How to prepare a new plant for a goldfish tank?

[ezziecat]

I know that not all of you have fish in your tanks and most will probably not have goldfish, but I thought you guys would probably know the answer to this.

I need to get new live plants for my tank to bring down some nitrates. What process do I have to go through to prepare the new plant for the tank? I'm thinking in terms of:

Quarantine? How long for, and in what conditions?
Cleaning? I heard that there are certain solutions that you can wash the plants in or leave them in for 10 mins to get rid of any chemicals or parasites that will be harmful to the goldfish (fantails, black moor, dalmation molly and a loach), what might these be?
Anything else to make sure I don't expose the fish to harmful stuff?

Do the above steps change depending upon the plant? I haven't had a look at what's available yet but I'd like to get one or two of the ones on this list, as they are recommended for tanks with goldfish:

• Java Fern (Microsorum pteropus)
• Java Moss (Vesicularia dubyana)
• Hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum)
• Crypts and Swords (Echinodorus species)
• Vallisneria (Vallisneria species)
• Hygrophilas
• Anacharis
• Duckweed

[The above list is taken from the recommendations of this website: http://thegab.org/Plants/goldfish-and-plants-the-low-tech-approach.html]

Also, are any of the above plants inappropriate (mainly: harmful) for the types of fish I mentioned above?

Thanks guys

 

[AfishIonado]

Most of the time plants you buy will have snails hidden in them. I take out some of my tank water and let my plants soak for a few hours to allow the snails to leave the plant, then I just plant the roots in the substrate and I leave the weight on.

I'm not sure if any of those plants are harmful, may wanna wait til someone else chimes in


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[THE V]

The duckweed is a tasty snack for goldfish. The anacharis & Hornwort is medium sized meal. Java fern and moss some will leave alone others will tear it apart out of spite. Vals float nicely around the tank after being torn out of the substrate. Hygro's makes pretty green confetti or dinner depending on the species. Crypts leaves get pulled out and tossed around like beach balls.

Your mileage may vary but the only think I got that could survive a goldfish was Echinoduras sp., & Anubis.

As for cleaning plants the biggest problem will be snails hitchhiking along. Pond snails are also on the menu for some goldfish and definitely for the loach so I wouldn't worry about them. Any parasite can be washed away under a stream of warm water for a few minutes. Mollies and goldfish shouln't really be in the same tank. Mollies can get a little nippy at long fins.

 

[fshfanatic]

A quick dip in a 5 gallon bucket full of water and a cup of bleach will kill and inverts and or algae that is on the plant. Then soak in a different 5 gallon bucket of clean cool water.

 

[ezziecat]

Thanks The V, is there a common name for Echinoduras sp?

I will bear in mind the molly fact. At the moment he or she is fine and isn't being agressive. If anything my fantails like to pick on him/her, but the molly has places to hide and it doesn't happen often.

Thanks fshfanatic, will this not harm the plants then?

 

[FrenchFry]

Dipping plants in a solution that is about 5% chlorine is pretty common. Plants like anubias do really well, but more sentitive plants like java moss may brown if left in for too long. You can experiment with a small portion of the plant to see what works for you.


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[ezziecat]

lol I just realised I asked about something I put down -_- Sorry The V, I realise what Echinoduras sp is now - that'll teach me to copy and paste!

Thanks FrenchFry that's great