Make sure new plants are not "treated" for snails!

[UntimelyLord]

Just a reminder for shrimp newbies like me that some stores treat aquatic plants with copper to kill snails-- which can also kill your shrimp!
(It took me 3 days to realise this was the problem with my amano shrimp. They had been all clustered on my heater, not eating, and I knew something was wrong but didn't know what even after extensive research. They are usually out and about but after I added one new fish, and at the same time added new plants which I had rinsed and soaked, they wouldn't move from their hiding spot to even eat. I kept thinking they were afraid of the fish, even though I saw no evidence of this. Now that I've figured it out, two 40% water changes later they are slowly going back to their usual business around the tank. I'm getting Cuprisorb today. I was too late for one shrimp who tried to escape the copper and climbed out through the filter shoot and was found on the other side of the room. I was lucky that I must have rinsed enough copper off of the plants that it wasn't enough to kill them right away.)

 

[Autumnsky]

Very good reminder.

Even with all plants purchased, especially from out of state and country shippers/vendors, they are required to treat the plants with some pretty strong bug killers to prevent infestations /non native hitch hikers coming from in other countries and possibly becoming pests.

This stuff can easily kill our little invert treasures! Please be careful.

UntimelyLord, so glad you could save some and can help get the word out.