Lava Rock
- Thread starter cbass179
- Start date
Yup, I've got some in my 45g. The only thing to watch out for is that it's quite rough, and some fish can hurt themselves on it.
It's inert (won't affect water quality), lightweight, and IMHO it's very attractive. It's great for building rock piles/walls in the tank. Plants like Java fern and Java moss grow very well attached to lava rock.
It's inert (won't affect water quality), lightweight, and IMHO it's very attractive. It's great for building rock piles/walls in the tank. Plants like Java fern and Java moss grow very well attached to lava rock.
I've read in quite a few places that bottom dwellers can scrape themselves up on lava rock. Corys, kuhli loaches, and other fish that prefer soft bottom material might have trouble with it. Right now, I've got an otto with a damaged fin, and I'm fairly sure he hurt it on a rock. I'm not saying don't use it - I think it's gorgeous and really useful - just that with some fish that spend a lot of time digging around/swimming on the bottom it might not be suited.
too rough for my liking so i only use it inside filters and it still tears up my hand when i clean it all out.
When you acually buy lava rock, it is fake, and it is painted the brownish color.
But, I hae 4 amall pieces in my tank, and it isnt sharp at all, and my loaches sleep in it with no problems.
But, I hae 4 amall pieces in my tank, and it isnt sharp at all, and my loaches sleep in it with no problems.
victimizati0n said:
I'm not sure why you say this... the lava rock I have is the same uniform colour throughout - I've split pieces in half after getting them home, the centre and outside edges are exactly alike - it's certainly not painted.
You can purchase artificial rocks for aquariums, just like you can get artificial plants and wood, but that doesn't mean all lava rock is fake.
Blinky said:
the paint is mixed within the rock.
real lave rock wrecks havoc with pH, rather than the fake stuff remails neutral.