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would there be any way clean animal bones so they're suitable for my 30g? im getting 2 red devils tommorow and i dont have any decorations in the tank aside from gravel. i wanna put a small deer skull in the tank.

also, would it be worth buying live plants or will the red devils just rip em up?

Hi,
I figured someone would have answered you by now. I'm
sorry to have waited so long.

Every once in a while, someone asks this same question.
The use of bones in a tank is generally discouraged.
Not because of the bone itself, but because of the inner
structure of a bone. The inside of a bone/skull etc.,
is porous and made of hundreds of thousands of cavities
that contain marrow and fluids. If this stuff gets into
a tank, it will pollute the tank beyond repair and you would
have to tear the tank down completely. I don't know how
to evacuate these cavities and once completely cleaned of
any organics, prevent water from getting into them,
replacing the organics, and becoming stagnant, which could
present its own set of problems.

As far as decorations are concerned... With a fish of that
temperament, most folks will use rocks and skillfully
arrange them to provide territories for the fish to guard.

Plants generally seem to be in their way.
They, the fish, seem to get "bothered" that another fish
might just be hiding behind them and the plant interferes
with their line of sight vision.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

There is a way, but I seem to remember from a thread that came up ages ago that it really ends up being more hassle than it's worth to cure a real skull. It essentially needs to be sealed 100% to prevent any contact with the water which would lead to its decomposition.

If you want a skull theme in the tank, or even just a side piece, I'd suggest looking in the educational section of a toy store for plastic skulls and such, they may still need to be sealed but they'll be safer than using a real one.

^_^

I've seen aquarium safe "skulls" for sale at Pet Smart. They're plastic, but designed for aquaium use and they look pretty real. Check Pet Smart. If you don't have one....here's a link to to the skull I saw (you can buy online):

Here is the link.

---

~~Melissa~~
"Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder."

and the bones could increase the amount of phosphorus to encourage algea by huge amounts...

yeah thats kinda what i figured. i got a big lecture on curing dead things in the 7th grade (long story short: frog legs do not make good necklace charms, nor does the school district like the idea of a student stealing a frog leg all too much )

Even if bones have been extremly weathered they would cause problems as they break down could/will cause chemical changes in your tank water.
If you particularly require that type of decoration there are plenty around from the cheap and nasty to some better quality pieces, remenbering the better thec quality the more it is going to cost you.

As far as the live plants are concerned I dont they would be suitable for those fish.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos


Keith

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