Sick Betta- Tried everything with no luck.... May be BGA...   2/27/12
Hello,
I am an avid reader and am so thankful to have found your site last year. I am desperate need of help. I've looked through the site and was unable to find a situation similar to mine. I have a big, beautiful red Betta. Tank specs: 5 gallons, heated between 76-78 degrees, filtered, gravel bottom, 2 live plants (both ok for Bettas) 1 synthetic plant to help keep current from filter slower. I do a 25% water change at least every two weeks, and a 50% water change once a month. I use a water conditioner and aquarium salt.
He gets a varied diet of Betta pellets and shrimp. I have studied and researched your site to try and provide him with the best care possible. Up until now he was happy, healthy and playful. In fact I was able to nurse him though a bout of Ick when I first got him with your knowledgeable help.
<Ok>
About a month ago I noticed dark green algae
<This might well be a Blue-green... Cyanobacteria... can be quite toxic>
 starting to grow in his tank. I tried to manage it by cleaning the spots that showed up when I'd do his water change. It got to be worse than normal so I decided to take him out and clean out the tank and gravel. I am very careful about contaminants and do my best to keep things as stable as possible in such a small system. After adding him back into the tank he was in bad shape in less than 24 hours.
<I further suspect BGA... becomes more toxic w/ attempts to remove>
At first I though it might be a stomach problem, minor swelling on his belly. I treated by adding aquarium salt to reduce the pressure and didn't feed him for several days. No change. He was and is spending considerable time on the bottom of the tank and at the top on his plants. He seems to have difficulty swimming, unable to stay at the top of the water, sinking back down.
Next I tried just maintaining his usual routine and keeping the water conditions normal as they had been, hoping he would normalize.
<This is what I would have done as well>
 He seemed to get a little better and was eating regularly again, if not as much- would float back down after two or three bites. Now he's in worse shape and the algae is back. He hasn't eaten or responded to me in the last two days now. I'm worried he's suffering and I'm at a complete loss. Please let me know if there is anything else I can do? And if not, how best to end his suffering painlessly. Thank you for your time.
<Mmm, please read here for background:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwbgafaqs.htm
I might go the extreme route here of removing the fish... tossing the live plants... bleaching the entire system... rinsing, re-filling... and moving the fish through a few rinses (to discount the conveyance of BGA spores) to eliminate the Cyano. Bob Fenner> 
Re: Sick Betta- Tried everything with no luck....   2/28/12
Thank you so much, Bob! I went through and read the posts about the BGA- nasty stuff. I'm pretty sure now that that is exactly what it is.
<Was/is my best guess>
The tank has been getting more sunlight recently and I wondered if that was causing the algae to grow.
<Could well be>
 I know algae is common in tanks, but I wondered if this was a type that was harmful to the fish.
<There are bio-assays... I think you've been doing one>
 I'm going to remove him from the tank, bleach the system as you recommended and start fresh with the plants. I hope it's not too late and that I can get him to bounce back. I really appreciate your time to email me back. The amount of time and research that you all put into the website is phenomenal. It is so reassuring to know that there is a credible,
reliable source that I can trust.  Take care!
<And you my friend. BobF>
Re: Sick Betta- Tried everything with no luck....   Non-aq. plants     2/28/12
Hi again. I have one last follow up question. I've gone and bleached the system, replaced the gravel and added new plants (umbrella plants).
<Mmm, what is this... the scientific name? There are several popular "aquarium" plants sold that are actually not aquatic>
I picked up a new filter- Tetra whisper 10i internal power filter. It says it works with up to 10 gal tanks. It looks to be a little bigger than my previous filter, also a Tetra whisper. I'm concerned that its too strong for him, especially right now when he is not at full health.
<Likely is fine>
I've placed the plants around the filter to try and disperse the flow, I'm not sure its enough. I'm also torn because I know that the more water movement, the better to keep the BGA from growing again. Unfortunately it doesn't have a flow control. I've read through the filter posts and seen that both the gravel filters and sponge filters are recommended for Bettas.
<Or small internal or external power filters... there are even smaller units>
 I don't think I'll be able to find those in my area.
<Can be ordered via etailers like Dr.s Foster & Smith (.com)>
 I know I can order them online, however my main question is this: should I leave the filter off in the meantime?
<Yes; I would>
Second: What do you personally recommend for a filter for a 5 gal Betta tank? He's a pretty big Betta and used to be a strong swimmer...
<Mmm, you could just search w/ the string "Betta system filters"... Whisper 3i...>
Thank you again for your advice!
<Not advice; and this may seem something similar, but what I'd likely do given the stated circumstances. BobF>
Re: Sick Betta- Tried everything with no luck.... Non-aq. plants     2/28/12
In regards to the plants, they're Top Fin from PetSmart- growl - I did add some semi-aquatic Golden Ribbon plants (Dracaena variegatus?)
<This genus is terrestrial... see WWM re... the search tool>
 to float on the top which I've used before without any issues I thought, and the umbrella plants (were sold to me as aquatic, growl again. I'm not sure on the scientific name, but they do look similar the Anubias plants?).
<Also not likely truly aquatic>
 Looking on the posts regarding stocking tanks with live plants I see that PetSmart and Top Fin have used non-aquatic plants? For crying out loud, I am so disgusted with those people.
<Yes; unfortunately>
 I won't go into detail the problems I've had with them and the horrible information I've received- I've gone back after speaking with them and researched on your site to find that the information was just bad.
Unfortunately, I'm in Montana and at this point I have very little resources for my fish. Is there an online resource for good quality live plants?
<Quite a few actually. Search... read Aquariumplants (.com)>
Or is there at least one thing that PetSmart might have that would be safe for my guy?
<My fave: Ceratopteris>
 I am going to check and see if they have any of the following grasses by any chance: Anacharis/Elodea/Egeria, Myriophyllum/Parrotfeather, Ceratophyllum/Coontail. >
<These are too cold-water to be of tropical use. B>

