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Hi all!!

I want to know if anybody knows if "lucky bamboo sticks" (a bamboo branch basically) is toxic to bettas. I have a small tank about 1 gallon, and i got a betta for it. I put in 3 sticks on bamboo in, two days after the betta got really sick, not swimming and eating, i change the betta to a another tank and it got back to normal in a few days.

A week later i got another betta, and decided that maybe the first one came ill from my provider so i washed everything really good (tank and sticks and gave it another try, same reaction, betta got really sick.

Might sound obvious now, but i've seen bettas on bases all around with the bamboo sticks, so now i'm trying to figure out if it's toxic for them or is there something else that making them sick.

Thanks for the feed back!

I currently have 4 of the bamboo sticks in a ten gallon with platties and a betta and I am having no trouble. admittedly I bought them from an aquatic store out of a tank where they were with other plants.

It might be possible that the "Lucky Bamboo" if bought from a 99 cent store or the like may be treated with some kind of pesticide or other chemical, and the pesticide or chemical is what is making them sick.

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i agree with jim...

although the bamboo might be cheaper it will most definatly be pesticide treateed to reduce loss due to well pests...

try having your bamboo in the tank or in a large jar and have it grow a couple of weks, cut off a chute ot the leaves at the top and plant that in the tank, bamboo it one of the heartiest plants and will root with in days depending on fert and water quality...

you can also just go buy some bamboo from an LFS, all bamboo are the same, it just depends on the care it has been given and how it has been handled to determine if it is aquatic safe....

maybe read up a little on the tradition of bamboo keeping and breeding etc and try to breed new chute for your tank and avoid the peices you bought... at least for in the tank...

\\\\\\\"an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of the cure\\\\\\\"

It could be the Bamboo with pesticides......But i think that the real terror here is the tank size. If you completely wash down, and scrub the bamboo, then you shouldnt be having any problems. The one gallon tank is not really meant to hold a fish in for too long, especially without a filter. Do you have a filter, some moss or plants, and do you WC everyday(Tank that size should be!)? I think that you should get at least a 5 or even better, a 10 gallon aquarium with a nice filter, some moss and Java Fern, and a nice light! Maybe that will solve the problems. Try getting a larger tank and filter, then try to see if it is the problem. I have like 5 Lucky bamboo sticks in my tank, so the plant itself isnt poisonous, but also try to give a long cool rinse to your plant. That should rinse off most of the "residue" of the pesticid, but the most important thing is to get a bigger tank, or else the bettas will come and go, as the posion pesticide will build up way faster in such a small tank.

EDIT: Are the leaves submerged in the tank? I heard that this is not good for the fish! The leaves i heard, are posionous. Try removing them if they are submerged!

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Thank you all for your replay, the pesticide theory makes sense at the end i never knew where they came from, my friend bought them for me, i did wash them very well before putting them into the tank i'll quarantine them and try again.

The tank does has some christmas moss in it and growing fine, i do WC every other day on all my betta tanks that are a gallon, also no leaves even tough the water just the stems, and the roots are growing so the bamboo is healthy. On the good side my bettas are healthy now in other tanks.

Ok, i think you should change most or all of the water, as it may still contain the pesticides in it. Then i would suggest rinsing them off with cool water from the tap. Then i would let them sit in a place with water, not your tank though! Also, maybe you could plant the bamboo into the gravel...Try checking the ammonia and nitrite levels too. The bamboo might have dying roots that are decaying, which will definately add to the ammonia, and being in such a small tank, i would guess that it had built up. Well if you quarantine it in another vase of water, and then add it onto the tank, then probably you will not have this problem. Also, put Carbon in you filter too! This will take out most, if not all of the chemicals in the tank, if it is as good as they say...Just make sure it is new carbon! Again, maybe its the size of the tank, but depending on how long you have had the betta without the lucky bamboo, i would think its ok for now.

Good luck, and the bamboo is a really nice addition. Good choice from you friend!

PS: Also, Brandeeno, it will take a very long time for the bamboo to grow a shoot long enoguh for the stems to stick out of the water. Plus, if it is the only shoot, it might kill the plant. Bamboo from the LFS is a tad bit more expensive, but if you get one from another store, then try to rinse it, and QT it beofre introducing it to you tank.

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Also bamboo is a non aquatic plant. you should know that it will not grow in a tank at all. I have had mine for about 6 or 7 months and no growth at all.

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I personally would not do it at all reasons being they are not a fully water plant and you have no idea how or where it was grown and what chemicals were used many of these chemicals remain in the plant to kill of any problems.

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Maybe i exlained wrong how i was using the bamboo, they are not submerged at all, only a fragment of the stem is under water, and they are growing, even roots and leaves i know they are soil plants, but as other soil plants i guess they can live in water too, without causing any damage to fish. I've used other plants in the same way, just never tried it with bamboo before, personally i don't like them, but they are a gift.

http://www.chiff.com/a/lucky-bamboo.htm

Not really bamboo

I've seen them kept with fish in that way before, just the roots in, and the fish seemed to thrive. I imagine it functions like other plants that like " wet feet" in that it sucks nitrates away. I've not heard of it killing fish unless it was at the stage of rotting.

I'd be agreeing with the pesticide thing, or perhaps some sort of gloss coating? Perhaps it is interfering with the fish's ability to breathe? I think it is an issue separate to the bamboo itself.

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

Hi Callatya!

That's it, that's the one

I'll try to take a picture of the tank with the stems in so ypu all can see what we are talking about

hey falstaf, if you add the stems back into the tanks and see the same disease or whatever happening, try cuting the stems shorter and maybe put them in a larger tank's filter housing (if it is an internal or the "hang off the side" ones)... this will help your tank loose nitrates, nitrites and ammonia... they call this plant filtration and some people do it so such a large scale they dont have to use carbon or any thing like that... and good luck!!!!


\\\\\\\"an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of the cure\\\\\\\"

Hi brandeeno, really?? sounds great then for betta tanks, thanks for the tip!

remember, for your small betta tank, you will probably still need some filtration, but the plants will help absorb toxic wastes. also if the bamboo doent work go to your local hardware store of nursery and get a pothos plant (common house plant) clean the roots very well to remove any soil on them and clean the leaves and stems as well. then put the plant into the tank, emmersed works best, but the leaves must at least be at the water's surface... they work very well too. (if you have a pothos plant try just using a cutting... they will grow roots within a few weeks)use ferts as directed to ensure plant health. GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR TANKS!

\\\\\\\"an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of the cure\\\\\\\"

also if you dont have filtration you will need to do bi-weekly water changes of about 20-30%... but bettas are hardy so don't stress it too much! and the plants will definatley help...

also i forgot to mention that pothos plants are really cheap! they run about 1-2$ for a potted one (the pot is usually about a pint and a half) lowes has them for 1.67$ i think and i am sure walmart or other convenience stores have them fr similar or less...

\\\\\\\"an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of the cure\\\\\\\"