Question About Pre-Packaged Plants...

7itanium

7itanium

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Jan 31, 2009
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Spokane, WA
So I am working on starting my 70G project (need to pick up the tank tomorrow) and I was at the local Petco today just taking a look at some plant options (though a found way more at a different store later).

But anyway.. I found that they carry several different species of aquatic plants that are packaged in little tubes and supposedly preserved alive with some kind of chemical or something.. they are supposed to be fast growing and snail free (yeah right).

Has anyone had any experience with these? or should I go for the good old fasioned live tank plants?
 
Are you sure they're aquatic? The tube plants at the PetCo by my house are almost all terrestrial except for a couple of sickly looking swords. And they're so expensive!
 
Eh, go with the actual plants IMHO.

I personally wouldn't buy plants from big chain stores. In my experience they are not well cared for and almost always carry snails, if you don't want any....

I'd check for some great deals in the AC classifieds (there are LOADS of sellers) or find a smaller store.
 
The majority of the plants in the tubes are non aquatic. Sometimes you can find various anubias or java ferns in the tubes. Be careful at any store you go to, it is quite commonplace to find non aquatic plants for sale in tanks. It might be best to go to the store, take some photos and jot down the name of the plants you like, then come home and research about them.
 
Ok thanks for the feedback so far.. I would really like to talk to someone that has used them if possible (maybe nobody for good reason eh? lol)

Yeah there were several non-aquatic plants as well.. but there were at least 5-6 breeds of aquatic..

I might try one in my fry tank just to see.. but your probably right about avoiding them-- seems unnatural
 
I got an anubias, wisteria and some amazon swords in those little tubes. The anubias was significantly cheaper than at my preferred LFS and in good shape. The swords and wisteria were small and somewhat yellowed when I got them. For the swords and the wisteria I got 4 small plants in each tube. The anubias only had one plant. All have taken off since I put them in my tank. I don't think I got any snails with them, at least not as many as I do when I buy plants from the tanks at my LFS. Hope that helps. I was very careful to research the plants that I purchased beforehand. The guy at the big chain store said that the best way to tell the difference is that the non-aquatic species are labelled "for aquariums and terrariums," whereas the truly aquatic species are labelled "for aquariums."
 
I agree, some are and some arent aquatic. I have found at my Petco and petsmart Java Fern,Amazon swords,Anubias nana there. By me each tube is $6 for 3 to 4 plants. Be careful and look at the plant thru ther tube to make sure the plant is browning its leaves. If so that means not enough light and or nutrients. I have had good luck with them, no snails etc. Just rinse that gel off them under the sink.
 
Ive bougthen plants on petco online, ebay, and here. All the plants I bought at petco were nasty looking and smelled bad. I put them in a one gallon for a week by themselves and they were still nasty looking and smelling so I threw them away. Most of the ones I bought on ebay all died and were sickly looking. The ones that I bought here (that ive recieved so far) were extrememly healthy and beautiful and so much cheaper too. I won't buy plants anywheres else but here from now on.
 
I'm a complete noob who setup my first 5-gal hex about two months ago. I bought 5 different plants from my local Petco in these tubes - they looked healthier and more "snail-free" than the selection they offered in their tanks. All of the plants are doing great.

I've learned a lot since, and will most likely be purchasing from reputable websites and ebayers in the future (better prices and I have a more specific idea of what species I want), but I have no issues with the tube-plants I purchased at Petco.
 
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