Identifying Plants

[MsKhaeli]

Hello again,

Not too sure if this is the correct section on the forum. (There's so many sections!!)

I've never really been a one for live plants in my aquarium however for some reason I was talked into buying live plants by my other half. Yeah plants are good for the aquarium and look great but I have been wary because I know lots of people who get snail pests afterwards and I have a bit of a phobia of snails. LOL.

So anyway I introduced 3 plants and picked them due to what they look like and I have been on a website trying to identify them, but it is like looking for a needle in a haystack. So I was wondering if you guys could help me?

Here is a picture of my new tank, it is currently cycling so there are no fish in it whatsoever.... Even though I found what appears to be a bladder snail in there this morning, so I took it out and binned it.... I HATE SNAILS!!!

Is the Middle Plant: Anacharis ?

EDIT: Is the 3rd plant (right) Dracaena sanderiana, if so I've just read that it it not an aquarium plant and will rot and pollute my water, if so I will remove it and do you think I can take it back to Pets at Home as it was misold as an aquarium plant?

 

[Salam]

Middle one looks like cabomba to me, but not 100% sure. A close up would help.

The right one is sold as aquarium plant, but you are right it will rot in time. Not sure if P@H will take it back though.

The left one I don't know the name, but unless you have very good lighting and ferts / Co2 it won't grow and also rot in time. I've tried that one in a low lit tank and it definitely didn't do well for me.

 

[MsKhaeli]

I think you're right, it looks more like Cabomba than it does Anacharis. I'm not at home at the moment so can't take another picture but from what I remember it does look like Cabomba.

I think I will remove the left and the right one and stock with more Cabomba and maybe I can get some Java Fern. I think I will order some from Aquamania.

thanks for the help!

 

[Salam]

I'm sure you have already, but in case you haven't just google cabomba and you'll know for sure.

If you want to get easy plants any crypts are fairly easy to keep and P@H has them. They are also leafy, so similar to what you got already if you like that kind of plants. And Java fern as you say is also a good starter plant.

 

[MsKhaeli]

Yeah I did Google it, Thanks Salam. I'm going to pop up my Pets At Home when I finish work tonight and re do my plants. I dont know what to do with those 2 I am going to Discard, maybe if I can identify the other one I can find out what it is and grow it as intended, think I will keep the Dracaena sanderiana and grow it until it dies off (if it dies off, lol)

Also another quick question, to prevent snails when buying new plants what would you suggest I do with the plants? Snail eggs seem really small to me /

 

[MsKhaeli]

Afternoon, I successfully took back those two corner plants to Pets At Home yesterday evening with my receipt and swapped them for 2 bunches of Elodea Densa.

I am thinking of changing my tank around to make it look alot more nicer. So far I only have in cabomba and elodea densa. I am going to P@H again tonight to buy some crypts. I also wanted some java fern, but for some reason P@H always put them into their own fish tanks, so I am a bit reluctant to buy them unless I can find a way to 'clean' them to make sure that there's no diseases or snails on them.

So my tank now look like this (yeah a little bare, and I'm no expert at aquascaping):

 

[Salam]

Sorry, didn't see your post last night.

Regarding snail eggs, just wash the plants beforehand. Eggs are in a jelly substance, so you should be able to spot them.

Elodea densa was another one I wanted to suggest the other day, but couldn't think of the name. It will grow well!

Good luck finding the other plants. Tank is already looking good, you'll get there.

 

[MsKhaeli]

Thank you Salam.

Last night I picked up 2 moss balls, Eleocharis Acicularis (Dwarf Hairgrass) and some Java Fern attached onto a little peice of wood. Still having issues with snails though, I washed all plants thoroughly last night, took me an hour to make sure they were clean, I removed 1 bladder snail and 5 of these guys....

I think they are Ramshorns? I have 2 left in my tank in which I must have missed last night when washing my java fern. These little pests are so annoying and I don't want to buy assassin snails because I really hate snails. Is it possible to buy thin bleach only made with chlorine in (I'm in the UK btw) because all the thin bleach I've found has added purfume and disinfectant in the ingredients.

 

[shrimply]

I hate to say this but you are best just to live with the snails, they do provide benefits in the breakdown of waste. I don't believe in biological control as such either, you are still gonna have snails.

Snails are self limiting anyway, there will only be as many as there is waste for them to feed on.

 

[Salam]

It looks like ramshorn to me too. They are really pretty. I can't believe you got so many snails already. Just keep on picking them out and you should be able to avert a snail explosion. If you ever see jelly substance wipe it away, those are the eggs.

You made good plant choices, they should grow well. Not sure about the chlorine, haven't used it at all yet, but it would mean emptying out the whole tank.

 

[MsKhaeli]

@ Shrimply: I really do hate snails though. They freak me out, even when snails and slugs are in my garden, I get freaked.

@ Salam: Pretty? No way. LOL. You can have them if you like. I seriously don't want to start my fishless cycle again, so emptying is a no go. I only ever saw the eggs once so at least I know what to look for, they were on the old plants I returned to P@H.

Guess I will have to keep picking them out. See what happens!

 

[Salam]

Well, I think they are beautiful I actually paid money for my snails

But yes, if you don't like them, just crush them.

 

[MsKhaeli]

think i'll be getting dave to do more of the crushing for me. i used the plug from the sink, can't bare to touch em.