ok, i know that colored gravel is painted, but is that harmful? i look at my gravel closely, and theres quite a few missing spots of paint on some of the gravel. what if the fish are ingesting it, is that detramental to their health?
harmful gravel?
- Thread starter centralharbor
- Start date
Milky
Follow the white rabbit.
I was looking around for an older post on this but can’t find it. I think it had some mixed feelings on that. I don’t think I have used and of that type of gravel since I was 10 or so.
Sometimes you'll get a badly made batch of painted gravel and the paint will come off - I've never heard anyone say their fish died from it, but ingesting paint chips just can't be good for them, IMO.
I favour natural gravels - they look better, and (I recently learned this) they provide a much more biological bacteria-friendly surface, so if you have the energy to change your substrate, I'd do it - for both those reasons.
I favour natural gravels - they look better, and (I recently learned this) they provide a much more biological bacteria-friendly surface, so if you have the energy to change your substrate, I'd do it - for both those reasons.
To clarify my earlier post: Yes, many unscrupulous and/or ignorant retailers sell products and livestock that are harmful/unsuitable for fish tanks.
Case(s) in point: 2 gallon "gold fish" tanks (far too small), snail pesticide (poison for your tank!), common plecos in 10 gallon tanks... etc....
Case(s) in point: 2 gallon "gold fish" tanks (far too small), snail pesticide (poison for your tank!), common plecos in 10 gallon tanks... etc....
it's still poison and not nearly as healthy as the lettuce trick 
the point was, the store doesn't always care about the health of your tank
the point was, the store doesn't always care about the health of your tank