Aqua sobriquet
Member
Isn’t it a pain picking this stuff out from the roots of plants! I just received a couple of Anubias and it’s taken me 20 minutes to pick all the bits out with tweezers.
I think it is mainly just to do with aesthetics. The rock wool itself is just basalt that has been <"melted and then spun like candy-floss">, so it is pretty inert.I presume it poses a risk to the tank inhabitants if small bits of Rock Wool are left in the tank?
I think it is mainly just to do with aesthetics. The rock wool itself is just basalt that has been <"melted and then spun like candy-floss">, so it is pretty inert.
Hi @dw1305
I'm just curious. And I would not want to cause any unnecessary concern. Rock wool may be chemically inert but what happens if tiny strands are ingested by fish? Does it get expelled from their digestive system? It's a rhetorical question here and now. But, I do know someone who is an ichthyologist so I'll put the question to her.
JPC
I've also heard it said that the fibres can get into their gills and cause irritation. Haven't seen any actual evidence for that, or ingestion, causing problems, just the suggestion that it might. Perhaps you could ask your friend about the gills too.but what happens if tiny strands are ingested by fish?
Perhaps you could ask your friend about the gills too.
I heard as well but wasn’t really too bothered until I lost an altum angel to rock wool fibres well entrenched into gill tissue (this was likely the same stoopid altum that tried to swallow a large (fat) Otocinclus which then got stuck around the raised dorsal fin ... fortunately the altum was still able to breathe and after a couple days swimming about looking the fool, the Otocinclus “softened” enough to release) ... there wasn’t a lot of rock wool in the tank so it took some effort or (bad) luckI've also heard it said that the fibres can get into their gills and cause irritation. Haven't seen any actual evidence for that, or ingestion, causing problems, just the suggestion that it might. Perhaps you could ask your friend about the gills too.
Thanks for sharing that. Now we know it definitely can happen and isn't just scaremongering.I heard as well but wasn’t really too bothered until I lost an altum angel to rock wool fibres well entrenched into gill tissue (this was likely the same stoopid altum that tried to swallow a large (fat) Otocinclus which then got stuck around the raised dorsal fin ... fortunately the altum was still able to breathe and after a couple days swimming about looking the fool, the Otocinclus “softened” enough to release) ... there wasn’t a lot of rock wool in the tank so it took some effort or (bad) luck
ThanksThanks for sharing that. Now we know it definitely can happen and isn't just scaremongering.
PS I do NOT buy lottery tickets
That's human nature, but you couldn't have forseen it.A lot of self blame went into that death