VermontLori

Hi everyone-
It is time to close up my outdoor pond for the Vermont winter. I am wondering if I can put the water lettuce that has spent the summer outside into my fish tank. It is a 46 gallon bowfront with pressurized co2 and 78 watts of t5ho lighting. I have pearl gouramis and black neon tetras (among other fishes), and I would like to have the lighting be a bit more subdued for them. I know I can take out one of the bulbs, but I thought this might be a creative way to solve the problem.
Thanks!

wi_blue

I've had a water lettuce in my tank, though it is an open air tank with a suspended light. I'm not sure how well they'd do in a lidded tank. Though I don't see the harm as long as you are ok with them shading the tank and other plants.

VermontLori

Mine is also an open-top tank with a suspended light. Did you move your water lettuce in from outdoors?
I'm wondering if there is a possibility of bringing in any harmful organisms that might be on the plant & how I might go about removing them.

armedbiggiet

Yea, I was going to say just be safe clean it well before you put them in. I though they would be all eaten up by the fish like neon but sometimes not at all.

flashbang009

My only concern would be pond snails (football shape) because they eat plants, but then again if they're growing, obviously they aren't a concern

Philosophos

Treat them with potassium permanganate then rinse/soak very well. If you don't go this route, find something else that's toxic to parasites but not plants.

-Philosophos

gonathan85

I have also added plants from local ponds, and the nearby river.

Guess what, I now have a pond snail infestation!

The cure: Chain Loaches. I acclimated them to the tank yesterday, and multiple previously visible snail egg sacks are gone. I have also watched these little monsters pick tiny snails off the glass from the front of my tank.