Is it possible to keep shells in an aquarium? Is it possible to put shells from the sea in an aquarium? Sea shells for aquarium

Why shells are considered not a very suitable decoration for an aquarium containing fish and plants, and what you should pay attention to before placing them in an aquarium, find out by reading the article.

Shells in an aquarium are not considered suitable decoration because they are 100% calcium carbonate, like limestone and chalk. This substance, when present in an aquarium, significantly affects the pH and hardness of the water. Of course, basically everything depends on the initial parameters of the water used, and which parameters are more suitable for the inhabitants of the aquarium. But the higher the initial hardness of the water, the less influence the shells in the aquarium have on its parameters. If the water in your underwater kingdom is of medium hardness or slightly alkaline, then a small number of shells in the aquarium will not greatly affect its parameters. But slightly acidic and soft water has the ability to intensively dissolve calcium from shells in the aquarium, which will result in a significant change in the composition of the water. If your aquarium contains fish and plants that are adapted to life in soft water, then a slight increase in its hardness will negatively affect their health. For example, characin fish prefer to live in soft water, but they will not spawn in hard water.

The process of dissolving shells in an aquarium is significantly accelerated if the aquarium has a feeding system carbon dioxide or agents are added that lower the pH of the water. Plants, unlike fish, are much more sensitive to increased water hardness. For some fish, shells in an aquarium provide shelter or a spawning site. It is not recommended to use shells in an aquarium with sharp edges and protrusions, as they can injure fish. Shells in an aquarium are also dangerous because many curious fish climb into them and get stuck inside, which leads to their death. This especially applies to catfish. To avoid this, it is recommended to place shells in the aquarium with the entrance facing down.

It is strictly forbidden to use painted or varnished shells to decorate an aquarium. Before placing shells in the aquarium, they need to be boiled and the entire accessible surface cleaned. It is better to use shells that have been empty for a long time than those in the depths of which there may still be remains of dead mollusks. If there are shells that are especially valuable to you, do not put them in the aquarium, because over time they can change color and texture, and some of them may completely dissolve.

When choosing shells for an aquarium, think about whether they would be appropriate in your underwater world, because many exotic seashells do not fit very well into the design of a freshwater aquarium, and sometimes are completely inappropriate. When choosing shells, also consider their size, which should match your aquarium and the pets living in it.

As you can see, shells are not an essential component for the life of fish and plants. Still, they play a big role in the decoration of the aquarium itself. Before placing shells in the aquarium, make sure they are secure and non-toxic.

A properly equipped aquarium is not just a container filled with water with fish and plants. It's interesting and rich undersea world. And there are many ways to design such a little world. The most popular option is shells in an aquarium. This is due, among other things, to the fact that they can be placed in marine and freshwater aquariums with equal success. It is only important to follow some rules, which will be discussed below.

How to use it correctly?

Obviously, you can't just throw more shells into the aquarium: they all need to be handled accordingly. Thus, seashells in an aquarium are often complemented by dilapidated castles or sunken ships.

But design considerations are far from the only aspect. The fact is that shells are very similar in composition to limestone or chalk. Consequently, almost one hundred percent of their composition is calcium carbonate. Due to this circumstance, many aquarists refuse this element of aquarium design. Let's explain why this happens.

Calcium carbonate present in aquarium water affects:

• her acid-base balance;
• and for rigidity.

And this must be taken into account, since different fish react differently to a specific water composition.

Accordingly, the final picture will depend on what the characteristics of the water in the container were before placing the shells. For example, in an aquarium where the water has medium hardness and is slightly alkaline, a small number of shells will not have a significant effect on the indicators, which means you can put them in the aquarium.

On the other hand, it is completely inappropriate to put seashells in an aquarium where the water is quite soft and slightly acidic. And such a decision by the aquarist will have a particularly negative impact on fish from the Kharacin family. Why? Water with the indicated characteristics causes rapid dissolution of calcium, therefore, the presence of shells in a container with such water will lead to a very rapid change in the composition of the source. In this case, the characins will not die, but you should not expect them to spawn in the future. Plants are no less sensitive to any changes in acidity, as well as to increased hardness of aquarium water.

Due to the circumstances described, before placing seashells in the aquarium, you should carefully weigh everything.

