Best Decorations For This Large Piranha Tank?

[ParrotCichlid]

Well the time has come to decorate my pitanha tank. I'm going to order 6 x 22" plastic plants off eBay.

I was thinking maybe i should add some rocks? But the rocks might not be a good idea as they take up lots of space and the fish are large?

The main goal is to break up line of sight within the tank in the hopes of minimizing aggression.

I would love driftwood but its too expensive. Cost me over £50 to decorate a simple 15g tank with nice spiderwood. I can only imagine this large tank would cost £100+ just for wood.

The main problem is trying to break up line of sight with the tank being so tall as its 30" high. I would normally use clay pots but i doubt they would help with the height.

Honestly guys i need to keep it relatively cheap as I've spent over my fish budget times 5 this month lol.

 

[Kysarkel000]

It's pretty cheap/easy to make magnetic shelves. You could craft some that go into the tank a ways, or even all the way from front to back.

You could also do those floaty jelly fish decors that suction to the bottom of the tank, or others hang from the top of the tank.

I feel like since they have no hiding places, they'd appreciate some large, tall rocks, maybe one in both back corners and some smaller rocks or driftwood in the middle along with some plants.

 

[ParrotCichlid]

It's pretty cheap/easy to make magnetic shelves. You could craft some that go into the tank a ways, or even all the way from front to back.

You could also do those floaty jelly fish decors that suction to the bottom of the tank, or others hang from the top of the tank.

I feel like since they have no hiding places, they'd appreciate some large, tall rocks, maybe one in both back corners and some smaller rocks or driftwood in the middle along with some plants.

Thanks. On the rocks could i purchase them from a garden center? If so what should i look out for to make certain they are fish safe and or not coated with anything?

About the plastic plants what size would you recommend to break up line of sight? I was going to order some off eBay but will try and pop out today and see if any stores have them locally. As i don't want to leave them without decor for more than is needed as they woke me up again at 2am fighting. Possibly get away with 12 to 15" plants or need the 22" ones?

 

[123]

You could have something hanging from the top if not attached to the lid (if you take it off regularly, than maybe something attached to the glass sides somehow. Or, purchase one of those “hanging aquariums” (see picture) and fully submerge it and secure on glass with magnets. I could imagine these things are plastic, not glass. And I don’t think they should have much weight when fully filled with water. Then you could put some plastic plant with big leafs into it.

 

[Kysarkel000]

The bowls @Katarina mentioned are indeed plastic, but there is a mirror on the back of them and I'm not Shure the outside is fish safe. You could try it... However, they do make plant bowls for sticking to the tank wall. You can make some by super glueing magnets to a glass or Tupperware dish.

For rocks, I'm not sure what to look out for.. you'll have to do more research and/or wait for someone else to answer. Instead of rocks, you could get a tall (I know theyre expensive) peice of decor.

I think at this point, adding any kind of plant will be beneficial. You should probably get the tallest plants you can find to start out with. And then you can add some shorter plants in later. Silk/fabric plants are best, as plastic plants will rip your fish's fins up and destroy their slime coat, allowing easier sicknesses. I'm not 100% sure, but I think I heard somewhere you can add plants from the $$ store into your fish tank (I'm not sure if you have one where you're at, but they're just everyday fake decor plants).

The main point is that you want to look through the side of your tank, and not be able to see the other side. You also want to have at least one hide (not just plants) for each fish, where they are protected from every direction. This can be a peice of wood laying on the bottom with a cave, a decoration, a floating betta log, etc. Etc. Also, to get some really cool (free) "spider wood", all it is is the roots to a tree. If you go to a forest and find a small tree, maybe the same width as a tennis ball, you can dig it up and take it's roots. Boil it to rid it of parasites and fungus and whatnot, and WA-LA! (P.S. if you dig up a tree, and take it's roots, be kind and plant another tree, preferably a native species)

 

[RonJ]

Are you running only on the internal filter I can see on the right of the picture?

 

[Smalltownfishfriend]

River rock is very nice and very inexpensive!! It comes in all different sizes and colors!! I would just wash them in a bleach wash.. I don't think it is safe to boil them!!!!

 

[ParrotCichlid]

Are you running only on the internal filter I can see on the right of the picture?

Thanks everyone for the responses.

Yes I'm running the tank on just the internal filtration system but only until my replacement powerhead arrives for the huge filter that is built into the lid. The filter shpuld handle the tank for a week or two without problem.

I will look into these river rocks!

 

[ParrotCichlid]

Think we are good now guys and gals.

Picked up loads of huge chunks of slate, driftwood and 2 huge vivarium plants which are apparently fish safe.

 

[Neutral-Waterinos]

Think we are good now guys and gals.

Picked up loads of huge chunks of slate, driftwood and 2 huge vivarium plants which are apparently fish safe.

Wow sounds swell, I would go with an Amazonian type scape with the types of materials you have like the bottom of a river in the amazon, lot's of driftwood, planted quite heavily and a sand substrate : ).

 

[DuaneV]

Drop a couple racks of cow ribs in there. Maybe a skull even. It would look awesome! lol

 

[Hego_Damask]

Live plants and drif wood

Plastic plants can snag their fins

 

[Mom2some]

Think we are good now guys and gals.

Picked up loads of huge chunks of slate, driftwood and 2 huge vivarium plants which are apparently fish safe.

Pictures?