Lake plants

[FreshwaterTropical]

Found these plants in a lake near my house in southern new jersey, I need help Identifying them?

 

[gabysapha]

Im curious too. Could you put them on a paper towel and take pics again?

 

[FreshwaterTropical]

Yes I will do that!

 

[FreshwaterTropical]

Ok so their are 4 different types of plants that I have found, so I pulled out a few samples!

Here is some java moss! Only thing I have identified?

 

[FreshwaterTropical]

Here is another plant, please ID for me? This lake seems to have plenty of this plant growing. I think it is a stem plant!

 

[FreshwaterTropical]

Here is another plant, please ID for me? This is a stem plant, looks kind of like cabomba, I think. Not sure though! Thoughts???

 

[FreshwaterTropical]

Next plant? This is a stem plant, looks kind of like cabomba, I think. Not sure though! Thoughts???

 

[FreshwaterTropical]

Ok well I dent mean to post that without picture! Delete that please?


Ok well here is plant #4 this plant seems to be all connected! This is just a piece of the huge amount of it floating on the lake! What is it?

 

[FreshwaterTropical]

Ok so time for all of you to answer and tell me what these plants are? Are they safe to put in my tank?

 

[GodFan]

Dont put them in your tank unless you sterilize them! If you have a qt tank I would put them in there and use a round of antibacterials and stuff. Probably use alot of peroxide too!

 

[FreshwaterTropical]

Dont put them in your tank unless you sterilize them! If you have a qt tank I would put them in there and use a round of antibacterials and stuff. Probably use alot of peroxide too!

Ok well I wasn't going to put them in yet. I would like to know what they are first? What is the point of sterilizing the plants anyway?

 

[Murano22s]

Your ensuring that anything bad wont get into your tank, snails, bacteria, diseases, etc... Is your tank tropical or cold water? I ask bc this stuff could grow crazy if put into a warm environment. Or it could just die but I'd bet the first.

 

[GodFan]

I dont know what they are but yea. Kill the bad stuff. Especially parasites!

 

[FreshwaterTropical]

Ok the plants will be cleaned. How do I clean them??? My tank is tropical.

 

[GodFan]

Ok the plants will be cleaned. How do I clean them??? My tank is tropical.

I am oversensitive about accidentally contaminating my tank but this is what I would do.
First rinse with hydrogen peroxide. Then put in water and dose with antibacterial and whatever other meds you have for the fish tank. Then dump the water, refill, and mix in activated carbon to get rid of the chemicals. Then rinse and add to tank! I dont know how well they will live in the tropical temps but go for it!

 

[adadkins1]

I don't think plants collected from nature are the best idea. Since you live in a climate where the temperatures drop during winter the plants you collect will be used to having a dormant period a few months during the year. These conditions cannot be recreated in your tropical tank and the plants would likely die after one growing cycle without a dormant stage.

On top of this is the possibility of introducing bacteria, disease, animals, etc. into your tank. I collected some plants from a local river, but I found out after research that wild plants aren't really viable unless you live in a very warm climate where the collected plants won't have to have a dormant period.

This is just what I remember from my research and it my not be 100% correct. Make your own decision based on your research, it is your tank so you can do whatever you like.

 

[gabysapha]

Adadkins1 has a good point, so if you're putting these plants in a tank you might want to proceed with caution. Or at least don't expect the plants to thrive.

I have no idea what those plants are, but the one that looks like cabomba could be water milfoil (non-native).

 

[FreshwaterTropical]

Yeah I probably will not take the risk of putting them in my tank! Maybe just the java moss though, after I sterilize it!

 

[adadkins1]

Yeah, if it is non-native plants to your region that are normally kept in aquaria, you could get away with it. However the natives probably wouldn't make it very long.