though.

 

[Colin_T]

Ok so I should take it out immediately. Also, there is coontail and milfoil in my lake, can I take those and use them?

No point taking it out now. If it had anything bad, it is in the tank. Just monitor the fish over the next few weeks. Chances are they will be fine.

If you have concerns about diseases on plants, Rinse them under tap water and then put them in a quarantine tank for a month. Change all the water in the tank each week and if you don't see anything on the plants after that time, they are probably fine.

You are more likely to get insect larvae, hydra, planaria and snails from wild collected plants. These are relatively easy to see in an aquarium.

 

[itiwhetu]

Quarantine them just like fish. Chances are they will be fine. I have taken plants from ponds and creeks never had an issue, but I do live in New Zealand and we don't have half the nasties that other country's have.

 

[Avel1896]

Exactly what I was about to say. I always quarantine plants making them bath in potassium alum solution.