About selection rules

To be fair, we note that in some cases, taking into account the peculiarities, you can still put several shells in the aquarium. The fact is that for a number of fish they are a kind of house. Some people adapt aquarium shells as an excellent place for spawning. In these situations, and even when you simply want to place a certain number of beautiful shells in your aquarium, you can proceed from certain rules:

• It is not allowed to place elements in the aquarium that have sharp protrusions. Otherwise, aquarium inhabitants may cause harm to themselves;
• It is important that the aquarium shells are positioned with their entrance down. In this case, too curious fish will not be able to get inside;
• The decorative elements of the underwater world in question must be clean. It is absolutely unacceptable to use it as possible options such underwater “houses” that are varnished or painted in any color;
• Obviously, aquarium shells should be empty. That is, before putting them in the aquarium, you need to reliably make sure that the previous inhabitant has probably “moved out”;
• Shouldn't be in an aquarium valuable species shells. What is the reason? Otherwise, there is a high risk that these aquarium shells will change their color and texture. Moreover, you can wait for them to completely dissolve.

In conclusion, let us point out one more thing important rule: All shells must be cleaned and boiled as much as possible before being placed in the aquarium.

The main thing is, before you add to your underwater world, think carefully: are seashells really necessary in your aquarium? If the answer is yes, then it is recommended to think through in advance down to the smallest detail the final design option for the underwater kingdom. This will allow you to determine which aquarium shells are needed, as well as find out the required quantity.

Sea shells for aquarium

The aquarium itself is beautiful, no matter what style it is decorated in. Nowadays, aquariums decorated in a marine style, with bright original fish and real corals, are very popular. But in any case, a freshwater aquarium, which is dominated by a lot of greenery and beautiful fish, is in no way inferior to a sea one.

Aquarium shells

Seashells brought from the sea or purchased at a pet store are perfect for the design of the first and second types of aquarium. Seashells in an aquarium look very beautiful and original, especially if the aquarium is decorated in a marine style. Using shells you can create an unusual design. Everything depends only on the wild imagination of the aquarium owner.

If the shells are too small, you can scatter them along the bottom of the aquarium, and put a couple of the same ones in one of the corners, only bigger size. Unlike a freshwater aquarium, a marine aquarium is admired by many people, as it is quite rare among hobbyists.

Shell processing

Before placing shells in the aquarium, they must be pre-treated.

If they were found in the sea, they must be thoroughly cleaned with a brush and then boiled over low heat for three hours. After boiling, the shells are soaked for about a day in cold water.

This is done in order to get rid of harmful bacteria and microorganisms that may be on the shellfish.

The influence of shells on the inhabitants of the aquarium

Seashells for an aquarium can also be purchased in the store. In this case, there is no need to process them, since they go on sale already disinfected.

But it should be remembered that shells have a bad effect on aquarium plants, as they make the water a little hard, and this significantly affects plant growth.

In general, shells in a marine aquarium look very impressive. And a marine aquarium, as a rule, assumes the absence of plants, therefore the shells cannot harm anyone in any way.

Seashells in an aquarium

As you know, an aquarium is an entire underwater world, enclosed in a transparent vessel for the joy of people. There are many options for designing an aquarium. One of the most popular is the design with shells. By the way, such decorations will be appropriate in both freshwater and sea “reservoir” - the whole point is what kind of shells you will use.

Features of using shells in an aquarium

It is clear that seashells in an aquarium should be treated accordingly. Often, next to such decorations you can see dilapidated castles or sunken ships. However, design is far from the only thing that shells can influence. Many aquarists completely abandon the design with shells. This is why this happens - such jewelry in its composition is very similar to chalk or limestone, that is, it consists of almost one hundred percent calcium carbonate.

The presence of this element in aquarium water affects both the hardness and the acid-base balance of the water. Here, the owner of the aquarium must independently take into account the fact that the change in the characteristics of the water will be more or less noticeable - depending on what characteristics the source had. You should also know that fish react differently to different water compositions. For example, if the water in your aquarium is of medium hardness and slightly alkaline, then aquarium shells in small quantities will not be able to significantly affect the existing indicators.

But seashells in an aquarium where the water is slightly acidic and soft will be completely inappropriate. Especially if there are fish from the Characin family there. After all, such water promotes the rapid dissolution of calcium, which means that the presence of aquarium shells will very quickly change the composition of the source. As for the Kharacins, they are unlikely to die, but you won’t get spawning from them. Aquarium plants are no less, and maybe even more sensitive to changes in acidity and increased hardness.

