Best fry-saving plants?

[Fishly]

What are the best plants for saving Guppy fry? The tank is a 10g with 20 watts of CF light. It already has Java Moss, Duckweed, and Salvinia minima, but there still isn't enough cover. What else could I add?

[Nymsley]

Duckweed and Salvinia minima have short root systems that don't provide much cover. Frogbit (Limnobium laevigatum), red root floater (Phyllanthus fluitans), water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) have longer, "bushier" roots which would be better. You could even have Hygrophila difformis as a floating plant too, the fry could hide among the stems and roots. Try other bushy stem plants like hornwort (Ceratophyllum submersum) or Cabomba.

[Hobbes1911]

Ceratopteris thalictroides or water sprite is a great plant for guppy fry. Let it float since thats what it wants to do.

[bobt2]

my guppy fry stay at the bottom for the 1st 2 weeks. i keep low, bushy plants

[Fishly]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I have some Water Sprite right now, but it's been in a tank that was infected with some mysterious disease that I wasn't able to treat. I'd put it in the tank, but I don't want it to transmit anything to the fry. Is it possible to disinfect live plants?

Bobt2, which species have you found to work best under my tank's conditions (2wpg and no CO2)?

[Fishly]

Hello?

[fishsandwitch]

guppy grass

[Darkblade48]

Originally Posted by Fishly

I have some Water Sprite right now, but it's been in a tank that was infected with some mysterious disease that I wasn't able to treat. I'd put it in the tank, but I don't want it to transmit anything to the fry. Is it possible to disinfect live plants?

If is a piscine related disease, placing the plants into "quarantine" (i.e. a tank without any fish) for about a month or so will ensure that any parasites will die off, as they do not have a host to live off of.

Alternatively, if you are looking for sterilization methods, you can try a bleach dip or a potassium permanganate dip.

[TheRac25]

Originally Posted by bobt2

my guppy fry stay at the bottom for the 1st 2 weeks. i keep low, bushy plants

ive had a few columbian tetras come out of some blyxa jp, recomended!

[bdagosti]

Why does it seem everyone is looking for floating plants to protect fry? Can't they hide near the substrate as well? I would be concerned the floating plants would block light from my low plants.

[Fishly]

bdagosti, I think it's because almost every site on guppy breeding says guppy fry instinctively swim towards the surface, not the bottom. IME, they'll swim towards the nearest cover if their mother doesn't just turn around and eat them before they get their bearings.

Personally, I like to have my drop tanks stuffed with so many plastic plants that the females can barely move. Of course, this stresses them out like crazy, so I'm starting to switch to real plants, since they seem to work better in lesser quantities.

Darkblade, I have Quick Cure as a source of potassium permanganate. Would that work?

Off-topic, but does anyone else have to remember not to call it potassium pomegranate?

[bradac56]

I use hornwort, watersprite, and large duckweed for the top and java moss for the bottom.

Half my fry seem to like the top and the other the bottom, go figure.

- Brad