Aqua Fern, Peacock Fern... terrestrials  -- 08/22/10
I have a 6 gallon Fluval tank with three juvenile platies. Purchased aqua fern and peacock ferns at Petco, in tubes. Are these plants suitable for my tank? If not, what plants do you suggest? Thanks!
<Peacock Fern is Selaginella willdenovii, a land plant that cannot be kept underwater. It actually prefers quite dry conditions and can make an excellent garden plant. Aqua Fern is Trichomanes javanicum, again, another plant that dies underwater. It is a swamp plant that will do best in damp soil and humid conditions as a houseplant. So on both of these things the retailer took advantage of your ignorance. Two good plants for beginners are Anubias and Java fern, which are best purchased pre-attached to bogwood. Here in the UK a small specimen of either will cost around £5-10, and these plants will thrive in most aquaria without much fuss. As for the aquarium, it is too small for Platies. Minimum aquarium for Platies would be 15 gallons, and ideally 20 gallons upwards. Stocking the 6 gallon Fluval Edge aquarium is extremely difficult, and unfortunately retailers suggest them to beginners when they're actually almost completely useless. I've written about this aquarium elsewhere:
http://www.tropicalfishfinder.co.uk/news_article.asp?id=2008
There are articles on stocking small tanks here at WWM, for example here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_5/volume_5_3/stocking.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwlivestk.htm
For all practical purposes discard any aquarium smaller than 10 gallons, and if you can get a bigger aquarium, then even better. If you can only afford 5 gallons, or you don't have space for even a 10 gallon tank, then may I suggest another hobby until such time as you have the space and the funds? I'm not being mean, but being honest. These very small tanks really are almost totally useless. Sincerely, Neale.>

