Quarantining plants

[Susielyd]

Hi all,
Ok, my tank has been going for a while and I am so wanting to get some plants - I have 1 ~ no idea what it is, but it is green )
SO, I know that just like fish plants can carry disease and therefore need quarantine, but what exactly do I look for during the quarantine period? The one that I have I just chucked in & I think it may have had something as my previously healthy fish are not so healthy now (2 have died) and there are also snails .
I would really like live plants, but if they are disease carriers - how do you know it?
Thanks for the help

 

[Mr Miagi]

I dont personally quirantine my plants. But i buy from someone i trust, so im assured pretty heathy plants. As for you though, you can throughly inspect them before putting them in your tank for snails and snail eggs.

Im not sure about disease though? I know it could happen. But i would think its more likely to transfer if you poor the water from your baggie into the aquarium. I take my plants out first, check them over, then add them.

Anyone else care to add?

PS. You could try a 1:10 bleach dip.

 

[Nisha]

When picking your plants, make sure that they look bright and healthy and they don't have any spots or holes in the leaves. Sometimes lfs will put a sick fish to recover with the plants and I personally don't buy plants from any tank which has a sick fish in it.

I always take off the fiber and lead weight at the bottom of the plants. I rinse my plants well under cool running water and check for snails and snail eggs. Very gently running your fingers over the leaves while rinsing helps to get any gunk off. If you are very concerned then do the bleach dip as Miagi suggested. 1:16 proportions would disinfect the plants without harming them.

It's also good to know what plant you have so that you can provide the right conditions for it. Have a look here: Tropica.

I hope this helps.

~Nisha

 

[TwoTankAmin]

A bleach dip at 19-1 works well. Not all plants will tolerate this- esp the more delicately leaved ones. Put new plants into the dip for 2 minutes, less for the more delicate ones. Remove and rinse well, then put into bucket w/ water and a good dose of dechlor. then plant.

 

[Aulonochromis]

If a plant has algae on it, I give it a 19:1 bleach deap for 2 minutes. This kills all of the algae. If there is no algae, I just rinse under the tap.

 

[Yenko]

20-1 bleach dips are the way to go.

I prefer to buy my plants from tanks that have no fish whatsoever and no unhealthy plants. There is a slight risk of snails, but my clown loaches/apistos will get them.

 

[Susielyd]

Thanks everyone for teh help,
I will be off tomorrow to inspect my LFS
You can all feel happy that you have helped beautify a pretty boring tank

 

[Salt Freak]

The only thing I would quarintine on plants is snails and do this in a very high copper bath.

 

[gale]

If you use bleach, be careful what you dip in it. I used a 1 part bleach, 40 parts water solution and killed a hygrophilia polysperma plant. It took a few days to die though, but the only one that died was the one that had the bleach dip.

eta: I'm buying some potassium permanganate (I think it's permoxyn) for disinfecting plants in.