Plants from the petstore

[FroFro]

I usually buy them from the tubes as they are pest and parasite free. I bought some new driftwood for my betta tank and its shelved next to a tank where they keep weighted plants. This tank that have them in is obviously free of fish and they have a NICE selection of anubias, amazon swords, what I think may be water wisteria, hornwort, and so on.

The thing is that the plants they have in the tank are between 8 and 10 inches in length, the plants they have in the tubes of that size are three times the price. I was wondering if there is a way to get the plants in this tank and sterilize them to make sure I have no hitchhikers. I tried this with a diluted bleach solution and "dipped" some anubias I got from my uncle but it didn't go well. I examined the plants and there seem to be no obvious signs of anything malicious, although I did see one snail on the wall about the size of a dime. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Essjay]

I don't worry about things like snails. In my case I am more concerned in case the plants have been treated with something to kill snails as I have nerites in both my tanks and red cherry shrimps in my main tank. I would rather have pest snails than kill my shrimps and nerites. I already have pond/tadpole/bladder snails and ramshorn snails so a few more won't make any difference.
But I do leave new plants in my quarantine tank for several days before putting them in my tanks in case there is anything other than snails or snail eggs on them. And if the plants are not labelled as shrimp safe, I also run carbon in this tank to remove any snail killer and leave them in the QT longer.

 

[thrujenseyes]

what essjay said is super informative and helpful. I hadn't even thought of that as I'm always worried about hitchhikers as well. I have a very tiny tank that I'm super careful about inhabitants and controlling them.
So, like you, I only purchase the plants in tubes. I've been tempted many times with situations just like you described but always chicken out and spend more on the tubes!

 

[Essjay]

The issue of snail killing chemicals on plants is particularly important in the EU. The import of all species of apple snails into the EU is banned, and there was a proposal that import of plants from countries where apple snails are endemic should also be banned which was then amended to allow plants treated with a snail killing chemical before import. I don't know if this proposal actually became law but it is quite likely that these non-EU plant companies treat their plants just in case.

Whenever I give away excess plants I always describe them as shrimp safe but will probably contain pest snails. I have found a lot of people are more concerned about their shrimps than having snails



There are other possible stowaways such as damselfly nymphs, but these should easy to spot if the plants are quarantined for a few days.

 

[Byron]

I agree with other members, aside from quarantining plants in a QT, do not "treat" them. I remember a plant author several times in her monthly column saying that anything strong enough to kill snails and algae on plants is almost guaranteed to harm if not kill the plant.

Snails are the least of one's worries. They are your best friends in an aquarium.

 

[NickAu]

I do not worry about snails, I am teaching my Bettas to hunt them so basically snails are free food.

The LFS I go to ( not Petbarn ) keeps low grade Cherry shrimp in the tank where the plants are so you sometimes get free shrimp.