14G freshwater setup questions, stkg... incl. Gobioides, non-aquatic plants,  - 10/05/2009
Hello there and thank you for your time.
<Hello, and we're happy to help.>
I have recently purchased and setup/cycled a 14G freshwater aquarium and have a few questions after reading and learning a bit more about my new hobby. The first and most important issue I need help with is what to do about the "Dragonfish" that I now know to actually be a Violet Goby and a brackish water fish.
<Indeed. And far too large for a 14 gallon aquarium. Adults get to as much as 50 cm/20 inches in length.>
I purchased it from Wal-mart on an admittedly rash impulse after reading the info label "freshwater, peaceful, eats blood worms" sounds good to me, too bad only the peaceful part was 100% accurate.
<!!!>
The other fish in the tank are 4 Devario aequipinnatus (giant Danios), and a Pterygoplichthys pardalis (Pleco).
<Both of these are far too large for 14 gallon tanks as well. Giant Danios, as their name suggests, are bigger than regular Danios. While the volume of the tank isn't critical, we're looking at tanks around 100 cm/39 inches in length for them to feel settled and happy. They also tend to be aggressive in groups smaller than 6, so be on the lookout for chasing and nipping. As for Plecs, well, this chap of yours will need a 55 gallon tank. Sure, it can be wedged into smaller tanks, but at up to 45 cm/18 inches in length, and a fish that produces solid waste by the bucket, small tanks will look filthy pretty quickly!>
I was sold some "aquatic" plants at Petco and have identified a couple as Dracenas and Brazilian swords which thanks to WWM I now know are not actually aquatic.
<Oh dear.>
My substrate is a basic colored gravel. According to the Violet Goby FAQ's I know that they need a gravity of about 1.005 to be happy but I was also reading that the Pleco, Danios, and plants aren't going to like that.
<Indeed not.>
I know that being estuarine the Goby will "survive" in the freshwater for a short period of time, my question is this. Will it be morally wrong to wait it out and see how he does?
<Yes. It will certainly sicken and die eventually. You hear of the odd specimen kept in freshwater tanks lasting 6, 12 months... but most don't. Wild fish likely live many years.>
I certainly don't have the money to start a second BW tank right now, and it seems like taking the fish back to Wal-Mart would be worse than leaving him with me, but on the other hand I don't want to slowly torture him to death by keeping him in a FW tank with a gravel substrate if that's going to be the case.
<A conundrum without an easy solution.>
Would "workarounds" like making sure he gets algae pellets and bloodworms to account for the lack of substrate feeding, and a PVC tube half buried to allow him a "burrow", be acceptable? Also is there a compromise gravity like 1.003 that will work for both the goby and the others?
<Look, the plants will die anyway, so they're not worth factoring. Dracaena and Spathiphyllum spp. are house plants, and should treated as such. Their death underwater is certain and imminent. For the fish, SG 1.003 would be tolerated by the Plec for a while, and if you were lucky, the Gobioides would be comfortable enough to last under such conditions for long enough for you to find alternative accommodation. But the Danios... not so much.
They have a low tolerance of brackish water.>
The other issue I need to address is the "aquatic" plants. Is a non aquatic plant going to cause any harm if left in the tank until it dies?
<Yes. Dead stuff is dead stuff, and it's all using up oxygen and producing organic acids.>
Assuming dead leaves are being removed of course. Plantgeeks.com says they will rot but I'm not 100% sure about my identification of the plants and would hate to waste money and good aquatic plants by pre-maturely removing them.
<Brazilian Swords are a species of Spathiphyllum, and certainly do not belong in an aquarium. As for Dracaena, they're pretty easy to identify, and so widely sold, that you'd be unlikely to make a mistake. If the thing looks like duck and quacks like a duck...>
What signs or symptoms should I watch for to remove them?
<Take them out.>
They were labeled "assorted potted plants" at Petco.
<Indeed.>
The final issue I have is that I have a Pleco who I'm learning will be eventually around 13" long and is living in a 14G tank that is about 20" long. I do plan to step up to a 55-75g eventually and would transplant him
to it.
<The bigger of the two tanks is wise.>
How much time do I realistically have before he will need to be put in a larger tank?
<They reach full size within 1-2 years. Do not underestimate their growth rate!>
I read in a forum on fishprofiles.com that if you place a fish in a too small tank that it will stunt their growth while their organs may continue to grow internally and eventually cause a painful death for the fish, is
there any truth to this?
<No, the organs don't keep growing. That's garbage, and quoted all over the place on web sites written by people without any real knowledge of fish biology. What *does* happen though is that eventually the mass of the fish overwhelms the ability of the filter to keep the water clean and oxygenated. When that threshold point is reached, ammonia isn't removed quickly enough, and oxygen isn't replenished fast enough, and the fish becomes stressed. Eventually, it dies. There's no rocket science here, and under lab conditions at least, you can maintain big fish in tiny tanks, provided the filtration is (uneconomically) massive and the water
constantly being changed (like, 90% daily). It's not viable to keep pet fish this way, which is why we stress the importance of the size of the tank, and the turnover of the filter, with respect to the fish being kept.>
Along the same lines, if I keep the Goby which I'm thinking isn't probable, how long before he's going to need a larger tank?
<Again, just don't.>
Thank you again, I realize now that I should have done a bit more research before setting this all up but now all I can do is try to make it right retrospectively and appreciate any help you folks have to offer.
<Do read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_5/volume_5_3/stocking.htm
Much to be gained by measuring the volume of your aquarium, and choosing livestock accordingly.>
I'm an avid animal lover and would hate to know that they were suffering due to my ineptitude.
<I understand. But there is this issue that we go into pet shops and assume all the fish are equally easy to keep. This isn't any more true for fish than it is, say, for breeds of dog, or plants for your garden.>
Cheers,
Phil
<Cheers, Neale.>

