Plant fertilizers

Are aquarium plant fertilizers harmful for axolotls? I know that Cu can be dangerous for certain animals (snails, shrimp, and scaleless fish). I was wondering if they were also dangerous for amphibians.

HI,

please don´t use any fertilizer, because they will harm the axies. Axies are very delicately (is it the right word?) to chemicals.

-Tina-

Plant fertilizers can indeed be toxic to amphibians. Copper is toxic to amphibians more so than fish due to their semipermeable skin. Other products like Flourish are also toxic as the main component, glutaraldehyde is toxic to amphibians.

Thank you very much callina and Abrahm. I definitely will not use fertilizers if I get an axolotl.

Hi cgarza7,

I'm going to make an assumption that you are planning the planting of your aquarium. I have been experimenting over the past year with different types of plants in my axolotl tanks and thought it worth mentioning to you that there are indeed some plants that, although they tolerate the low light and temperature in an axolotl tank, do indeed require more fertilizer (iron, I think?) than they get from the axolotl's waste. The leaves turn brown and sort of dissolve away. The plants that do this are many, so that it is easier to list plants that do well (it's a shorter list).

I have tried every type of moss I could find, and they all flourish in the axolotl tanks. Java fern and Anubias also do very well. I have tried various types of Cryptocoryne and most do well, although any with red leaves have not flourished (I assume they need more light). I thought there is an article on the Caudata Culture site about suggested plants, but I can't find it right now, sorry. Maybe someone else has the link?

-Eva

Is this that article Eva?

Axolotl Sanctuary

Hi Celeste!

No, it isn't the specific one I was looking for - the one I mean is about "suggested plants" and may not be on this site; the last time I remembered seeing it linked was from Jennewt but I can't find that thread either. I like the article you linked, though, as it has helpful detail.

-Eva

Hi Abrahm!! I was looking at flourish and flourish excel tags, Flourish doesnt mention glutaraldehyde in its components, but flourish excel has polycycloglutaracetal... I was wondering, are this 2 components the same thing?

I work with a guy (I work in a large analytical laboratory) who did some chemical analysis of flourish excel (maybe just flourish too? I can ask if it is important) and he confirmed the presence of glutaraldehyde. I do believe that he mentioned the actual product listed on the bottle is something that doesn't exist (or is horribly butchered IUPAC) and that the glutaraldehyde was slightly polymerized for a slower dispersal.

Hi!!

I think flourish doesnt have it!
I found this:

Curious about the science behind Excel, Paraguard, and Stressguard [Archive] - Seachem Support Forums

By the way, I have tried with little succes with some plants, and one who stands out and does very well in axies enviroment is lagarosiphon madagascariensis!

In that link to the Axolotl sanctuary it mentions 'flourish' and 'flourish excel' in a more positive manner;

" “Flourish" liquid plant food and "Flourish Excel" from Seachem has been used quite successfully without visible harm to the axolotls but in general it is still best to avoid introducing chemicals or products into the axolotl tank. "

If it is toxic to amphibians as Abraham has said I think it should be changed, if some body has the knowledge a section could be added for which fertilisers are safe and which are not and also Madfrankie should probably be made aware of this as I believe it was mostly his article?