How to choose the right shells for an aquarium

However, placing seashells in the aquarium may even be a requirement, since some fish make “houses” in them or use them as a spawning site. It is clear that shells used both for this purpose and simply as decoration in an aquarium must meet the following requirements:

• shells with sharp protrusions are prohibited, as they can cause injury to fish,
• such aquarium shells should only be positioned with the entrance facing down, so that overly “curious” fish cannot get in there,
• the shells in the aquarium must be clean: varnished or painted options should not even be considered as possible,
• shells used for a home pond must be completely devoid of their previous owner,
• There should be no valuable shells in the aquarium, because they can not only change color and texture, but also completely dissolve,

Before placing shells in the aquarium, they must be boiled and cleaned as much as possible. However, before performing this operation, you must first of all think through the design of the aquarium - which shells and how many will be appropriate in it.

Thiolomelania

Aquarium snails are the eternal companions of fish; they live in all types of aquariums, sometimes even where it seems impossible. We have described the most common snails in some detail in our articles.

But let's try to collect brief information for all the types described, and then readers will choose what interests them.

If you've ever owned an aquarium, then you've probably encountered aquarium snails. All types of aquarium snails are often viewed as something that appears overnight, covers the plants, muddies the water and kills the fish.

Sometimes they do some of this, but the benefits of snails in an aquarium are much greater. Many types of aquarium snails eat leftover food and other debris, some clean glass and decor, and some are simply very beautiful.

To avoid problems with snails in an aquarium, you just need to understand what causes their rapid growth and which species are not suitable for you. In this article, we will provide an overview of the most popular types of aquarium snails, but if you want to learn more about any of them, we have already written about almost every species, and you will find a description by following the links in the article.

The role of snails in the aquarium

What do aquarium snails eat? Although the type of food they eat depends on the specific species of snail, most are omnivores, eating whatever they can find. Typically, snails eat rotting plants, dead fish, leftover food, etc. In this way, they serve the aquarist by cleaning the aquarium from excess food residues, thereby maintaining cleanliness and reducing the level of toxins in the water.

Of course different types There are also disadvantages to snails. The most common problem- some species can spoil and even eat plants to the ground. In addition, all snails will eat fish eggs if they can get to them and should not be kept in a spawning tank.
The most common problem is that there are too many of them.

We have already discussed this issue in detail in the article -. It lists both the methods and reasons that cause violent reproduction.

So, most often contain:

Physa is also a very common snail. Small, easy to reproduce, lives in very harsh conditions. One of the disadvantages is that it can gnaw holes in the leaves of rather tough plants, such as Echinodorus. What spoils their appearance, so if you are a plant lover, then it is better to get rid of them.

Snails to Avoid

Of those listed above, there are none. And in general, the main types of snails are completely harmless. But, very often in markets they sell under the guise of aquarium snails, species that live in natural reservoirs of our latitudes.

And it’s simple - becoming a victim of deception is very unpleasant. How to understand that these are local snails? Look on the Internet for the main types of snails and do not buy those that do not belong to them.

Conclusion

Almost all types of aquarium snails are good residents, only some require their own conditions that are not suitable for general aquarium. They become a problem only if something goes wrong in the aquarium, and even then this is not a problem, it’s a signal.

We have listed the main types of snails that are kept in an aquarium, and in other articles we talked about them in more detail. Read, think, choose.

Hello, dear aquarists. In the previous article we told you about. In this article, for those of you who have made your choice in favor of shells, we will tell you what criteria to follow in order to choose the right shells for your aquarium, and we will also tell you how to prepare shells for your aquarium.

How to choose the right shells for an aquarium?

When choosing shells for an aquarium, you should first pay attention to the following criteria:

• aquarium size;
• type of aquarium (freshwater or marine);
• types of fish in your aquarium;
• purpose of using shells;
• safety for the inhabitants of the aquarium.

Based on these criteria, you can make the most right choice. Based on these criteria, we have prepared some tips for you:

Depending on the size of the aquarium:

If your aquarium is small (), you can choose shells of both large and small sizes. However, if you choose a large size, it is better if it is only one shell. If your choice falls on small sizes, then it is advisable to use several shells.

For aquariums big size We do not recommend using small shells: firstly, they get lost, and secondly, they do not make the right impression here. Make a clear choice in favor of large shells, which in this case will look most advantageous.

Depending on the type of aquarium (freshwater, marine):

For a freshwater aquarium, we recommend choosing simple, not bright shells. You don’t have to use them at all in your aquarium design, choosing other options for creating underwater comfort, for example. Exotic seashells are not appropriate in a freshwater aquarium. It is better to leave them for marine aquariums, where they will be more harmoniously and naturally presented to the gaze of the spy.