"Aquatic" plants not aquatic...?  12/30/07 Hello. <Greetings.> I recently have just set up my 55 gallon aquarium as freshwater planted aquarium. I bought my driftwood from Petco and my plants from Petsmart. So here's my question. I talked to the people at Petsmart and she seemed every experienced with fish, and she told me to buy white ribbon (Dracaena sanderiana), gold ribbon (Dracaena variegatus), and umbrella (Spathiphyllum wallisii) plants because they were good, hardy, beginner plants and she said she has been growing them for a while and has been successful. <Garbage. None of these plants will last any length of time under water. Dracaena rots very quickly, usually in a period of 2-3 months. Spathiphyllum is marginally better, but we're still talking a lifespan of a few months underwater. You have, unfortunately, fallen for perhaps the worst con in the business.> So I bought them. However AFTER planting them I came upon a webpage that said the ribbon plants weren't actually aquatic! Do I need to return them or will they do fine? <Take them out and stick them in pots with houseplant soil. Enjoy them as pot plants. The Dracaena especially are beautiful and easy to keep.> If I do need to return the plants, where some cheap places to buy plants online? <No idea for your area specifically, but I will say that most online plant vendors are reasonably to very good in performance, PROVIDED you know what you're buying in the first place. If you choose good, hardy plants for beginners -- such as Cryptocoryne wendtii or Microsorium pteropus -- you really can't go wrong. Shop by Latin name, not common name.> I would like to get some grass that is good for beginners with not high requirements for lighting. <No such plant, unfortunately. All the grass-like plants have medium-high to high light requirements. If you aren't prepared to spend the money on intense lighting (i.e., at least 2 watts per gallon) then forget about "the planted aquarium" as it isn't really an option. Get some Java fern, Java moss, and Anubias and decorate as you want, but on the flip side these are slow-growing plants that attach to rocks and wood, and CANNOT be buried in the sediment.> My driftwood is fine. I am just worried about the plants I have purchased. <They're already dying. Remove and repot, and then enjoy them for what they are, land plants.> I also realised they were all background plants. I would like to get some foreground plants. what are some good beginner ones? <Do start by reading the articles on planted aquaria here at WWM: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/PlantedTksSubWebIndex/AquariumGardenSubWebIndex.html And the daily FAQs are probably helpful too, as we've answered a few questions like yours in the past few months: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/PlantedTksSubWebIndex/gropltsfaqs.htm Then spring the $$$ for a decent planted aquarium book, there are very many at all price points. Like coral reef tanks, the planted aquarium takes PLANNING and a little expense up-front, otherwise you'll find it money down the drain.> Thanks for the help. <You're welcome, Neale.>

FW, shrimp hlth... maint., Dracaena plants... non-aquatic   4/22/07 Dear crew, First I would like to thank you for all the information you provide. Thanks to you I have a flourishing tank full of shrimp and fish. Unfortunately I also have a flourishing problem. I currently have a 55 gallon freshwater tank that is cycling with 2 Cory catfish about an inch long, 2 glassfish, 3 ninja shrimp, and 1 bamboo shrimp that recently molted. <Mmm, a necessary/compelled comment: Not a good idea to cycle a system with such livestock present... the shrimp likely molted out of stress more than all else> I also recently added lucky bamboo <Hmm? The Dracaena? Not really aquatic...> and java moss. The problem started when one of the Hikari tropical sinking wafers that I feed my catfish fell into the java moss where my catfish could not eat it, before long it had white stalks growing out of it, <The catfish or the wafer?> the same thing happened to one of my ninja shrimps body after it died. <Mmm, yes... likely "mycetes"... mostly fungal decomposer colonies> I also noticed some white specks on the aquarium glass and when I tried to scrape them off they didn't come off. <Use a single-edged razorblade if this is a glass tank> Is this just a side affect of the tank cycling and if not should I be worried? <Mmm, maybe so...> All my ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate are where they are supposed to be. I apologize if  you have already answered this question but I could not find it on your website. Thanks,  Tuscan <Mmm... the usual water changes, monitoring should do it here... Bob Fenner>

