My 1st anubias

**jessfish** · 03-01-2011, 06:46 PM

I have a goldfish tank..with a pleco so I am sure any live plant I put in has a 50/50 chance of survival.

I have been looking at hardy plants, that goldfish tend to ignore for my 1st real plant. I have read that pleco's tend to up root these...but all my fish are well fed so I'm hoping for the best for the anubias.

I haven't gotten the plant yet, but wondering besides the obvious 'fish could eat/uproot it' problem is there anything I should know about it's care (its freshwater tank, sand subtrate).

I have driftwood & rocks & will attach it to one of those.

ps I also have snails - Will my snails think they've died & gone to heaven & destroy my plant?

**Lab_Rat** · 03-01-2011, 07:25 PM

Many fish will leave anubias alone. It's a good one to try for plant unfriendly fish. I'd strap it to driftwood. One thing I found that helps plant destroyers leave plants alone is to make sure they always have access to fresh veggies to munch on. Also, adding a bunch of plants at once seems to cut down on the abuse any one plant takes.

**jessfish** · 03-01-2011, 07:30 PM

Originally Posted by Lab_Rat

Also, adding a bunch of plants at once seems to cut down on the abuse any one plant takes.

Great tip!! thanks for that!!

So I guess I should start feeding my snails again than lol

**Fisharefriends27** · 03-01-2011, 08:24 PM

Mines growing like crazy. Seems like there's a new leaf everyday.

**jessfish** · 03-01-2011, 09:35 PM

Ok i've got 2 plants...now what?

im looking up ways to disinfect them before i put them in the tank - i've heard of a bleach/water solution to soak the plant for a min or two - this the best way to go?

**jessfish** · 03-01-2011, 09:39 PM

Also - should i be adding some kind of fertilizer type thing?
i've read the anubias is ok with the ph level i have & i add a calcium supplement every few days for the snails anyway

just wondering if there is more to this particular plant then just putting it in the tank...they are very pretty & i want to have the correct care

ohh im so excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i hope my fish, snails, pleco dont eat them

there are also a few holes & brown spots on one leaf - should i just remove this leaf? i think i read it won't recover & should just be taken off.

i've read about a 1:19 solution of bleach - im not sure how to get this ratio if i do this in the sink - can i fill the sink with water & add a teaspoon of bleach? is that to much bleach/not enough bleach?

**Lab_Rat** · 03-02-2011, 12:00 AM

I think bleach is harsh on plants so I usually just do an alum dip. Potassium permanganate is another option. You can QT the plants for a couple days as well.

**jessfish** · 03-02-2011, 12:05 AM

would rinsing with tap water & then rinsing in dechlorinated water do anything productive?

i mostly want to kill off any disease/parasites/snails that could be there

I really want to do this on the cheap & dont want to go out again tonight to buy something lol

**jessfish** · 03-02-2011, 01:08 AM

here are my plants (there are actually 2) now that i have had a good look at them they were looking a little rough - the rhizome (is that the bottom stem part) was starting to rot (it was buried when i bought it) i trimmed off the rotten part & trimmed the roots a small bit.
I also cleaned them - & people were not kidding about snails!!!!!!!!!
there were ALOT of snails & snail eggs - i think i was able to pick them all off!!

so far the fish havent gone near the plants, i'll see how the snails have reacted by the morning i guess & i still hope they live - i've heard they are hardy so i hope the condition of the stems won't kill them