Are wild plants tank safe?

[Fishckabibble]

I have a very large swamp/stream on my property and was wondering if the plant life in it would be tank compatible, if i washed them really well.. not sure if it is compatible with tropical fish.

 

[TLM4x4]

I think it depends on what temp you keep your tank vs. the temp probably in that stream..I do know that ppl on this forum do have and keep native plants in their tanks, but that is usually along with native fish.

 

[seastaar88]

i keep natives, so naturally, native plants suit my tank well. i'm not sure where you're located geographically, but native plants would be fine if you collect them while the temps in your swamp/stream are the same as your tank. for instance, if you are in teh northern elevations like me, i wouldn't collect plants now in winter for a tropical tank. it never hurts to experiment - hell that's half the fun. your tanks isn't going to CRASH or anything. the owrst that might happen is you may have some critters come into your tank if you dont rinse well enoguh, but your fish will eat em. all i've ever done was rinse the plants off before adding to my tank. i have a great macroalgae in my tank now that's thriving.

 

[Fishckabibble]

Its a 55g freshwater tank the temp is around 76-78 i have alot of fake plants but wanted somthing that looked more true to nature than the store bought ones, the plants are along the lines of tall underwater grass and some flowering lilly plants, but because im in florida the temp of the water outside stays pretty warm all year. I was more concerened about the quality of water that the plants came from, and if the plants would contaminate my tank with something from the stream.

 

[Fishckabibble]

i was also wondering how many fish is safe too keep in a 55 gallon tank right now im up to 12 fish

55 gllaon tank
1 paradise gourami
1 striped peackock eel
6 mollies
3 austrailian rainbows
1 pleco

10 gallon

2 jeweled chiclids


and how hardy are butterfly fish. i am wanting to get one as well....

 

[Lotus]

I think it would be a good idea to quarantine your plants, if you're collecting them from a local stream. There's not just water quality, but pollutants, diseases, parasites and all kinds of other things you could introduce to your tank.

 

[Charlius]

I'm in Florida as well. Things like that, I'd be concerned with all of the above, and also when I was thinking the same thing, I was worried about pesticides/insecticides and the like. You know, how they do sprayings around here for the mosquitoes/encephylytis (sp?) problem.

 

[Fishckabibble]

thanks for the info i didnt even think about the mosquito spray that stuff is really nasty. Also i saw a beaver in the stream today and I know they give off alot of bad stuff. Although im so happy to see wild life coming back to the swamp. for a while there hasn't been any. I think the neighbor has driven them off. I know that they killed the small gator that we had out there.
I suppose i will just go have to get some store bought plants..