# Adding new plants (questions)



## stuntman2946 (Feb 8, 2013)

im adding some new plants to an unplanted tank. i bought two of these from a LFS and im wondering what exactly to do with them. bury them in the gravel, undo them and let them float or just stick them in the tank all bundled and let them float 

http://i.imgur.com/lgECPddl.jpg

sorry cant upload image to big

any tips are appreceated


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## Stone (Jan 6, 2013)

I would not add to the tank right away if fish are in it, I recently had an ich break out from plants from the LFS, but you will want to plant them


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## jstn (Feb 10, 2013)

You should rinse them with warm water thoroughly. if you trust your lfs you shoudnt need to do anything crazy. If you dont know enough about your lfs, or havent been shopping there for a while you can qt the plants for a while. 

But its already in there so whatever. I am not unknown to just roll the dice. it looks like some kind of pennywort! Those are awesome. You can do any of the things you listed. Well asude from leaving them bundled. I woulnd want whatever they are tied together with to decompose in my tank water.


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## Starfish1 (Dec 9, 2012)

When you have the plants in a quarantine tank, how can you tell if they have ich or other parasites/bacteria? 

Where do you buy them from if not from your LFS? Aquabid? 

Thanks, I'm new to real plants but really want some


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## stuntman2946 (Feb 8, 2013)

Starfish1 said:


> When you have the plants in a quarantine tank, how can you tell if they have ich or other parasites/bacteria?
> 
> Where do you buy them from if not from your LFS? Aquabid?
> 
> Thanks, I'm new to real plants but really want some


i was just thinking the same thing. oh well they are in my tank now and ill make sure to get them burried after work today


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## Stone (Jan 6, 2013)

well you can put them in a QT tank and have the temp set to about 80, and leave them there for 5-8 days the cycle on ich is pretty short if the water is warm once they hatch from the little cyst things and the tomites are swimming free they basically have 4 days to find a fish to feed on and infect or die and it's the only stage where meds can kill them once in a fish or in the little cysts they form they are safe from meds so I would say 8 days would most likely cover it and you could always add like a 1/2 dose of Malachite green in the water probably would not hurt, Some people use some sort of dip to dip plants in of bleach to kill stuff including snails...... and I got a lot of my plants from http://www.tricker.com/cgi-bin/store.cgi and never had any issues, got some from off of ebay as well if you look around there are several places that sell them.


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## Starfish1 (Dec 9, 2012)

OK so even if the plants have ich the ich will come off in 80 degrees after a few days and die if they don't have a fish to live on? Would I see them floating around? 

Are there any other parasites or bacteria I should be looking for? 

thanks!


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## Stone (Jan 6, 2013)

I doubt you would see them the little cysts you can kind of see, yes as long as you qt them things should be fine. I would not worry too much about it, it really depends on where the plants are from and how well they take care of their fish, at some point all people who keep fish will have a battle with ich or velvet or some other fish disease, the best thing you can do is learn how to treat them and what meds you can use on what kinds of fish and which you can't. Thank god for the internet


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## Starfish1 (Dec 9, 2012)

Ok thanks, and thanks for the recommendation! Will give it a try..

and yep, thank God for the internet.... lol


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## stuntman2946 (Feb 8, 2013)

this is a really good fish store. they take good care of there fish and there bettas are in good water. i have never heard of anyone having to return a fish because of an ilness or death and i have never seen any signs of ick or anything else on any of there fish. so i think i trust them pretty good.


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## jstn (Feb 10, 2013)

stuntman2946 said:


> this is a really good fish store. they take good care of there fish and there bettas are in good water. i have never heard of anyone having to return a fish because of an ilness or death and i have never seen any signs of ick or anything else on any of there fish. so i think i trust them pretty good.


I get my plants form an lfs. I live in the city and there are 5 or 6 different lfs that are small mom and pop ops. one store takes good care of their fish, even feeders, but the two tanks they have live plants in smell **** death. As a result i wouldnt but plants from there althought i would buy fish (like i need more)

So like i said if you dont know enough to spot poor plant quality at that lfs i would qt the plants. you dont have to throw them away or anything and by all odd the plants are prolly fine but its good to get in the habit of putting them in qt


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## stuntman2946 (Feb 8, 2013)

i will start making that a habbit then


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