Hi can anybody advise on how to clean a plant from all snails and bacteria before adding to my tank. Also what are the pest plants to attach to thin bog wood branches that can also tolerate temps of 30 degrees.
Thin sand bed and no CO2 system
Filip usually have great advice but I have to disagree on this one. Having tried to disinfect a lot of plants a couple of years ago I tried all methods I read about in a systematic way. Bleach, alum, hydrogen peroxide... They kill snails at best, but not their eggs.
The only method I've had consistent success with is to put the plants in a container and treat with copper (I use Seachem Cupramine). Then wait for 3 weeks and if any new snails appear you treat again.
Good luck!
I dont know from first hand experience if 2 min.Bleach dip eradicates all snails and their eggs from the plants Logeek.
This is because in my +20 years aquarium hobby experience I think that I have never had a tank without Ramshorn and MTS trumpet snails in it .
I always see the tank snails as a natural part of the eco system and a good indicator of tank hygiene and oxigen levels and I never tried to keep them out.
I just happend to read about it on many occasions on the net and bleach is reffered as the ultimate" killer " that oftenly kill our plants too , along with other nasties we use it against .
Are you sure that it doesn't kill snail eggs ?
BTW. Your idea for using copper based meds. against snails is theoreticly correct and might be the safest one for keeping the plant least harmed while getting read of snail eggs at the same time.
Yes I'm sure that bleach dip does not kill the eggs, but often the plants if not quickly performed.
I see what you are saying about snails as a natural part, but I just can't stand the look of them!
In some occasions when moving plants to a discus tank it can be good to remember that snails can be hosts to nasty stuff, even if they come from a tank where there hasn't been any fish for a long time. At least that's what I've been told.
I always do a bleach dip to sterilize the plants prior introducing them with my discus .
I tend to believe it is the safest way for keeping potential pathogens at bay .
I guess a newly hatched snail from the eggs that survived the bleaching won't be able to carry unknown pathogens since it was born in my tank and was bleached prior its hatching .
But that's just my Personal belief.