Aquarium plants

[Katerose91]

Can any plant be poisonous to shrimp?
I bought 3 new plants from an aquarium yesterday - they were in a tank with snails and shrimp already so there isn't a copper issue, but my shrimp this evening seems to have taken a turn for the worse. Here are my plants

 

[Colin_T]

In some countries like the UK, imported plants are treated with a pesticide that can kill shrimp, snails and fish if it gets into an aquarium. If you have new plants, wash them well under tap water and then put them in a bucket of water. Change the water in the bucket every day for a couple of weeks before adding the plants to the tank.

If you have the plants in a tank and the shrimp, snails or fish are acting unusual, do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day for 2 weeks.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

Add some carbon to the filter and replace it after a week. Keep carbon in the filter for a couple of weeks.

 

[Katerose91]

Thank you.
Does all of this apply to plants bought from an aquarium shop that had the plants already in a big tank of water?

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I agree with @Colin_T. It was probably a pesticide they put on the plant, before they sold it to you.

 

[Essjay]

Yes it does. If the plants were grown in the EU they shouldn't have been treated; the law only applies to plants grown outside the EU.
Because I have shrimps and snails I usually buy on-line and look for sellers who guarantee the plants are shrimp safe.

 

[seangee]

Thank you.
Does all of this apply to plants bought from an aquarium shop that had the plants already in a big tank of water?

If those plants have indeed been treated with pesticides they will never be safe for shrimp - despite what the sellers say. If you suspect them rempve them immediately if you have any surviving shrimp. I only ever buy plants that are guaranteed shrimp safe from online specialists like proshrimp. Even then I prefer plants grown from tissue culture (or in-vitro). Costs a bit more but IMO worth it for the peace of mind.

 

[Katerose91]

I guess it is too late for my fella then, I found this so it looks like he has been convulsing from poisoning. I am heartbroken. Turns out we had 2 plants from the tank in which there were snails and shrimp and 1 plant from the plants only section so it must be this one that is the culprit. We rinsed and treated as we always do with new plants but I guess this time it wasn't enough. So I can never have shrimp in my tank now this plant is in there? I fear it is too late to save the tank water climate as the plant has been in for 48hrs.

 

[Retired Viking]

Sorry about your shrimp.

 

[Katerose91]

Thank you @Retired Viking I am so upset that basically this is my fault! I'll never forgive myself. Considering whether to do a partial water change now for the sake of my fish at least

 

[Retired Viking]

Do not blame yourself, you were trying to make your tank a good place for your fish and shrimp. You did not know about the pesticides. I have ghost shrimp in a planted 30 gallon tank with plenty of plants. Shrimp are very sensitive to water conditions so I bought ghost shrimp because they were cheap and this is my 1st time having shrimp. I lost a couple after being told that the fish I had at the time would leave them alone.

 

[Retired Viking]

I would remove the plant to be safe and do a large water change and vacuum the gravel just to be safe.

 

[Essjay]

And run some carbon. If there's nowhere in your filter for it, you can buy a very cheap internal filter and use carbon granules in a mesh bag. I keep an old internal in my cupboard just for this.

 

[Katerose91]

Thank you so much everyone. Shrimp - RIP. Plant sorted, water change and carbon done. Seemingly I didn't wash the plant out well enough...I have just spotted a tiny little snail who has moved in! Happy to keep him but slightly anxious in case it causes an infestation. What would you guys do?

 

[Essjay]

I have 2 types of 'pest' snail in my tanks, 3 if you include Malaysian trumpet snails, and I do nothing. Snails are not a bad thing in a tank, only if they threaten to take over. I don't over feed the fish and I clean the debris off the sand at every water change so they are not taking over.

 

[Retired Viking]

I agree with @essjay, I had an infestation of pond snails and by watching how much I feed my fish I now have it under control. I have several nerites snails as a clean up crew and as long as there is just a few of the pond snails I leave them alone since they help with the cleaning.