Plant making my water smell?

[Stephanie]

Hello, I have one Anacharis plant in my 2 1/2 gallon betta tank. I got it about 5 days ago. I've noticed that the water has an unpleasant smell even though I recently changed some of it, and it looks clean and doesn't have a color or anything. The plant isn't the brightest green but it doesn't look dead. Could it be dying and I just don't know it? If so, could it be causing the water to smell, and should I take it out? I don't really have much experience with live plants, just got this one because I knew my betta would like it.

Steph

 

[Stephanie]

no ones knows if plants make water smell?

 

[Biggen]

Never heard of a plant making the water smell... Is your tank established/cycled? If not, tanks that are in the process of cycling get a "smell" to them. What are your ammonia and nitrite levels?

Did you happen to stir up a lot of your substrate when you planted the plant? This could have caused a lot of food and waste to be stirred up. This may have sparked a bacteria bloom which could lead to a smelly tank.

 

[ConanTheLibraia]

I doubt its dieing, even if it is starting to die, anachris is very hardy and will sprout up brand new shoots before you can say, "dishwasher". Anachris certianly will smell if out of the tank and you sniff at it, but once its inside the tank I don't think its the anachris thats creating the smell problem. Biggen gave a good run down of what could be the problem(s).

 

[Bearfan]

Never heard of the plants making the tank smell, in fact they do the opposite. What kind of water change did you do?

 

[Electrobes]

I think Biggen is right about s tirring up the substrate. In my experience of tank cleaning and plant handling The only time I can really tell you the water stunk was because of the wastes I let build up when I first started... it got thrown around in the water and the water does evaporate with the added light. Also keep in mind that these smells may be different for everyone. My 10 gallon tank smells heavily of vegatation for instance... it is heavily planted but in my opinion this is not a bad smell at all. But if you smell something foul then its a different story. When I did start I was not horrified... more like surprised by the difference in smells, but then got sued to it. It might be that we got used to this vegetation smell. So unless it smells absolutely horrible and your fish are pleading mercy you should be just fine

 

[justDIY]

well, I dunno about most plants, but a green arrow-head plant deffinately has a mild, even pleasing "swamp musk" smell to it (not a bad or rotting smell)

also, my foxtails have a very musky smell, when out of the water or just breaking the surface

I've never noticed anacharis making a smell, so I'd look elsewhere, perhaps the substrate or high ammonia/nitrite levels