# Where do you buy your plants? LFS? Box Store? Online?



## AstrosMom (Apr 7, 2016)

I have a pretty new tank with only one live plant. I was wondering where the better places are to get plants? Box stores like Petco/Smart? Or online ... ebay? Amazon? 

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


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## Nova betta (Dec 5, 2014)

I love getting my plants off aquabid.com.


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## AstrosMom (Apr 7, 2016)

I was looking at that site earlier today. But I guess, I would need to know more about the plants before I buy them. My knowledge of aquatic plants is very limited.


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## ShelbysFish (Sep 5, 2013)

I have "window shopped" on Aquabid... maybe some time I shall buy from there. 

But for now I've been shopping at my LFS!


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## Olivia27 (Nov 26, 2015)

JDAquatics and Bama Plants, mostly. Also, believe it or not: Petco. What my store lack in betta care they make up in live plants selection. The submersed plants are in a separate, plants-only tank so definitely hitch hiker-free. The ones in the tube can sometimes be in poor health but most of the time they're shiny shimmering green. They also have bagged tissue cultures for common plants like crypt wendtii and rotala rotundifolia.


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## AstrosMom (Apr 7, 2016)

Olivia27 said:


> JDAquatics and Bama Plants, mostly. Also, believe it or not: Petco. What my store lack in betta care they make up in live plants selection. The submersed plants are in a separate, plants-only tank so definitely hitch hiker-free. The ones in the tube can sometimes be in poor health but most of the time they're shiny shimmering green. They also have bagged tissue cultures for common plants like crypt wendtii and rotala rotundifolia.


I didn't notice a plant only tank at my Petco. I will have to check again, or ask the next time I go. What is wrong with hitch hikers on plants? And are the plants in the tubes bad? That's what I bought while I was there. It looked healthy...


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## Olivia27 (Nov 26, 2015)

Plants in the tube are the opposite of bad lol but sadly people report finding dead/dying tube plants all the time, which is why I noted that the ones in my store are mostly healthy. I don't think *all* Petco locations have a plants-only tank. But mine do. In it they stock L. Repens, H. Difformis (wisteria), bacopa caroliniana, banana plants aaand... Some others I don't remember. 

I hate hitch hikers. If I want a snail (I don't) I will go buy one. No need to give me a free one hidden in the plants >.> also, *worms* may hitch hike too. Good thing if they're only detritus. What if they're one of the harmful kind?


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## AstrosMom (Apr 7, 2016)

Olivia27 said:


> Plants in the tube are the opposite of bad lol but sadly people report finding dead/dying tube plants all the time, which is why I noted that the ones in my store are mostly healthy. I don't think *all* Petco locations have a plants-only tank. But mine do. In it they stock L. Repens, H. Difformis (wisteria), bacopa caroliniana, banana plants aaand... Some others I don't remember.
> 
> I hate hitch hikers. If I want a snail (I don't) I will go buy one. No need to give me a free one hidden in the plants >.> also, *worms* may hitch hike too. Good thing if they're only detritus. What if they're one of the harmful kind?


Phew! Good news on the tube plants. :-D Mine looked so good, you had me worried! Although, now with a bigger tank, it looks rather small. Haha. I will definitely check into the plant-only tank when I get paid. Hopefully they have one. I did notice they had plants for sale within other freshwater tanks. Lots of moss balls. I will take a free snail (as long as its not dying), but I don't want worms. Gross.


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## Olivia27 (Nov 26, 2015)

If you do decide to take the potted plants inside their display tanks, quarantine (or PP or Hydrogen peroxide bath) is a m-u-s-t. They do have some pretty swords but I prefer the tube plants or bagged cultures. Each time I do a PP bath, I risk damaging the plant =\ and I have no patience to wait 2-4 weeks before adding new plants into the main tank!


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## AstrosMom (Apr 7, 2016)

What do you mean by Hydrogen peroxide bath? Wipe it down with hp? or let it sit/soak in it?


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## Olivia27 (Nov 26, 2015)

Welp... Not sure, I do PP. I do know people use hydrogen peroxide as an alternative to PP but I don't know how do they do it. I assume it's an actual bath though. Since that's how it works with PP. like, let the plants soak in it for 5 mins and then rinse real well.


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## AstrosMom (Apr 7, 2016)

Oh. To disinfect it from all the poo/meds/chemicals loaded up in the stores' aquariums? Should I have done that with the tube plant?


