bad ornament designs

[phaedraeos]

I bought a 'sunken ship' ornament with real fabric sails and twine rigging to go in my tank about a month ago. I thought it would look really neat with the fabric moving with the water currents. However, I took a closer look at the sails this morning and they were covered with mold and mildew. I immediately took the ship out and cut the sails and rigging away (the rest of the ship is plastic.) I guess not all aquarium ornaments are aquarium safe!

Take a close look at the spread-out sail on the bottom and you can see green and blue in the lower corner. Yuck.

 

[maronov]

I guess not all aquarium ornaments are aquarium safe!

Absolutely. I bought a sunken ship from the good people of Petland a while back, and it leaked green paint into my tank. The smell was worse than anything. This is why I stick to natural decor now (driftwood and rocks).

 

[icecubez189]

luckily you caught it. the sail looks like it burned! i guess you shouldn't use natural fibers?

 

[Kamryn]

Yuck! I thought the manufactures of aquarium ornaments tested them to insure things like this didn't happen. I am glad you posted this though, we saw one of these ornaments (fabric sail too) at lfs and my son wanted to get it for his tank. I'm very glad I didn't make that impulse buy.

 

[jessicar613]

My daughter put a glow in the dark rubber anemone in my tank (I know but it has to stay, those of you with kids, understand lol). Not only is it the only thing in there that grows black algae, when I try to scrub the algae off, the glow in the dark paint sloughs off and pollutes the entire area.

 

[Mofolepo]

I know what you mean about having to keep certain things you don't want, lol. My new tank I am getting, I am making sure that it is MINE, no donations! Nada!!!

 

[WrittenLyric]

Tank decorations are pretty frustrating. They say "aquarium safe" but as clearly shown, not always the case. A friend of mine had a few cave like decorations that were mostly hallow, which turned into a fishy doom death cave. Fish would swim up into the arch of the decoration and literally get stuck inside. A couple weekends ago she asked me if I would mind cleaning the tank because she was missing a few fish and she freaks out at the sight of any fallen fish friends. Like, total mental melt down. I found them. It was not pretty, nor was the horrific odor that was released when I lifted the ornament.

Honestly I have no idea how those little guys (serpeas) got in, but they found a way. Either way, I trashed the ornaments and filled the space with plants instead. Muuuuch better and she feels a hundred times better.

 

[jessicar613]

I know what you mean about having to keep certain things you don't want, lol. My new tank I am getting, I am making sure that it is MINE, no donations! Nada!!!

Way to go! I just set up a new tank. I got to play musical tanks and the good news is, I was left with an empty ten gallon. lol I told my daughter she could have it! So we get to go get a betta or something, and it can have all those "special" tank decorations to enjoy. That will be one spoiled rotten betta in one incredibly garish tank. : The king of the castle. Literally. Because it does have a plastic castle. lmao

To be fair, my kribs loved that plastic castle. They didn't care that it was ugly.