HELP! Non-aquatic plants, Dracenas...  2/19/07 Hello, <Hi there> I am doing a science experiment for school and I really need information on a particular aquatic plant that I can not seem to find ANY information on. I've searched the library, internet, and the pet store where I purchased it and absolutely nothing.  I would really appreciate it if you could provide me with some answers.  Any information would be helpful.  The plant's name is Dracaena variegatus.  Please HELP!  Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Danya <See WWM re this genus... is falsely marketed as an aquatic (is strictly terrestrial... see the "stoma" on which side of the leaves? The search tool... http://www.google.com/search?q=Dracaena+variegatus&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-Address&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7PCTA Bob Fenner>

Re: Aquatic Bamboo ... not  6/20/06 No, there are bamboo plants that are actually aquatic, believe me, I saw them at PetCo. And they don't rot! : ) < Bamboo (Poaceae) is a very hardy and adaptable group of grasses. They are not found in any aquatic plant book that I have found so I will assume that they may be used as a bog plant at best. Given enough time I am certain that they will die if kept water logged too long.-Chuck>

African Cichlids and plants   6/17/06 Hey I am going to start the Malawi Tank. I added A lot of rock ornaments on the black sand. I was wondering if the Malawi cichlids will have a taste of bamboo plants i added in there (i hope not}. <Bamboo? Not an aquatic group of plants...> It looks nice in there, I placed the bamboo in the sand and in the holes in the rock work. I probably don't think so because its so tough and the leaves wouldn't taste really good for them. Thanks, wish me luck. <Not into wishing... Try reading re plants that are native to these fishes habitat... there are a few sold... Crinums, Anubias... I would go even with artificial, polyethylene rather than terrestrial which will soon rot, decompose... Bob Fenner> Underwater Bamboo Plant  9/28/05 Hey guys, Great site, few questions. Betta + [I think platinum] Gourami? Bunch of neon tetras in there too...+shrimp?  (ghost/bamboo) does "lucky bamboo" (the kind ya get in the little arrangements at stores lately) make a decent aquatic plant?  I've got some in with my snapping turtle and they're doing great, and I'm trying to stick one in my freshwater tank, completely submerged. Thanks Brett < The Betta may eat the Neons if he can fit them in his mouth. The shrimp will need a place to hide when he sheds his exoskeleton or he may be eaten. The Betta may pick off the ventral fin feelers of the Gourami. The bamboo plant will probably rot over time if completely submerged.-Chuck>  Terrestrial plants poisonous to fish Dear Bob,     I own a 55 gallon aquarium with tetras, danios, Corydoras, a pleco, a Raphael catfish, rosy red minnows, and kuhli loaches. My mom has a few different kinds of vine house plants. I have identified two as Arrowhead Vine and Devil's Ivy. I was thinking of using the plants in my aquarium. I was going to cut off a vine, put the end in the water, and let the rest of the vine hang over the side. Then when the plant made roots, they would be in the aquarium for the fish to hide in. The vine and leaves would hang over the side, making a external background for the sides of the aquarium. The problem is, I can't find any information if the plants or the roots are poisonous to the fish in any way. Are these two plants poisonous to fish? <Mmm, depends on what you really have... the Devil's Ivy worries me. Please see here: http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2004-27,GGLD:en&q=devil%27s+ivy+toxicity The Arrowhead Vine I would also not use: http://www.umm.edu/outdoor/common_plant_toxicity.htm> What if they nibble on the roots? I have had my aquarium for about a year now and haven't tried any terrestrial plants in it yet. Could you name a list of some vine house plants that you know are not poisonous to fish and could survive with their roots submerged? Thank You! <I would go with the tried and true Spathophyllums, Pothos... but there are others: http://www.azgardens.com/newterra2.php Bob Fenner>

