# LUCKY BAMBOO?



## 1adrenln (Aug 6, 2009)

I was wondering the effects this would have on my tank? has anyone tried it or know if it is ok? I really just want the fish to be ok, i dont want anything going wrong with their health because of it. it wouldnt be worth all that. I was just thinking about it because you cant have too many types of plants with africans beside java and i wanted something different.

i think it would look real cool to have a number of stalks sticking up out of the water. i think the fish would also enjoy swimming between all the stalks. i was planning to have about a quarted of the tank dedicated to the luckey bamboo which is not even REAL bamboo but it can live in water. so that is the look i wanted but not at the expense of my fish...IS it safe?

do you think it would have ill effects on water parameters? i realise that it has to stick up out of the water and i would do that. i also heard it was toxic if a cat eats it...so i would think the same would be true to the fish??? im not sure if there is even truth to that.

so does anyone know about plants??? or if this would be harmful in any way? Does anyone have a setup like this?

the biggest reason i wanted is easy clean up. the stalks would just rest up against the glass in all different directions. i wouldnt even bother burying the roots. just let them grow and look natural. that would also provide cover foe some fish. just pullthem out come cleaning time. they are heavily weighted so you dont have to bury them. much easier then the jave i had in the past always having to bury them.

what do you guys think?


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

ivce read a thread on here befor of people having them in their tanks with no ill effects....n2m they may help somewhat with nitrate levels, probably very minimal.


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## 1adrenln (Aug 6, 2009)

i have seen on youtube that people use them in their fitler set ups. that is not really what i was going to do. i just want them for more of a decoration but i do not want to harm my fish at all. that is really what i want to be sure about. i was hoping there were some experts on the situation on this site or someone that may have tried this.

thanks


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

like i said before it has been done and will not harm fish


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## 1adrenln (Aug 6, 2009)

i atually have them in with a betta fish and a platy and they are fine.

however, i wanted to use them in my african cichlid tank. that is a bit different as the africans might eat the roots. i have heard that they are poisonous to animals that might eat them. maybe i should forget it...its noty worth the risk i guess.


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

hmmm im unaware of the poisons they have?......i dont think they be used in any aquariums if this were the case??


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## nick a (Apr 9, 2004)

Did this years ago & IME: will not harm the fish--but will not last long term completely submerged. Very slow growing=very minimal nitrate uptake. Difficult to root in substrate (establish support) so it requires anchor help. Fish only able to damage new soft leaf growth, but usually left it alone.

It can be visually pleasing, but there are many better choices for true aquatic plants for your fishtank.


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## leopartner123 (Jun 29, 2009)

I hear they will add to the ammonia


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

I have about two dozen stalks of Lucky bamboo stuck in different tanks currently, had 5 dozen at one time...

Several years ago I did an 'experiment' to verify that they do consume ammonia / nitrite / nitrates and verified that they do. The details were lost during a computer upgrade quite some time ago...

Basically, I had two 29 gal tanks, same stock... did back to back huge water changes, cleaned filters, etc... put a few stalks in the filter of one, didn't add any to the other... monitored for a few months... the tank with stalks had lower nitrates... back to back water changes, moved stalks to the other tank... monitored for a few months, the tank with the stalks had lower nitrates...

Lucky Bamboo will not add ammonia to a tank...

Like any plant, Lucky Bamboo will consume available ammonia, if none, they'll consume nitrite, if none they'll consume nitrate...

As mentioned, they do not do well if completely submerged...

I don't burry the root systems of mine and small fish/fry appreciate the root balls as a place to hide and graze. I have no clue what they eat off the roots, but they are forever picking stuff off of them...

I've had it in my tanks for 4 or 5 years... no ill results as of yet...


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