Terracotta Pots

[WaterBaby]

I would like to put a small terracotta pot in my tank for an extra hiding place for my Corys. Will this cause a problem with pH, or cause any damaging toxins from the pot to leach into the tank?

I will of course be using a new pot. Does it have to be boiled or cleaned in any special way before I put it into the tank?

[caz]

when ever i put anything into the tank, i run it under hot hot water for a few minutes, then i do a water change in the tank, and let the new item sit in the old water for a few hours, or even a day. this has always worked for me.

[OrionGirl]

Terra cotta pots are inert, and very safe for the aquarium. Rinsing any dust off is all that is needed, though caz's method allows the item to pick up a bit of bacteria before being introduced.

Always purchase new pots though--used pots may contain traces of fertilizers or toxins (ie, bug sprays!) that would adversely affect your tank/fish.

[wetmanNY]

All a flowerpot is, is baked clay ("baked earth" lioterally). Because terracotta is porous, a used one might have pesticides or fertilizers that could leach out. But you know that.

Soak the pot overnight, cover it with inch-long snippings of Java Moss, set it in a bowl with a glass bowl over it and a little water. Put it in a window for a few weeks until the moss takes....

a Chia Pot!