How can we prevent introduction of parasites and other diseases when adding new plants?

[Barry Grayson]

How can we prevent introduction of parasites and other diseases when adding new plants?
Is there a way to “sterilize” plants without killing them?

 

[Colin_T]

Hi and welcome to the forum

Buying live plants from a tank that does not contain fish helps.

If plants are in pots with gravel, remove pot and gravel then rinse them under the tap.

You can put new plants in a bucket of tap water for a couple of hours and the chlorine/ chloramine in the tap water will kill some of the bacteria on the plants.

If you have concerns about protozoan infections and other harmful disease organisms you can bleach the plants.
Put some bleach (granulated swimming pool chlorine or liquid household bleach) into a bucket and put the plants in it. Let them soak for one and then remove them and rinse off under tap water. Put them in more bleach for another minute then remove and rinse. Then put the plants in a bucket of tap water and double dose with dechlorinator. Stir up and wait an half an hour then tip the water out, rinse and refill. Let them sit in the bucket of water for a few hours and change the water 5 or 6 times during that period (rinsing them each time). Then put the plants in the tank.

If you don't want to use bleach you can quarantine the plants by keeping them in a separate tank/ container for 1 month before moving them into the main display tank.

 

[NickAu]

Buy tissue culture plants.

 

[Byron]

There is no absolute effective way to "sterilize" plants as anything strong enough to really do this will inevitably harm the plant. But there are preventative measures, some of which have already been mentioned.

We quarantine new fish (or we should), and the same can be done with plants. If I have any doubt about a newly purchased plant, such as if there were fish in the tank (stores here often have otos and sometimes livebearers in the "plant" tanks), I just drop the potted plant in my QT tank for a few weeks. Without fish in this tank, ich and such will not live. And as Colin said, you can fill this tank with tap water with no dechlorinator; chlorine will not harm plants (it is actually a nutrient) and it may kill some pathogens.

Buy the plants from a tank with no fish, as mentioned; sometimes possible, sometimes not.

Buy the tissue culture plants Nick referenced.

I would never use bleach, salt, or similar; plant authorities point out that anything strong enough to effectively deal with pests or algae will harm the plants. Not worth it when there is no reason.

 

[Barry Grayson]

Where can I purchase cloned plants online ?


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[Essjay]

If you tell us which country you are in, it will help members suggest websites.

 

[NickAu]

Ebay
https://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?...Tissue+Culture++Live+Aquarium+Plants&_sacat=0

 

[Barry Grayson]

I am in Puerto Rico. We use the standard United States Postal Service USPS here, as PR is a Commonwealth of the USA.


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[NickAu]

Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_...ords=live+tissue+culture+plants&tag=ff0d01-20

 

[Ch0le]

Hi and welcome to the forum

Buying live plants from a tank that does not contain fish helps.

If plants are in pots with gravel, remove pot and gravel then rinse them under the tap.

You can put new plants in a bucket of tap water for a couple of hours and the chlorine/ chloramine in the tap water will kill some of the bacteria on the plants.

If you have concerns about protozoan infections and other harmful disease organisms you can bleach the plants.
Put some bleach (granulated swimming pool chlorine or liquid household bleach) into a bucket and put the plants in it. Let them soak for one and then remove them and rinse off under tap water. Put them in more bleach for another minute then remove and rinse. Then put the plants in a bucket of tap water and double dose with dechlorinator. Stir up and wait an half an hour then tip the water out, rinse and refill. Let them sit in the bucket of water for a few hours and change the water 5 or 6 times during that period (rinsing them each time). Then put the plants in the tank.

If you don't want to use bleach you can quarantine the plants by keeping them in a separate tank/ container for 1 month before moving them into the main display tank.

Are you saying strait bleach or mixed with water. I have to do this today or tomorrow. I was told a mixture of less than 5 percent bleach.

 

[Colin_T]

I use straight bleach for 1 minute at a time. If you dilute the bleach with water, you can leave the plants in it for a few minutes.

 

[seangee]

I have started using tissue cultured plants wherever possible. This link is to one brand that is available in the UK and US. https://tropica.com/en/plants/1-2-grow

Yes they do cost a bit more but you can drop them straight in without fear of anything unwanted accompanying them. Every time I have bought them the quality has been superb and the plants have done much better than the equivalents from a nursery or fish store.

 

[FishGuest5123]

Hi and welcome to the forum

Buying live plants from a tank that does not contain fish helps.

If plants are in pots with gravel, remove pot and gravel then rinse them under the tap.

You can put new plants in a bucket of tap water for a couple of hours and the chlorine/ chloramine in the tap water will kill some of the bacteria on the plants.

If you have concerns about protozoan infections and other harmful disease organisms you can bleach the plants.
Put some bleach (granulated swimming pool chlorine or liquid household bleach) into a bucket and put the plants in it. Let them soak for one and then remove them and rinse off under tap water. Put them in more bleach for another minute then remove and rinse. Then put the plants in a bucket of tap water and double dose with dechlorinator. Stir up and wait an half an hour then tip the water out, rinse and refill. Let them sit in the bucket of water for a few hours and change the water 5 or 6 times during that period (rinsing them each time). Then put the plants in the tank.

If you don't want to use bleach you can quarantine the plants by keeping them in a separate tank/ container for 1 month before moving them into the main display tank.

You can also use hydrogen peroxide.

 

[Ch0le]

To many options. Confused.

 

[FishGuest5123]

What’s confusing you? Just ask your questions...