# PETCO Plants wtf??



## s9601694 (Feb 23, 2011)

I needed some more plants in my tank so i went to the closest store which sells fish and such --> PETCO

I bought 4 "tubes" 2 sword plants, Peacock Fern and a two-toned plant, i forget the name but it looks something like this:










later i read that peacock fern is not aquatic and will die.. I pulled it out and it pretty much fell apart when i touched it. No signs of rot yet so just in time. 

Now i read that there is no such thing as a fully aquatic two-toned plant as pictured! So I'll have to pull this one out as well?!?!

C'mon PETCO, why do you sell "aquatic" plants that are not aquatic??


----------



## danilykins (Dec 22, 2010)

They are semi aquatic, meaning the stem can be in the water, but the plant itself has to be out of the water. The plant pictured above is a ribbon plant. And funny enough I have one in my large tank. Its been there for months now, and it is listed as semi aquatic, but it has started growing roots and still looks fine in there. Peacock ferns ARE NOT aquatic, they will fall apart. I got duped into that one too. Go to petsmart they at least label their plants. The semi aquatic are good for those small betta bowls people think are great *sigh*


----------



## s9601694 (Feb 23, 2011)

danilykins said:


> They are semi aquatic, meaning the stem can be in the water, but the plant itself has to be out of the water. The plant pictured above is a ribbon plant. And funny enough I have one in my large tank. Its been there for months now, and it is listed as semi aquatic, but it has started growing roots and still looks fine in there. Peacock ferns ARE NOT aquatic, they will fall apart. I got duped into that one too. Go to petsmart they at least label their plants. The semi aquatic are good for those small betta bowls people think are great *sigh*


YEah It seems the ribbon plant is just fine. the peacock fern fella apart, glad i got that out..


----------



## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

I've bought quite a few plants from the local Petco, but I pull my iPhone out and Google the Latin name they have printed under the generic name to get the full scoop on what it is  so far I've gotten Java Ferns, Lace Java Ferns, Argentine Swords, and Amazon Swords form them. I've been skeptical about any of the other plants...


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

They can be grown emersed, just not submerged.


----------



## mec102778 (Feb 17, 2011)

I just bought 2 of these at Petsmart, and now I can't remember the name.


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Well, your pic sucks, but it looks like anacharis or elodea - same thing.


----------



## mec102778 (Feb 17, 2011)

Ancharis is the name I couldn't remember. thanks Ben, and yeah it was from my camera phone right now I just have them floating. I'll get them rooted tomorrow when i rearrange the tank again.


----------



## jerichodrum (Mar 23, 2011)

happened to me too. I bought some Purple Waffle. No idea.. thought "cool a little color" HA
No wonder only one store out of four carried it. Its a house plant. Can be submerged but will die eventually.


----------



## Totem44 (Mar 15, 2011)

I had bought those golden robbins before hadto remove them from my tank since they are semi aquatic and cannot be fully submerged. I.experienced rot


----------



## s9601694 (Feb 23, 2011)

Totem44 said:


> I had bought those golden robbins before hadto remove them from my tank since they are semi aquatic and cannot be fully submerged. I.experienced rot


where will they start rotting? on the leaves or roots? If its leaves i can just do a daily check and......aaah F&## it i'm going to buy a new (AQUATIC) plant.. any suggestions for something with a little light color?


----------



## mec102778 (Feb 17, 2011)

Wisteria is very nice looking. so is Vesuvious. the anacharis i bought from Petsmart last night looks good as well I'll be working to plant it today.


----------



## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

One general rule with aquatic plants,ive been told is this:If the plant is out of water and can stand straight up,its either been grown emersed or is non aquatic.If it kinda goes limp,its true aquatic.The emersed grown plants are what you need to study up on,like the swords and some of the crypts.They will lose the emersed leaves and grow submerged leaves after a few weeks.

The plants they(Petco,Petsmart) sell I guess they expect you to know what you are getting.Many use the ribbon plant and the purple waffle in terrariums or paludariums.


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Those plants are actually labelled correctly at Petsmart now with new display they have here. They say they are semi-aquatic.


----------



## mec102778 (Feb 17, 2011)

Here a better picture of the plant I got from Petsmart. They seem to be doing OK for only day1(2ish).


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Mike, lol, it looks like it is snowing in that tank. I assume it is just a bad pic - again  Did you remove the lead weight?


----------



## NeonShark666 (Dec 13, 2010)

PETCO plants are a little expensive and the clerks usually don't know much about them.. You get a much better price mail order. Aqauatic plants ship real well. The shipper's WEB site usually has a lot of info on the plant. Try Aquarium Fish: Tropical Freshwater Fish and Saltwater Fish for Home Aquariums or GOOGLE a particualr plant.


----------



## mec102778 (Feb 17, 2011)

jrman83 said:


> Mike, lol, it looks like it is snowing in that tank. I assume it is just a bad pic - again  Did you remove the lead weight?


Ben, yup the weight is removed. The issue is I stired up the fine sand again (I should have cleaned the play sand better). And well the knife fish and the Dinosaur Bichir I added ave been stiring it up also.


----------

