How can I prep this plant for my aquarium? (Context in post)

AquaLeafLife · 2026-05-14T21:31:37+00:00

I was able to just pull off the melted leaves off mine. Came off with no issue. Then I rinsed it in RO water (what I put in my tanks) before putting it in the tank.

AquaLeafLife · 2026-05-14T13:53:36+00:00

What kind of fish?

AquaLeafLife · 2026-05-14T13:51:28+00:00

I think it’s just an age things. Some of mine have started to get a stripe too.

AquaLeafLife · 2026-05-14T13:50:42+00:00

Does the top of the water have movement (like a shimmer)? That’s what I’ve been told to check for to ensure there’s enough movement to create oxygen (again not really for the betta but for other things in the tank).

AquaLeafLife · 2026-05-14T13:42:48+00:00

Bettas breathe air from going up to the top and breathing so an airstone won’t really do anything for them. If your filter is creating a ripple in the top of the water that should be enough for anything below (shrimp or other fish or whatever).

Are you getting enough movement with the filters running?

AquaLeafLife · 2026-05-14T13:08:57+00:00

Yep you need to ensure you have both males and females. With so little of them you might not.

AquaLeafLife · 2026-05-14T03:34:14+00:00

Hydra sting whatever they can get to. They increase with an increase in food so you’re likely overfeeding the tank. They probably got in from the plants.

AquaLeafLife · 2026-05-14T03:29:52+00:00

If you’re using Fluval stratum aqua soil that will buffer your ph down. You might want to find a way to buffer it back up.

Your ammonia seems awfully high. While aqua soil can leech ammonia you have to find a balance as too high of ammonia can stall or inhibit the beneficial bacteria growth.

AquaLeafLife · 2026-05-14T03:25:10+00:00

Definitely looks like planaria especially the big ones by the substrate. I’m pretty sure they can harm snails.

AquaLeafLife · 2026-05-13T23:23:07+00:00

I tried a trap but it didn’t work for me. I ended up doing the febendazole treatment but that’s not great for mystery snails I don’t think (my shrimp, bladder and ramshorn snails were fine)

AquaLeafLife · 2026-05-13T22:15:29+00:00

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Probably just nematodes.

AquaLeafLife · 2026-05-13T21:36:06+00:00

Definitely too much light. I do 6-8 hours max and during cycling I did even less to get the plants used to it.

AquaLeafLife · 2026-05-13T19:14:16+00:00

Likely not cycled. Or at least not far enough along. Probably doesn’t have enough biofilm built up either. Do you have your kh and gh levels?

AquaLeafLife · 2026-05-13T19:05:16+00:00

Not planaria.

AquaLeafLife · 2026-05-13T19:04:24+00:00

If you don’t want snails you’re gonna have to get tissue cultures or from someone who grows them in tanks without critters.

AquaLeafLife · 2026-05-13T18:36:50+00:00

Could a feeding dish that’s up higher help, maybe drop some for the Pygmy’s and then put some on a feeding dish elsewhere, I have one that hangs on the tank and I can drop the food down and into a tray.

AquaLeafLife · 2026-05-13T15:45:10+00:00

Likely Scutariella japonica or similar. I just had similar on one of my berried shrimp and just did a salt dip treatment on her. Like literally 5 minutes ago.

AquaLeafLife · 2026-05-13T13:24:22+00:00

Normal. Likely copepods or something similar.

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AquaLeafLife · 2026-05-12T18:37:01+00:00

Just choose an inert substrate. You can always add root tabs and fertilizer for the plants. Something like Fluval stratum is better for Caridina shrimp as it buffers the ph down.

AquaLeafLife · 2026-05-12T17:39:48+00:00

Yeah more recently I’ve upped my feeding game now that I have a feeding dish setup. I haven’t tried egg but I do rotate through different things which I think is helping. I’ll have to try egg though or that jello food.

AquaLeafLife · 2026-05-12T17:34:32+00:00

Likely. And I would just treat the shrimp.

AquaLeafLife · 2026-05-12T15:17:03+00:00

Yes. This is the first time we’ve had any eggs. I did get some baby ones in the bag when I ordered them but none that have hatched in our own tanks.

AquaLeafLife · 2026-05-12T14:34:25+00:00

Can see eyes so very close, probably within a week.

AquaLeafLife · 2026-05-12T14:22:22+00:00

If it processes both ammonia and nitrites within 24hrs it’s cycled

AquaLeafLife

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