Clay pot in tank OK?

[FishInMaryland]

A pair of my parrot cichlids are constantly mating and trying to lay eggs. They dig and dig into the gravel, creating what looks like the lunar landscape. Since they can't really hold off the other 6 parrots when they have a crater in the middle of the tank, any eggs that are laid create a feeding frenzy. I was thinking of putting a clay planter - to create a cave - in the tank, since it would be easier for Mom and Dad to defend than their current arrangement.

Will I upset any chemistry if I put in a pot like this? Cleaned with tap water only, of course. Would it matter if it were glazed or unglazed?

Thanks.

[insomniac.vivi]

If it's a commercially bought clay pot, it shouldn't upset your chemistry. Teracotta and the like.

Now if you made it yourself, you'd have to look at what kind of clay you used. While most store-bought clay is safe in water (meaning it won't poison it) I don't know if there would be anything added that could harm your tanks chemistry.

[Jericho]

Just use a new pot and not one that has been used for any plants. Most people add chemicals to their plants and most soil has chemicals in it. So a used pot is questionable and a new pot is safe.

[staceyanna]

I've been thinking of doing this as well... Do you break the pot or just put it in as is? I have seen pots in tanks many times and they are all broken but wouldnt the edges create dust that would litter the tank? Clay does break down after a while...

[TKOS]

I have had 2 tiny pots in my 5 gallon tank for 3 years now. They do get a bit of algae on them but are nice and tough.

[Jericho]

If you break the pot you take some sand paper and smooth the edges and just rinse the dust off.

[Halo]

Clay pots, broken or unbroken are fine as mentioned above. Sand off any sharp edges etc and your fish will adopt their favorite hiding place. Do examine the pot before you put it in though. Some pots are coated with colored plastic to make them look aged, others are painted, and depending on your fish, these coatings can be trouble to the digestive system. Rinse all pots off really well, and presoak them for a few hours if possible. I've noticed in changing pots out that my water will become cloudy from dust if I don't give terra cotta a good presoak. Also, a slight, short lived acidity spike occurs a few days after introducing a new pot. This is'nt much, and if you have wood in your tank, it'll even it out. Otherwise, do a little water change, and your tank will be just fine. My fish would'nt know what to do without their pot/caves.

[staceyanna]

Thanks! I guess a trip to wally world is needed... =)