# Can I use wild plants???



## cucci67 (Aug 3, 2005)

There are so many nice looking plants in the lake I have a house by in the poconos. It is a spring fed lake if that means anything, and I am particularly interested in these somewhat "java-fern looking" plants. They are green with the java fern style, but smaller, somewhat stiffer leaves. They have little roots, and I alwasy see them alive just floating aroudn the lake, so I suppose they can just get nutrients from the water column. Only think I see wrong is I don't know if there is anything this can do to my tank if I throw a few in. I mean they are really nice looking, and best of all FREE. I an gather up a bunch of these, and plant away on all my tanks. Also, there is a nice green moss that I can just pull right off the dock that I am also interested.

If anyone knows if this stuff can go in my tank, please let me know.


----------



## Fishboy93 (Jun 11, 2005)

Ive kept wild plants in my tank but you really have to be carefull about hitchhickers. Dragonfly nymphs in particular..


----------



## cucci67 (Aug 3, 2005)

I will gather a few next time I go up there, making sure to clean them thouroughly. I will also rinse them and put them into quarentine for a week or so changing the water every day. I just want to make sure there is nothing that I will not be able to see that can harm my tank.


----------



## northfacehiker (May 31, 2006)

Indeed, plants are plants. All live plants in our aquariums were wild at one time. Cucci's point is very true though: you want to make sure whatever plants you import into your tank don't have any unwelcome visitors. Beyond that, you should be good!


----------

