New plants can occasionally carry hitchhikers — pest snails, snail eggs, or algae. A quick quarantine routine protects your tank, especially sensitive shrimp setups. Here’s a simple, plant-safe approach.
Quick answer: Inspect the leaves and rhizome, trim off damaged leaves, and rinse the plant gently in dechlorinated water to wash away debris and snail eggs. To be thorough, hold new plants in a separate container of dechlorinated water for one to two weeks and watch for pest snails or algae before they go in the display tank. Skip harsh chemical dips — they are risky for delicate plants like mosses and unsafe for shrimp tanks.
Why quarantine?
Even healthy, hand-picked plants live in water and substrate before they reach you. Quarantining catches any unwanted snails or algae before they spread in your display tank.
Step 1: Inspect and rinse
Look over the leaves and rhizome, remove any damaged leaves, and rinse the plant gently in dechlorinated water to wash off debris and snail eggs.
Step 2: A short isolation (optional)
If you want to be thorough, keep new plants in a separate container of dechlorinated water for a week or two and watch for snails or pests before adding them to your main tank.
A note on dips
Some keepers use plant dips, but many are harsh and risky for delicate plants and unsafe for shrimp tanks. For most hobbyists, a careful rinse and inspection is enough — and far safer for soft plants like mosses.
Shrimp-tank caution
Never add anything to a shrimp tank that you wouldn’t add to your shrimp. Stick to a rinse and quarantine rather than chemical dips. Start with healthy stock from our aquarium plant collection to make quarantine quick and easy.
Anubias Nana
₹90
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Anubias Barteri var glabra
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Java Ferns (Microsorum pteropus)
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