How to treat new plants for possible leech eggs

[familyfish]

We were given several Cryptocoryne balansae plants at our planted aquarium club meeting last night. They came from a member's beautiful large tank. In looking them over today, I noticed what I am sure was a leech (definitely not a planarian) on one leaf. I removed it. My question is, is there anything I can do to these plants before adding them to our planted community tank that would kill any potential leech eggs?

Looking online I saw references to only killing leech eggs by drying them out completely for an extended period. I imagine that treatment would do in the crypts also.

It is unclear to me whether any kind of bath (bleach, salt, anti-parasitic) would actually kill leech eggs. Or a quarantine to see if any leeches emerge?

I have examined them closely and I see no other leeches, and nothing that looks like an egg. Apparently leech eggs are small, flat and brown. So it could have been a lonely single leech. But I certainly do not trust myself to be sure that there are no eggs, especially on the thick brown parts of the roots.

I could, of course, just toss the plants - and I would prefer doing that to creating a leech infestation in our healthy and thriving tank. I am not a big fan of risk-taking when it comes to the health of the fish. But if there is something I can do to ensure they are not bringing unwanted guests into the tank, that would be great.

Thanks for any thoughts!

[J.B.]

You can place your new plants in a 5 mg/l potassium permanganate solution for around an hour before adding them to your tank. The PP (KMnO4) will kill any leeches that might be taking residence in your new plants. Generally, you can find the PP at pool supply stores and I'd recommend getting a pair of kitchen gloves to use while working with it; it will stain anything it gets on, including your filangies.

Good hunting...

[familyfish]

Thanks, JB! Will that kill eggs too?

[J.B.]

It will take care of pretty much any hitchhikers that may be on the plants.

[Dutchman]

. . . and I'd recommend getting a pair of kitchen gloves to use while working with it; it will stain anything it gets on, including your filangies. ...

I would include a plastic apron. That stuff stains anything.

[montanahh]

Agreed. PP is the way to go. You can also find it under pond supplies at Drs. Fosters and Smith. It is an organic oxidizer to the utmost. It will definately take care of your hitchiking nasties. I wonder if a strong solution of Polyoxyethylene might work as well

[familyfish]

Thank you, everyone! I will try to find some PP locally. I see Steve Hampton's site also mentions Alum for things like snail eggs. Can I just do the PP or do I also need to do Alum?

Thanks again! They are lovely big plants so it will be great to be able to save them.

[J.B.]

You'll only need the PP. Make sure you get some pics of the plants in your tank so we can oohhh and aahhh over them.

[freshfish]

You can find liquid PP in the pool supply section of Ace Hardware, if you have one of those locally. $10 for a lifetime supply.

[familyfish]

You'll only need the PP. Make sure you get some pics of the plants in your tank so we can oohhh and aahhh over them.

As a digital-camera-less person I can only get pics when I borrow a camera! But here is one from last week when I was playing with my dad's camera. We were thinking of adding the crypt balansae on the left edge where there is kind of a hole (behind the short sagittaria and to the left of the gray speckled rock).

_MG_0009verysmall.JPG

And thanks for the tip on where to find the PP, Laura!

[freshfish]

That's a gorgeous jungle!

[J.B.]

Oh, WOW! That is a very lush underwater garden you have there. Thanks for sharing that, and just so you know...we WILL be expecting new pics once you get the new plants in there...K...Ok

[Crazygar]

Wow, thats an impressive tank you have there!

I use PP quite a lot (.054% Solution in liquid form) just to zap any nasties that may come in with the plants. Though I think 1 hour might be extreme, 10min - 20min maybe a little easier on the plants. Just give them a repeated bath along with a good rinsing with RO Water.

Leeches need both a Male and Female to produce viable offspring.

Gary

[familyfish]

Thanks, everyone, for the very kind comments!

Gary, you are saying bathe for 10-20 min in PP, rinse, and bathe another 10-20 min in PP?

Here in cold WI everyone seems to have put away their pond/pool supplies and we have struck out at Sears, Ace, Home Depot etc, etc, etc. But one pet store has Jungle Clear Water which appears to be a PP solution. So I guess I can hopefully just add enough of that to turn the bath a deep pink.

Steve Hampton's page said to add dechlor to the tank after dipping the plants (outside the tank), but is that necessary as long as you rinse the plants thoroughly in water w/ dechlorinator?

Thanks again - this has been so helpful!

[Crazygar]

Gary, you are saying bathe for 10-20 min in PP, rinse, and bathe another 10-20 min in PP?

Yes. Its a little easier on the plants. And yes, I would add some dechlor to the tank after the procedure is done. Better being safe than sorry.

Gary