How to determine if plastic frogs are aquarium safe?

I have a number of plastic frogs that I have collected.  They are about 1 1/2 to 2 inches in size.  Would it be okay if I use them to decorate my tanks?  How can I find out if they are fish safe?

CherryRose

 

I think it's impossible to know if it's fish safe or not unless you contact the manufacture to find out what kind of plastic it is. There are MANY kinds of plastics availble in the industry and some do leach toxic chemicals into water under certain situations. If they're designed for aquarium use then they are likely safe.

 

If you scrub them real good to make sure they've not accumulated any chemicals or dust from the air you could probably use them. Do you have pics?
Carol

 

Here are pictures of some of my plastic frogs in a saucer. I have scrubbed them with salt water.

CherryRose

 

where's the pic !! LOL
Carol

 

LOL I must have forgotten to put it in my post. Here it is.


CherryRose

 

hello folks, I read here a long time ago that someone was using little hiding caves that used suction cups to attach to the side of the tank. I brought home another betta few days ago. he is a marroon and blue crown tail, named Buzz. He lives in my divided 10 gallon with my single remaining molly, Dora, and my one-eyed cory cat, Uno. Anyway, I would like a suction cup cave in his tank in order to give him a good place to hide that I can put close to the surface. Right now, he keeps hiding by the heater. I would like to give him a better place to hide. I'll get pics out when I'm sure that He's going to be okay.

 

I don't know anything about the caves with suction cups, but all my bettas love to hide in the leaves of any plants in their tanks, especially those that float on the surface. I think mine even sleep on their leaves at least occasionally. It is so much fun to find them sleeping right under the aquarium lid when I open it to feed them.

CherryRose

 

hello folks, I read here a long time ago that someone was using little hiding caves that used suction cups to attach to the side of the tank. I brought home another betta few days ago. he is a marroon and blue crown tail, named Buzz. He lives in my divided 10 gallon with my single remaining molly, Dora, and my one-eyed cory cat, Uno. Anyway, I would like a suction cup cave in his tank in order to give him a good place to hide that I can put close to the surface. Right now, he keeps hiding by the heater. I would like to give him a better place to hide. I'll get pics out when I'm sure that He's going to be okay.

I've not heard of those before.. should you find them, please let us know where. It sounds very interesting and like something we'd like to try with our bettas.. Maybe he'd like one of those long-tentacled anemones from the DFS site? I hear that some Bettas like to sleep on those.

Your post got me searching and I found this: - is this what you're looking for?

 

Your post got me searching and I found this: - is this what you're looking for?

Those are really cool! Natalie

 

Those caves are so neat - cheap too. Wonder if they are smooth or rough textured surfaces?

I took Neptune's anemone out cuz it was getting this slimy creepy icky stuff on it. Nothing else in the tank had it on. I cleaned it and put it back and in 2 days, it had it again, so I removed it. I ordered a long tentacled one from F&S and that order was here in 24 hours - and the long ones look in the catalogue as though they stand up, however they are much softer than the short one and all bent over, I am putting it into the tank next time I do a water change, and am hoping it will sway around in the current - wouldn't that be awesome?? it will be a bummer if it just lays flat in the water. Oh ya, the tips glow in the dark also, when the light is off!!

Neptune likes to go inbetween the tentacles, sleep on top of them. Without it, he either lays in the cave under his rock or on top of a broad leafed plant. Nothing moves when they sleep, it is the neatest thing!! Like a fairtale thing to me!!

My husband told me he boughtneptune a bridge while in the city - so that will be here Friday night - I am anxious to see how he likes that. I think it was Natalie who said how much her fish loved his bridge. So many of these things fish can hide in have sharp parts inside the hole the fish can go into - you have to really check them out well.

All of this is like Extreme Makeover - Aquatic edition!!! Val

All this talk of tank decorating --- since I was playing in the tank anyway, I decided tp put in the tall anemone. It does stand straight up, and moves with the water, it looks like angel hair pasta ( only red - LOL).

While Neptune is curious, I am not sure it will be the same as the small one. The small one was almost like flowers, meaning he could sit inside the tentacles. Unless he decided he wanted to get swim through this one - and it is pretty dense), it will just be something of interest . If that is the case, I will eventually put the small one back. (Actually, I like the small one better - it is more interesting)

So if you want one he can sleep in, don't waste your money on the tall one.

Val
Here is pics of each.