Re: Thank You I've had a 10 gallon fish tank for about two years and recently got a 55 gallon tank and set it up.  I went to various pet stores to get supplies.  I bought some plants for the new aquarium at (this embarrasses me because I should have known better) PetSmart.  As I was looking at plants I asked the clerk if they had some plants that would get tall.  The clerk suggested some plants she called "swords."  They were pretty so I bought them.   <Okay> I set up the tank and it was beautiful..... for about three days....then came the rust.  At first I thought it was paint coming off the artificial logs I had purchased.  I was shocked at how fast it covered every decoration in the tank, the gravel and the glass.  In 3 weeks the whole tank was covered with it.  So I did what any novice would do, I got on the internet. I searched for "rust algae" and found this: Freshwater Plant Tank & 'Rust' Algae Hello, thanks for taking the time to read this. I seem to have an issue with my plant tank. Here's the setup. Its a 60 gallon, with compact fluorescent lights, aquaclear 300 filter, and 2 power heads to keep the water moving. This tank has seemed to of developed a rust looking algae on some of my plants. It looks as if this algae is making the plants die off. Have you ever heard of this before? Thanks, Dennis. <Thank you for writing. There is much to relate to you here. The "rust like" spots/markings you describe and your photo shows so well are likely opportunistic algae and other organisms taking advantage of the non-aquatic plants you display (the Dracenas in your system are not aquatic plants... though you very well may have been led to believe otherwise). Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/hsepltsagb.htm and back through the "Planted Aquariums" part of our principal site re other, truly suitable species. Bob Fenner> <All too common> The tank description was so similar that I started thinking about the plants I had purchased at PetSmart, and decided to risk the 6 dollars I had spent on them, and pull them out of the tank.  I cleaned the glass, decorations, pulled out the top layer of the gravel, and low and behold, the algae has not returned.   <Ahh> I would have never in a million years thought that was what was causing the problem had I not read this on your website.  You have done a wonderful job with this website.  I would have spent all that time and money to look at a murky, rusty tank.  I just wanted to thank you for making my investment worthwhile.   <Thank you for your kind, encouraging words. Bob Fenner> Sincerely, Sandy Potote

Pothos Plant Dear Bob, I would like to know if Neon Tetras, Lemon Tetras, Red Skirted Tetras, Colored Tetras, Cory Catfish, Plecostomus (algae eater), Rosy Barbs, Guppies, & Zebra Danios could line with a Pothos in their aquarium.  The reason I ask this question is because since the Pothos plant is poisonous I am worried that one of my fish would nibble on it and die.  Which I could be wrong, just because a plant is poisonous to humans and cats doesn't mean they are poisonous to fish. <You are correct> Any info you give me will be greatly appreciated.  If any of the fish would nibble on it please list them.  Once again any info or resources you reply with will be extremely appreciated.  Thank-You,  ~ Jordan <I encourage you to seek out true aquatic plants. Pothos are terrestrial, and will only slowly die if placed underwater. Please see here for many choices: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/PlantedTksSubWebIndex/aglivestkplts.htm Bob Fenner>

Freshwater Plant Tank & 'Rust' Alga Well I spoke with my fish guy, and he states that his distributor (Quality Pets of California - 310/670-6074) sells them as aquarium plants. He even went as far as to show me his invoice from them. <Yes, Dracenas, Spathophyllums... many more terrestrial plants are sold as true aquatics... they're not> Ok, they're out of the tank, what can I do to control this alga? <Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwalgaecontrol.htm Did you read re "house-plants" where I sent you?> I have a 110 watt compact fluorescent light on the tank now for 12 on, 12 off. Also, I purchased a Fluval 404 to accompany the Aquaclear 300 already in the tank, until this problem subsides. My wife loves her 'plant' tank, and I have way too much money invested in it to start over. I live here in Las Vegas, so everything is 'imported' to the desert. Thanks again, Dennis. <Time to study, reflect... not to buy anything. Bob Fenner>

Aquarium House-Plant (mis)Use Sorry to bother you. I started my first aquarium 2 months ago and have lost no fish. My ph is at 7 and I immediately (on the advise of a friend) planted pothos and caladium in the tank. A week or so later I planted ivy. All of the plants have thrived as have the fish (tetras, guppies, corys) and now someone said "NO, NEVER PLANT HOUSEPLANTS IN THERE" so I find myself at your site. Should I remove them if they are thriving are they slowly dying and I can't see the effects yet? any ideas? Thanks <Hmm, a tough one... you are correct in that these plants have been sold, indeed are still being sold for underwater/aquarium use... and that they are not totally (submerged) aquatic... and will slowly perish in your system... Will they poison your other livestock? Maybe... you should be able to discern this happening over time... And remove the terrestrial plant remains at that point, but eventually they should be taken out. Please see the "Household Plants" sections on the "Planted Tank Index" and "Aquatic Business Index" parts of our website: www.WetWebMedia.com for more here... and do consider replacing these non-aquatics with some "real" aquarium plants... Obviously, you have a "wet green thumb"... Bob Fenner>