Depending on the type of fish:

You should know everything about your fish: features of life, spawning, etc. There are fish that may not spawn due to shells (Characite fish), and, of course, in this case it is better to refuse to use shells in the design of the aquarium. There are fish that, on the contrary, cannot live peacefully in an aquarium if there are no shells there, which use shells for housing, shelter, and spawning. In such cases, shells in the aquarium are simply necessary. In addition, it is desirable that these are not small shells, so that the fish can easily fit there.

Depending on the purpose of using shells:

• only for design - any shells that correspond to the design you thought out in advance;
• for shelter and spawning - large shells.

Considering the need for the safety of your aquarium, its inhabitants and the shells themselves:

Some fish (catfish) can climb inside the shell and get stuck there, which leads to their death. In such cases, you need to either stop using shells or place them with the hole facing down.

To avoid injury to aquarium inhabitants, avoid using shells that have sharp edges and protrusions.

Also, do not place shells that are valuable to you in the aquarium. We told you earlier why this should not be done.

In order not to spoil the life of the entire aquarium world, place in the aquarium only those shells that are not varnished or painted. Otherwise, it threatens to destroy the entire microenvironment.

To avoid various diseases, choose shells that are clean not only on the outside, but also on the inside. Examine them carefully to see if there are any parts of the previous residents left inside (remains of dead mollusks). And, of course, do not forget to properly prepare the shells you choose for the aquarium. We will tell you below how to prepare shells for an aquarium.

How to prepare shells for an aquarium?

It’s good if the shells you select for the aquarium meet all design requirements. However, the most important thing is that they comply with all safety regulations. To do this, clean the shells inside and out from dirt and possible residues. If the shell has a complex topography, you can use, for example, wooden toothpicks to clean hard-to-reach places. cotton buds. Never use acetone or other chemicals, not intended for this purpose. Those. If the shell was, for example, varnished, do not be fooled by the fact that cleaning with acetone allows you to then place the shell in the aquarium. Such a shell has a place only in external design.

After cleaning the shell as much as possible, it should be boiled. Do not pour boiling water over it, but boil it.

Our advice to you: follow these simple requirements for preparing shells for an aquarium, and do not neglect them. Some people believe that the aquarium world is not a sterile environment, and therefore there is no need to bother preparing shells. Yes, the environment in the aquarium is not sterile, but such careful treatment will allow you to avoid unforeseen and harmful diseases for your aquarium pets. As people say, it’s better to be safe than sorry, or in other words, to foresee worst options developments of events and be prepared for them, rather than suffer later from your carelessness.

In our online store they are available for sale at reasonable prices!

We all know how underwater life can fascinate with its uniqueness and beauty. Therefore, everyone strives not only to populate their aquarium with fish, but also to give it an aesthetic appearance through decoration.

You can decorate an aquarium in many ways using. The most popular design for many aquarists is the shell design, which blends naturally into the underwater environment and can be easily combined with other aquarium materials.

Every aquarist faces an acute question: is it possible to place shells in an aquarium? After all, it is known that shells in an aquatic environment tend to dissolve, releasing calcium carbonate, of which they consist almost 100%. And calcium carbonate, in turn, affects water hardness and its pH. And some species of fish (Characins do not spawn in it) and plants take water hardness very seriously.

However, we confidently declare that Shells can be placed in the aquarium! Why?

So, we hope that you are convinced that it is possible, and sometimes even necessary, to place shells in an aquarium. However, we advise you to comply with some rules:

• The process of dissolving shells is accelerated by the addition of carbon dioxide. Therefore, try not to combine the first and second.
• Do not place shells in the aquarium that can injure fish (those with sharp protrusions and edges).
• Try to place shells in the aquarium with the entrance facing down so that curious fish do not get stuck in them, which leads to death. This advice especially applies to you if you keep catfish in your aquarium. Conversely, neglect this advice for those species of fish that use shells for their own purposes (housing, safety, spawning).
• You can put shells in the aquarium that are not treated with varnish or paint!
• We also do not recommend that you put in the aquarium those types of shells that are of high value and dear to you personally, because they can dissolve in water and change their color and texture.

In any case, if you really want to decorate an aquarium with shells, but have seen any contraindications to this, do not despair! After all, you can decorate an aquarium both inside, by placing shells in the water, and outside, next to the aquarium. Sometimes this can make your aquarium design even more charming and stylish!