 

All this talk of tank decorating --- since I was playing in the tank anyway, I decided tp put in the tall anemone. It does stand straight up, and moves with the water, it looks like angel hair pasta ( only red - LOL).

While Neptune is curious, I am not sure it will be the same as the small one. The small one was almost like flowers, meaning he could sit inside the tentacles. Unless he decided he wanted to get swim through this one - and it is pretty dense), it will just be something of interest . If that is the case, I will eventually put the small one back. (Actually, I like the small one better - it is more interesting)

So if you want one he can sleep in, don't waste your money on the tall one.

Val
Here is pics of each.

I love both of them.. please let us know how Neptune feels about both of them after a little while.. we can only put 1 in Angel's 5 gallon hex.

 

8) I like the looks of the anemone in Neptune's tank. He looks like he is thinking about taking a nap in the first picture. It also looks like he is turning his back in disgust on the taller one. "How do you expect me to sleep in that thing."

Those caves are cool. I might have to get some for my tanks.

Oh, I almost forgot. Welcome to the forum, Buzz!

CherryRose

 

Ohhhh, I want one of those short tentacle ones. Where did you get that one? Was it from F&S too?

 

The first picture was taken a week or so ago when that short anemone was still in the tank. Neptune would lay on top of the tentacles, where it is kind of cupped, and while you can't see it in this picture, there is room between the bases of the 4 different "flower" parts to swin through.

The tall one totally glows at night - kinda funky! - the small one just the tips. I have the tall one in the front/left of the tank opposite end of the bio wheel - but I am thinking when my husband gets Neptune's new bridge home, I might move the tall anemone to the right end of the tank , front, where the water movement will let it sway more. I did see Neptune nip at one of the tentacles.

I bought the small one at Walmart , but they are both in Foster & Smith for $7.99 - yellow, purple or red and the tall one in - white, red or yellow.

(I am thinking it should have been a freebie after almost $200 spent there since Feb. Neptune is a pretty high maintenance fella - and his tank still isn't cycled...LOL.)

I also took out two short plants and put in two new longer ones, and I noticed he has been doing the sleep test on several different leaves. Adorable ( if a fish can be?)

Val

 

I also took out two short plants and put in two new longer ones, and I noticed he has been doing the sleep test on several different leaves. Adorable ( if a fish can be?)
Val

He definitely can be. Neptune's a great little Betta and your stories of him show he's a character.

 

That wasn't exactly what I had in mind, but I think it will serve the purpose I wanted. Thank!

 

That wasn't exactly what I had in mind, but I think it will serve the purpose I wanted. Thank!

No prob. Please let us know how it works out, looks like something we might try when we can too.

 

I've found out that aquarium decor is very expensive. Does anyone have any cool alternatives to store bought decor? Such as driftwood, or making your own caves, etc. from shale? I need some low cost ideas!:;hurryb

 

It is often better you natural decor but using shells are often a good idea!
depending on types of fish.

 

Any rocks you collect can be glued together to make cave, walls, etc., with aquarium silicone. (it would probably be wise to boil or bake them first to remove any critters, molds, fungI and the like) Driftwood you collect, definitely boil well. I believe it was JI'm who lost a tank of angels from a fungus that was in his driftwood. Other than sterilizing, the sky's the limit. Corkbark works well for a backdrop, inside or behind the tank. There was even a thread about using legos and another about hamster tubes here...

 

I use colored poster board on 2 of my tanks. I like the solid color.

There were a few threads on here about testing any rocks with vinegar, if it bubbles (fizzes?) You shouldn't use it. I'll see if I can find it.

I hope someone else chimes in here about this, because I could be wrong.

Edit: I did a search on the forum for river rock, there are quite a few. Rather than post all the links here, go ahead and do a search. Good luck.

 

Lucy is correct. Sea Shells, Coral, and rock that fizzles when vinegar is poured them all have a tendancy to raise your ph (make the water more alkyline. So depending on your ph this could be good or bad. Also, driftwood tend to lower your ph (make it more ecidic) due to the tannic acid leeching into the water.

 

DIY Decorations

I've seen a lot of cool ideas such as coconut caves, PVC caves, using stones to build caves, & even using hamster equipment (I need more info on this). But none of this is very tall. Does anyone have any ideas of DIY decorations that are tall?

 

you can silicone lava rock together. You can get a 20 pound bag for like three bucks at lowes. if you glue them into segments let them dry, then glue the segments together..you can have a really nice looking rock formation. and if you roll the segments in sand when they are wet..it will hide the silicone which kind of turns white after a while.

