Who Gives A Fish Forums

I'm throwing this out there more as a question, rather than a post with answers. I've recently added 20 stalks of lucky bamboo to my tank, and I've noticed a difference in the roots between the two batches I bought. The first batch was well-rooted, but the second batch had almost no roots, despite having plenty of leaves. I've also been adding pothos starter pots to my aquariums, and I've been wondering about the rooting compounds they sell to aid in rooting cuttings.

I always make sure to wash the plants and bare-root them before adding them to my tanks. The tank with all the bamboo has been doing well, except for the loss of two Denison barbs. The water parameters seem fine, and my Hillstream loaches are thriving. I've also got several other fish varieties in the tank, and they're all doing well. It makes me wonder if the Denison barbs are more sensitive to something in the water.

I don't usually use carbon in my tanks, but I do have a pouch in each Tidal 75 that's probably inert by now. I'm planning on doing a big RO water change today, just in case. I've been thinking that maybe the plants could replace the carbon, but I'm not sure if there's too much residue from the rooting compounds on the 20 stalks of bamboo I added recently.

The Denison barbs that died were three to four days apart, and one had been in the tank for almost a year, while the other was only a couple of months old. I've also been thinking about other houseplants that might not be safe to grow in an aquarium. Philodendrons are often listed as not pet-friendly, but I've had a couple in my tanks without any issues.

Sorry to hear about the loss of your Denison barbs, bummer indeed. I'm not aware of any toxicity issues with the root gel, seems like it's just a water-holding compound to me. The rooting compound might be a different story, could be some sort of enzyme, but a good rinse should take care of it. If your fish start growing roots, that'd be a clear indication of a problem.

Regarding the philodendrons and pothos, they're not toxic in the classical sense, but they do contain silica crystals that can cause physical irritation and harm to digestive systems if ingested. Since your fish aren't likely to be munching on the roots, they should be safe in your aquarium.