CichlidFish.com - Fish That Think.

I recently bought 2 plants for my tank that has guppies, killifish & snails. They came with a heavy, gray, bendable strip that weighted them down, so I just buried the bottoms in the gravel - I really just bought them for the snails to munch on. Anyway after the plants were eaten I saved the strips and have been weighting my lettuce this way. My son saw what I was doing and insists the strips are lead. I read in the post about the broken thermometer that lead is toxic. Does anybody know if those things really are lead and if so will it hurt the fish?
Candace

Hey Candace, I'm pretty sure they're lead. Grey, bendable strips, couple inches long, and about a quarter inch wide? Yeah, it's lead, as far as the effects it has on the water, fish, etc., someone else would have to help you on that. You could try a search on the forums, and see what you get...Jason

GET IT OUT OF THE WATER RIGHT NOW!!

Lead and other heavy metal are an extreme hazard to fish. You know how ppl can get lead poisoning? fish can too. I would empty out the talk or at least do a 100% water change (I know it's the same thing but it gets the point across )

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Jamie

FEEDER NAZI

Oscars rule!

[This message has been edited by Jamie (edited 03-26-2002).]

Thanks a bunch! Why would they sell the plants like that? I really need to go back to that store and ask them. I asked the guy if I needed to weight the plants down to keep the on the bottom and he said"no they're already weighted". So, how do you put plants in your aquarium?
Candace

you can bury plants you have in the gravel. or for plants like java fern that like to "kling on" then you can tie them on with an elastic. anything that you can bury in the gravel can also be weighted by piling rocks or other material around it. I would go back to the pet store and tell them that all of you prize discus died because of the lead and demand compensation! Hey that could happen try it. I want 50% of all your earnings too, it's my idea

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Jamie

FEEDER NAZI

Oscars rule!

Not to br rude but this got me iterested, that they would sell a product that is so harmfull to the fish, so I asked some people who were very experiance in planted aquariums, and they said that the bands are fine to leave in the water, and that they have planted tanks with many of those lead bands left on the plants for years with no ill efects, so I say that it sounds fine, the person who told me this also told me that he has weighed down drift wood with lead fishing weigths with so problem.
Well thats just what I've heard.

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A wise fishing guide once told me "catching fish is just like picking up girls at the mall" I replied "that is true, but with the girls your not going for the big ones"
FEEDER NAZI

Yes, here the plants without roots are sold with a lead strip, too. I was told it's better to get it out, and I usually do, but could never see any ill effects on my fish over the years if left in. Just found one in the gravel yesterday.

I'd suggest to get it out for the case it may slowly errode, but this is no reason to panic

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Gisela
moppel@gismo.owl.de

Ive heard these differences too and am not entirley sure .
Id say just to be safe take them off for your own peace of mind.
To me it would be like taking your chance and drinking outa a lead cup for years. Will you go mad from lead poisioning or not. Id rather not do it no matter whos right or wrong.

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TONY
Australian and proud of it!!
My Cichlidfish.com Home page
No Feeder Nazi
worldcichlids.com

every plant i have bought has had that and i dont think it is lead. if it was my fish would be dead. but if you realy want to be safe take the weight off and use a piece of string to tie the plant to a rock or something that sinks