 

oh, its natural lava rock in the grill section.

 

HI Amanda: Actually, I like using rocks collected from nature. But only from river banks I feel certain are quite pollutant free. What I do is that I rinse/brush the rock in tap water (I wouldn't boil/bake the thing, instead I'll run some hot water around it), then place it in one of my aquarium-use-only bucket for a few days, during which I test for pH, GH, KH. If the pH remains stable and GH and KH vary only slightly, then I consider that rock to be safe. However if you already have Hard to Very Hard water in your tank, be careful.

In the DIY section you can find interesting ideas (like making caves from PVC pipes, coconut shells...). I bet if you put some effort, you would end not only with something original, but really good looking.

All the sand I have in my tanks come from rivers, and the gravel I look for at the LFS is the one without acrylic coating (not easy to find) since I have planted tanks. I have purchased beautiful aquarium-ready slate rocks, but they are not cheap, at least not where I live.

Pepe
Santo Domingo

 

If anyone lives near Newburgh, NY - Sherwood Tiles has a HUGE pile of leftover granite pieces for free to anyone who will take them. If anyone is looking to make their own decor - this could be a good, cheap idea.

 

I bought a big bag of hamster tubing for $13.00 at pet co. it was enough sections for 5 tanks. ALL my bettas LOVE, LOVE their Spaceships

you can anchor them down with a little gravel or you can let a piece float. they LOVE to get in them either way. also we keep our eye out for little caves and things on sale and just add slowly. they love to get inside stuff.

GOOD LUCK!!

 

Hello,
I have no idea what type of budget your on but I believe its seacorals.com that has some decor fairly cheap, of course some of it is fairly expensive but it might be worth the look?

Ok some of its quite cheesy too but no sense not looking might like somthing?

 

Hello,
I have no idea what type of budget your on but I believe its seacorals.com that has some decor fairly cheap, of course some of it is fairly expensive but it might be worth the look?

Ok some of its quite cheesy too but no sense not looking might like somthing?

ouch! some of that looks too sharp for bettas!

 

Java moss 2.50 at petco.... cross stitching material 3.00 at wal-mart... use your imagination... you could mimic a piece of driftwood... might take a few months for it to grow in all the way... depending on the size you could also use clay pots... small vases... regular housing bricks... if it is really big I thought about cinder blocks... not sure if it would be safe... but sounds like a cool idea even if it was like a junkyard themed hardscape ur fish would probably love it... I might try this if I can ever get a big tank in my budget... maybe a clean side and a junk side on a 75-125 gallon...

 

ouch! some of that looks too sharp for bettas!

TYhat is very true now that you mention it it looks sharp for a lot of fish..... so... that's why its cheap........

 

look at this thread for some inexpensive decor and how they like the tubes



also, before I found some affordable decor, I just put a glass on its side in the tank so royal had something to get inside of.

 

I have a small glass vase that I siliconed flat marbles to to make a little cave. You can buy the vase and the flat marbles at Dollar Tree for $1 each...

 

When I get my new tank, I am going to decorate it but I don't know what with. Does anyone have any recommendations on what to put in and make it look good? I have a THR I can put in and I think I am getting an ornament for Christmas.

 

Anything you want, really... it's such a personal decision. Live plants or fake? Natural look or not? Certain color fish may look good against different backgrounds.

Mine has blue gravel because I thought it was pretty. I have fake plants and fake decorations from petsmart, including a little house that has bubbles coming from the chimney - my son picked it out.

I don't have a background because we have our tank on a counter between 2 rooms, so you can look into it from either side. A great background idea someone else had was to use wrapping paper taped on the outside - that way you can change it as you wish.

Just make sure anything you use is aquarium safe.

 

I was thinking of maybe getting some driftwood but I am not sure if I should. I also was wondering if sand was alright to put in a new tank or should I just use my gravel in my current tank for an almost instant cycle?

 

sand is fine. You can put the gravel into a new pantyhose and stick that in the tank - that way, after your new tank is seeded, you can throw it out.

driftwood is fine. it has to be cured. there are instructions on this website on how to do it. Also, it lowers pH, and tannins can tint your water - both things to consider.

seashells and coral will raise pH, by the way...

 

Jake, I don't remember if you are upgrading or adding a new tank. Either way, if you haven't already done so, it's a good idea to put extra filter media in your current tank now so that it'll start seeding.