River plants to aquarium?

[Alan26]

So here's my plan;

Create a "local" native system with a 10-20g (or larger if can find one for the right price);

I want to use minnows, plants, substrate, rocks, debris, etc. from the river by my house. I plan to switch to the same water source as my other aquariums.

Now, I have done this type of thing before, but never with the plants.

My question is, how to I quarantine/treat the plants to assure I don't bring in anything undesirable?

Thanks in advance

 

[andresdeo]

Diluted H2O2 solution is what I've heard of being used, never done it myself thought. Best of luck hope it works out and you can show us some photos.

 

[FishCr8zy]

Diluted H2O2 solution is what I've heard of being used, never done it myself thought. Best of luck hope it works out and you can show us some photos.

+1 H2O2 is a good way to "disinfect" the plants. For rocks, gravel, and other non-living things you are bringing in, bleach works well too.

 

[Kittykat364]

You might want to be sure that it's legal to keep the wild-caught fish. I think I've seen other people saying that it's not legal somewhere.

 

[Alan26]

kittykat364, good point and always good to point out but, all legal where I will be doing this and they are all non-game/non-protected species anyway.

fishcr8zy and anresdeo...any good quarantine time to allow for observation or repeated treatments, i.e. how long does that take to work. and how strong of a solution to use on the plants or just soak in undiluted h2o2?


For now this is just another plan going in the notebook for future projects...probably will not happen for a while...just like to have everything organized/planned when ready (I have a few notebooks with very detailed plans, some only dreams, but some like this that are constantly evolving/getting more complete and hopefully will come to life)....after my first aquarium, I will never just jump into a project, that was a disaster I will not let happen again...

 

[FishCr8zy]

You don't want to expose plants to h2o2 for too long or anything of that sort or else the plant will die. You want to dip it for a few seconds then rinse.
If you want to kill snails as well use Potassium permagnate.

 

[Alan26]

that's what i figured...thanks for clarifying

 

[Coursair]

And please, don't return anything back into the River if you keep it for more than a day or two.

Also either use a separate net and equipment or get a good equipment/net Dip to sterilize between tanks.

Wild caught is cool, passing around parasites or introducing non native cooties is BAD !!!

Have fun and keep all your fishies safe

 

[Alan26]

well aware of those things coursair...thanks for adding...lots of problems from people letting pets/plants/etc. go into the wild...and this reaches far beyond aquariums...

 

[FishEggs]

well aware of those things coursair...thanks for adding...lots of problems from people letting pets/plants/etc. go into the wild...and this reaches far beyond aquariums...

Just look up snakehead for an example.

 

[andresdeo]

Anyone said asian carp?

 

[Alan26]

giant salvinia

 

[Wy Renegade]

Go for the 20L, you won't be happy with the results of the 10 or a 20 high (at least I wasn't). Keep in mind that often your native perennials need a cold phase in their life cycle, so many are not going to flourish/survive in your aquarium. It turns into a trial and error thing and sometimes you get luck with just one plant and have to wait for it to spread. Do your research on the minnows, many from riverian systems require a much faster water flow rate than we typically provide in aquariums and many also require colder temperatures that we typically maintain in the home - so even an unheated tank gets too hot for them. If you ever do get around to trying this, be sure and post up some pictures.

 

[Alan26]

thanks wy renegade

these are gallon not liter, but thinking some of the plants may require at least a 20...
this is a shallow warm fairly slow moving river system that I have had success with fish out of before...
the plants are the big variable here...for most hyperthermic-thermic system plants a winter period isn't usually necessary but can be simulated good enough by simply cutting back to <1in every year or 2...


anyone whose tried this type of thing before even if a total failure i would love some notes...

 

[FishEggs]

I believe He was referring to a 20 gallon Long tank. The long tanks are going to be better at simulating the river/stream environment.

 

[Wy Renegade]

thanks wy renegade

these are gallon not liter, but thinking some of the plants may require at least a 20...
this is a shallow warm fairly slow moving river system that I have had success with fish out of before...
the plants are the big variable here...for most hyperthermic-thermic system plants a winter period isn't usually necessary but can be simulated good enough by simply cutting back to <1in every year or 2...


anyone whose tried this type of thing before even if a total failure i would love some notes...

Yeah sorry, the L there is for long; If you click that link in my signature to the Bog, you'll see what I've done with a similar but different idea .

 

[Demonknight]

some have worked for me, coontail being the easiest one as well as the never dieing duckweed. Theres a few I want to try from back home (ne/co) area but as I'm stuck in Wa state it has to wait.
In Wa you can't keep any fish alive in a tank outside of a livewell, while in Ne as long as its not listed as endangered/protected and you legally capture them per the regs. ( I so love the laid back nature of Ne) you can keep them, even sport fish.

 

[Alan26]

i like the 1/2 & 1/2 idea wy renegade...not sure if i'm up to that (wife may not approve it), but it's defenitly going in for consideration...i'll have to read that thread a little at a time...