Can I use pebbles from the beach as ornaments?

[debi999]

Hi All,

I'm planning to start an aquarium, a 3 or 5 gallon to start with - I live in an apartment, and can't imagine moving a 10 gallon, or taking it over to my friend's place, when we are on a vacation.

Recently, on a trip I had collected some beautiful pebbles (some are a little bigger that twice the size of an egg, some much smaller) from the beach, and I really want to add them to my aquarium. I'm planning on a fresh water fish aquarium with a betta (is there any small fish that is compatible with it?).

I found a few articles, which mention I could use river rock, I don't know if there is a difference between sea and river rocks. So if anyone could help me out with this I'd be grateful.

I also want to add maybe 1-2 small fish along with betta, so far I have not seen any fish being listed as compatible wit betta, do u think guppies or platies or anything would get along with a male betta?

Thanks in advance,
D

 

[Lobo.]

ive used several rocks in my tank that came from the beach, jus soak them in untreated water long enough to kill anythin that is living on it (if u want a squeaky clean rock and a more painfull cleanup use a couple drops of bleach in the water that they soak in) then scrub the rocks down (if they have dirt or dust on them, scrub them 1st before soaking for a day) dont use soap, as soap is Very hard to get off a rock, then rinse them off in treated water (no cholorine or chloromine) and dry them good. then jus place them in ur tank

if u are afraid that u might hurt the fish, u can repeat these steps or use more bleach, but make shure that NO bleach makes it to the tank!

 

[joephys]

start with a bigger tank. You can't keep very much in a ten gallon let alone 5 or even 2. I would start with atleast a 20. (just remember for just starting out if it looks understocked there are still probably too many fish.) As far as taking it to a friends while your are on vacation don't worry about it (unless you take very long vacations.) Fish are cold blooded and when healthy, can go for a week without food, some even two weeks. They will be hungry but not starved. (That doesn't mean you only need to feed your fish once a week)

 

[joephys]

Guppies or platys should be fine with a betta. Avoid active fish and fin nippers, since bettas are a very calm fish.