Should I quarantine incoming hornwort, Java moss, and scuds from eBay ?

[KittenFishMom]

I did not expect to find any scuds in the lake this late in the fall, and am not finding any seaweed that is green, so I searched online and order java moss (A CoOp was sold out), hornwort, and scuds from eBay sellers with 100% positive feedback and high feedback counts.  I have watched the videos about quarantining new fish, and treating them with the quarantine trio.  I'm expecting about 100 scuds, 1 cup of hornwort and 15 grams of Java moss from 3 different sellers.

How does one go about quarantining and treating such small amounts of new arrivals?

Should I have 3 different containers, or should they all go in together?

I did find a lot of scuds today, so I probably don't need the scuds that were shipped last week. If they are apt to introduce bad things into my tank, I could just try to give them away, or toss them.

Note: I now have 4 containers for the lake scuds. I also put some in my 55 tank. If one colony crashes I will still have the other colonies. Is there a place on the forum where I can find info on caring for scuds? 

 

[Barnacle_Gil]

After buying 2 Java Moss on line (the stainless steel screen square type) I added them to a small glass bottomed shrimp tank.  I started noticing Dragonfly Nymph (1/4" - 6mm) ....... 1 then 2 then 3 then 4 ......... I sucked out (turkey baster) a total of 12 over a months time.  Thank goodness it was a bare bottomed tank.  I will NEVER put anything in my tank again without quarantining it for 30 days first!  That's my 2 cents on plants anyway.   Good lock.

[gardenman]

I've never had an issue with any plants bought on eBay. If they come potted I unpot them and throw away the rockwool. I pick off any dead or damaged leaves/branches. But that's it. I've never had an issue.

[Guppysnail]

Yes. I buy a lot of plants on eBay. I also had damselfly nymphs from them even after quarantine (I rushed the qt my bad impatience). Qt for 2 weeks most harmful things will die without a host in that time and other critters will make an appearance in that time. I either toss them in a bucket with a light and airstone and easy green or in a clear Rubbermaid dish on my windowsill for light with easy green. This also gives it a chance to do its major melt leaf drop etc so I can easily remove the dead floaties. 

Edited December 13, 2021 by Guppysnail

[KittenFishMom]

@Barnacle_Gil and @Guppysnail do you treat plants or invertebrates with any of the quarantine trio or anything else?

[CalmedByFish]

I think it's a "better safe than sorry" issue. Quarantining is less work, time, and stress than fixing a problem. 

I hadn't thought of it much, until I quarantined a plant because I wasn't confident about its source. Turned out to have black beard algae all over it! Threw it away, and cleaned the container it had been in. No regrets. 

To end up throwing away or treating as few things as possible, it makes sense to separate what's being quarantined into different containers.

[Barnacle_Gil]

I'll soak plants for a while in a Kosher salt solution then rinse.  I still quarantine everything without meds and just keep an eye on things. 

[Guppysnail]

On 12/13/2021 at 1:24 PM, KittenFishMom said:

@Barnacle_Gil and @Guppysnail do you treat plants or invertebrates with any of the quarantine trio or anything else?

No. I just let them sit. Idid get some once with suspicious unwanted visible pest tiny red worm intruder i  treated with praziquantel levamisole and paraguard then let sit for a month then threw it out because I didn’t  feel good about trusting it ever ☹️