Who Gives A Fish Forums

I just got my live plants ordered and I'm wondering what I should do once they arrive. I've got an Anubias Nana on lava rock, Bacopa C, a Morimo moss ball, and a banana plant coming in. I've read that there's a possibility of snails and other unwanted critters, but the place I ordered from seems reputable and has great reviews.

I've got a 2-month-old 10g tank with fish, and everything's running smoothly. I've got a Marina Slim 15 filter, and my water parameters are all good. I'm currently using an incandescent 20w bulb in an old-school style lid/light combo, but I know I should probably upgrade to an LED. I'd rather not replace too much, though. We don't have a pet store around here, but there is a hardware store that might have some options.

Also, I was wondering about stress to fish when adding plants - is that something I should really worry about? Should I introduce them one at a time to minimize stress?

I've had good luck with a 30-second dip in a 3-1 water to 3% hydrogen peroxide solution, followed by a rinse and a week-long soak in dechlorinated tank water with daily 100% water changes. This seems to help dislodge any unwanted critters or pesticide residue. I've never personally tried bleach dips, but I know some folks swear by them. As for adding the plants to your tank, I've found that introducing them all at once is usually fine - fish tend to appreciate the new greenery.

Thanks for the advice.