Keeping Tissue Culture

[FrozenFins]

So I'm getting ready a plant order that will probably be here on Tuesday or Wednesday. However the tank they are going in wont be setup for another few weeks. I'm getting everything ready for when I buy the tank itself. Becasue its going the tank is going to take up a lot of room, the plan would be to buy it last.

However my plant order is consiting of 5 containers of tissue culture. I'm wondering as to how I would go about keeping them alive in there cups. Obviously they need light, and nutrients. Should I float them in my aquariums so that the container is exposed to regular aquarium lighting? Or would taking them out of their tub completley and planting it right away, leaving them in the substrate for a few weeks be the better option.

Edited March 1, 2022 by FrozenFins

[Patrick_G]

 I currently have a cup I’m waiting to plant later this week. It’s sitting next to a tank where it gets some light and I’m checking it daily to make sure it’s moist and looking healthy. I’d like to hear some other opinions but I’d try and keep them in the cups until your new setup is ready. 

[eatyourpeas]

Floating them so they are at the same aquarium temperature helps too. The gel should last a little while until you are ready to plant.

[Odd Duck]

I’ve not had good luck keeping them in the cup for extended periods.  I’ve had them mold, get too hot, too dry, grow too much and pack together too tight, etc.  I like to get the plants out of the cup within about a week.  This somewhat depends on the tissue culture.

If it arrives tightly packed, it needs addressed sooner.  If it’s already getting big and little plantlets are mashed against the lid, soon!  If it’s moss, meh, it’ll be fine.  If the plantlets are tiny and you have a good spot where they get some light but won’t get too hot/cold/dry, etc, then you might have a couple weeks.

I sometimes plant them into a cup of sand layered over clay with Osmocote and “store” them in my cleanest plant holding tank or a shrimp only tank.  They will no longer be “sterile” but they should never mold if they’re “sterile” and I’ve had them mold or had some mold on the growth media on arrival.  If it’s going to be a month, I would definitely not try to keep them in the cups.

[FrozenFins]

Interesting, thanks guys! I think I'll go ahead with the order, the plan is to get the aquarium within the week or two of the plants coming. I'll keep in mind all these tips and ensure the plants will be healthy for the 20long.

Worst case scenario and the aquarium is taking longer then expected I'll just plant them. I'm not too worried about it being sterilized and having no algae on them. The dealer I'm getting this from does his own TC, meaning its actually cheaper to buy the TC then one of the potted plants he gets fromt tropica and other farms.