Do You Plug The Holes?

[ColR1948]

I recently had a Nitrite spike, I'm still doing the water changes but it is dropping, after a search I found a couple of dead fish inside an artificial rock, I had trouble locating them till I eventually took out the stones.
I have an large articicial rock in the back corner, I took it out but no fish behind it, I placed it in a bucket while I looked further in the tank.
Then I noticed one of the fish fall out as I lifted it to put it back, this made me look further and another one also dropped out, these were the 2 that were missing.
I thought I would try and plug the hole that was underneath the rock but had nothing to plug it with so all I could do was place it back making sure the base was buried in the substrate.
I realise they put the hole there to enable water to get inside so it will sink better but it also enables some fish to get in as well and may be even get trapped without you seeing them till it's too late.

 

[brian1]

Hi, if you can't block it, make it much bigger if it is possible, that way the fish can come and go as they please.......

 

[LZ-DEN]

hi,our daughter has a large artifical rock in her tank,some fish went missing,when i removed the rock (plastic) 2 dead fish came out..upon replacing the rock i just made sure the bottom was well under the gravel to stop the fish from getting in and dying inside it.yes the holes are in the top of the rock to enable the air inside it to escape when lowered into the tank..at first glance this rock looked real to me..i was quite suprised to find it was made of plastic...

 

[raptorrex]

best solution is not to use fake rocks.
the real thing is cheap to free!!

 

[LZ-DEN]

quite right of course however this fake rock came with the aquarium when she bought it...and its stayed in there. mind you its a 4ft tank...if i ever get to have it..that fake rock is going in the bin..

 

[ColR1948]

I got the fake rock because the tank it fairly deep and I wanted something to stand in the back corner, this fitted the bill so to speak, it does look real plus it's light too where as if I got a real rock that big it would have been too heavy, I have tall plants as well to help fill the background.

 

[LZ-DEN]

you cant beat real rocks and plants etc..but if your happy with it..thats fine..thats all that matters..

 

[raptorrex]

you cant beat real rocks and plants etc..but if your happy with it..thats fine..thats all that matters..

Humm, i see your point, BUT:
how happy can you be when its killing fish?

 

[LZ-DEN]

yes raptorrex your quite right,but its not up to others to tell someone to remove an object from there tank,we can only point out that it maybe better to remove it for the sake of the fish.its there choice to remove or keep it.