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## Olivia27 (Nov 26, 2015)

To kill possible parasites and hitch hikers. Mostly the parasites. Tube plants don't come in contact with any tank water so you can put it straight in. Same goes with tissue cultures


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## AstrosMom (Apr 7, 2016)

Definitely going to do some research next time before I go and buy anything and just stick it in the tank. :lol: I'm glad my tube plant was safe, because my snail was chomping down on it the other day.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

JDAquatics is a forum member. He has an ad in the Marketplace. Or you can send him a PM. www.bamaplants.com is another seller who has nice plants. While I've often had snails come along with plants I've never received parasites. Maybe I'm just lucky. :question:

Something most people don't do but can be important if plants are shipped: Let float in their bags in the tank. This allows temperatures to even out.

I keep Assassin Snails in all of my tanks to take care of any snails traveling with the plants. The appeal, for me, of Assassin Snails is they will also eat leftover food. They are small so don't have the bioload as other snails and are quite striking with their striped shells.

Also know you will only get a snail population explosion if you overfeed. Snails, IME, don't need any supplemental feeding as most will eat any leftover food. The exception would be Nerite Snails which need natural algae.


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## VinceIII (Feb 14, 2016)

All of my plants are were the tubed ones from Petco. They're guaranteed to be snail-free, and the healthy-looking ones seem much safer than the plants floating in the tanks. I haven't had any problems.


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## AstrosMom (Apr 7, 2016)

So, I'm learning that if I find something pretty in a Petco tank - a better option is to buy it online or contact the two members above if I can live without it for several days instead of buying it out of the tank itself. But tube plants seem very promising.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

There are also plants for sale in the Marketplace. While there's nothing wrong with PetCo plants I prefer to support members when I can.


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## RMKelly (Jan 17, 2016)

I get mine from my LFS, they even special order.


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## Nova betta (Dec 5, 2014)

Olivia27 said:


> To kill possible parasites and hitch hikers. Mostly the parasites. Tube plants don't come in contact with any tank water so you can put it straight in. Same goes with tissue cultures


I know for most people tube plants are fine, but my petcos tube plants are infected with snails. I would still bathe the tube plants just to be safe!


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## Crash (Jul 19, 2015)

I use bamaplants if I can't find what I want in my LFS. I have had email conversations with Ken and he is always so incredibly helpful. If I want a certain plant they don't have in stock he always tries to work with me.


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## BettaBeau (May 14, 2014)

I have purchased plants from JD Aquatics on the marketplace forum, they have been very nice.

I have had great luck with the tube plants from Petsmart, and they are guaranteed snail free so you don't have to quarantine those.

I bought a beautiful anubias from Petco, it was with the bettas in a cup identical to the betta cups. It was labeled "Betta Buddies" and was $10, but it was gorgeous, and it is doing wonderfully!

I have ordered plants through AquaBid, but that was for plants that I couldn't find elsewhere. (Or I thought I couldn't.)


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## jcbrady27 (Jan 13, 2016)

I use an online business out of Arizona, Planted Aquarium Central. The prices are so-so, but they have a reward system, with points = dollars, so you can redeem for a free plant when you earn so many. Shipments are always earlier than I expect, and plants come nicely, considering they're coming all the way from balmy Arizona to snowy Pennsylvania.

Another nice thing is that they give a pretty in-depth description about planting instructions for each species of plant, which is nice for the beginner in planted aquariums. Parameters for pH, lighting, roots in substrate vs. not, where the plant originates, etc.


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## AstrosMom (Apr 7, 2016)

This is all been very helpful and gives me many more options than I thought I had for plants! I'll have to start "window-shopping" when I have a couple days off next week.


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## Rennie Sky (Feb 27, 2016)

Very helpful for me as a newbie to plants as well, thanks everyone! I was quite worried about worms or other things that could harm my boys coming in on plants.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Next Saturday is AquaBid's SNE from 7:00 EDT - ??? I'll make an announcedment on Thursday or Friday but wanted to give you a head's up. You can buy plants from JDAquatics and www.bamaplants.com ("Nofishtoday") for great prices and fixed shipping.


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## AstrosMom (Apr 7, 2016)

That is exciting and tomorrow I will have to mark it in my calendar so I don't forget. What is even better, is I get paid the day prior. :lol: 

Russell what are tissue samples for plants?


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## zuzuu (Mar 29, 2016)

I got mine from the tubes in petsmart/petco. One thing I recommend is research the plants you want if you're getting them at a pet store, since I found out after I bought one tube plant that it actually wasn't submersible! Same thing with some bamboo I got. It also just helps to learn about how certain plants should be cared for and planted.

I'm new with live plants too; good luck!


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## dengveevi (Aug 30, 2015)

My boyfriend & I both buy our plants from our LFS. We have an amazing fish store that gives high quality care to all of their plants and fish. If any of you ever visit San Francisco, try to make it to Japantown to visit Aqua Forest Aquarium. Super friendly and knowledgeable staff. 

If you do buy your plants from PetCo or PetSmart, make sure you quarantine them first even though it's a good habit to quarantine everything new that is entering a tank.


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