Lead plant ties--dangerous?

[LeahK]

I actually don't use the lead ties for plants, so they're not in my tank 24/7. But sometimes I use them to weigh down veggies. And today I just discovered that my fish seem to like swimming through hoops--go figure--so I made a loop of airline tubing and fixed it to the tank wall with a suction cup. And I'm holding the the loop together with a lead tie.
There seems to be no consensus online about whether these are bad for the fish. Some sites say to remove them from plants, other sites say it doesn't matter. What do you guy here think?

 

[duke33]

They're not to my knowledge. I see them everywhere.

 

[Hooked Newbie]

No problem at all IMO. I've had them in my tanks for over a year now. Plants are rooted well now so I have no reason to bother with trying to remove them. No ill effects at all.

 

[LeahK]

Thanks! I actually just found a way to hold the airline tube loop together without the ties.
(And if I can get a good video of the fish I'll post it in a new thread. It's mostly my clown loaches--they're working on doing their little loach dance through the hoop! But we're still practicing....)

 

[msjinkzd]

I think they are safe. I use them as well.

 

[Hooked Newbie]

LOL! Loachy dance vids are always appreciated!

 

[Draal5]

They are safe they are NOT lead they are a magnesium alloy

 

[1oooop]

They are safe they are NOT lead they are a magnesium alloy

not all of them, which is true, alot are still lead... I guess it;s only poisonous to us...

 

[247Plants]

tis safe...I have had pieces of it in my tanks for YEARS.

 

[kingearwig]

I think if they are lead and your water is alkaline that you will be leaching lead into your water. Why don't they let you shoot lead shot at ducks anymore? Because lead is bad for aquatic ecosystems. Mostly you see deformations in ducks but I can't imagine that is the full extent of the effects of lead. I will not be using these unless I find out for sure that they are something other than lead.