Those dopey fake rocks / barrels, etc.

[jarrodaden]

The aquarium I adopted has some of those cheesey store bought decorations. I kept them because I didn't have anything to use.

Now that I have stocked my tank, all my "cool" fish are hiding out in the holes and I never get to see them.

This raises a few questions:

1) Do some fish need to have a hidey hole to feel comfortable.
2) Are those cheesey store bought decorations harmful (paint, etc.)?
3) What kind of rocks / stones can I add without introducing something harmful to the fish?

Thanks.

 

[bluekrissyspike]

1)yes, almost all fish need some shelter to feel safe(plants, ect) some more than others
2)not if they are sold at the petstore
3)you can get rocks at the petstore, outside or at a garden center. they will need to be cleaned thuroughly and tested for safety. they need to be scrubbed and bleached and if possible heated to kill any kinds of bacteria or hitchhikers. they need to be scratch tested to make sure that they are not soft enough to disolve. then you pour vinegar on them. bubbles are not a good thing. i try to avoid reddish rocks for the most part as they could contain rusting minerals although some are safe. i'm no geologist so i just avoid them. my rocks are all from a landscaping place. same as the ones at the pet store but 1/10th of the price. you also have to make sure they are not too sharp so your fish can't get injured on them.

if you are going for a natural look pick out some nice natural gravel, then choose rocks that are similar in colour but with a bit of interesting pattern. then add some lowlight plants and maybe some driftwood.

 

[Death Pony]

Quartz crystals work well and look very cool.

 

[illgore_trout]

Quartz crystals work well and look very cool.

yes quartz works, but make sure its a pure quartz. if its a geode with other hard rock surrounding the crystal in places, you have to test both surfaces for safety. also, quartz is clear/white. if your quartz has any tint of color, you need to find out what kind of mineral has given the color to the quartz.

I put a quartz geode/rock in with my betta without testing it. I figured it would be fine as the rock had formerly been in with a friend's turtle tank.

i was wrong. the betta got super lethargic, started sleeping on his SIDE. i removed the rock after a couple of weeks and did vicious water changes and eventually he got his old pep back.

 

[kyryah]

2)not if they are sold at the petstore

Not something I would take for granted. Pet stores sell "Reptile Bark" which is made up of pine bark and can make reptiles sick, they sell "Calci-sand" which is so powdery fine that it causes skin and eye irritations and is more likely to cause impactions than regular sand, goldfish bowls, bettas in cups, etc.

Just because something comes from a pet store does not make it fool proof.

Kristina

 

[excuzzzeme]

Not something I would take for granted. Pet stores sell "Reptile Bark" which is made up of pine bark and can make reptiles sick, they sell "Calci-sand" which is so powdery fine that it causes skin and eye irritations and is more likely to cause impactions than regular sand, goldfish bowls, bettas in cups, etc.

Just because something comes from a pet store does not make it fool proof.

Kristina

QFT!

 

[casemarten]

Hey, I'm actually an avid rock collector and use tons of natural stones in my tanks. Anything in the quartz family is fine - but like stated before, make sure it's color is natural and it is not dyed or anything. Geodes have 'matrix' rock and this is not good for aquarium use. The quartz family includes quartz, rose quartz (and the other colors), amethyst, citrine, the many colors of aventurine, and blue, red, and gold tigers eye. Jaspers, petrified wood, and agates are also safe to use. None of these will dissolve or release minerals into your water. Of course there are tons of rocks you cannot use, but these you can

 

[bluekrissyspike]

Not something I would take for granted. Pet stores sell "Reptile Bark" which is made up of pine bark and can make reptiles sick, they sell "Calci-sand" which is so powdery fine that it causes skin and eye irritations and is more likely to cause impactions than regular sand, goldfish bowls, bettas in cups, etc.

Just because something comes from a pet store does not make it fool proof.

Kristina

that's true enough. i guess i just figured if you buy an aquarium decoration there it would be safe enough. i never really thought about it that much. my tanks have real rocks and plants.....except one sunken ship and one egg thingy that my bf likes:duh:

 

[ianab]

Slate is another good option for aquariums.

Because it flat it's easy to stack up and make caves, and it's inert in the water.

By designing your caves well the fish will be able to shelter in them, while still being visible. Most plecos like a spot under a ledge where they are sheltered, but can still see out. Loaches are the same, but if you have a good set of caves they will play and keep darting from on to another, so you do get to see them.

Ian

 

[RodInCALIFORNIA]

i have over 300 pounds of "large river rocks" collected from dry streams during the summer months from way up in the mountains. the are already smooth from who knows how long water has ran over them and smoothed them down and they have great shapes and i avoid any red colored rocks. But i wont be collecting anymore since i was informed that it is a crime to remove the rock from the streams. Just make sure your not out collecting rocks that may be in "protected areas". all i do is soak in a bleach solution a few days then take a kitchen scrub brush and clean them off and soal another day then rinse well in clean water. i put them on large baking trays and put in a 400 degree oven for a hour and let them cool and they are ready to use.