Rinsing new aquarium decor before it goes in the tank
The most common problem caused by new ornaments is not the ornament. It is what was on your hands or in the sink when you cleaned it.
Warm water, and nothing else
Every piece we sell is made for aquarium use and is inert in water as supplied. All it needs is a rinse under warm water to remove dust from packing and handling.
That is the whole procedure, and adding anything to it is where problems start.
Never use soap
Soap residue is extremely difficult to rinse fully out of porous resin and rockwork, and even small amounts are harmful to fish and shrimp.
This is the single most important thing on the page. A sink recently used with washing-up liquid should be rinsed before the ornament goes in it.
Do not scrub with anything treated
Sponges and cloths that have held detergent, and any cleaning product marketed as antibacterial, are all off limits. A dedicated brush kept for tank use only is the safe answer.
Label it and keep it away from the kitchen.
A soak for very dusty pieces
If a piece has visible dust in its recesses, a soak in plain dechlorinated water for an hour and a second rinse clears it.
There is no need for boiling water on resin, and it can distort thinner pieces.
Check for sharp edges
Run a finger over the openings and any moulded detail. Casting flash is rare but does happen, and long-finned fish are the first to find it.
A fine emery board takes an edge off in seconds if you find one.
Introduce it gradually
Adding several large pieces at once changes the layout a fish has learned. Adding one at a time causes far less disruption.
Rearranging a tank entirely can unsettle territorial fish for days.
Why it cannot be returned once wet
Once a piece has been in a tank it has been in your water, and it cannot go back on the shelf for someone else. That is why the return window covers dry, unused items only.
If you are unsure whether something suits your setup, ask before it gets wet.
Where this sits in the shop
Pacific Aquarium & Plant Inc. groups its range into 5 sections, so it is usually quicker to start from the group than to scroll the whole shop. These are the ones with stock on the shelf right now:
- Caves and Hideouts — 11 items
- Shipwrecks and Castles — 7 items
- Ornaments — 2 items
- Artificial Plants — 1 item
- Substrate and Stone — 1 item
If none of those is obviously right, the full shop lists everything on one page.
What it costs
Across the 22 items currently listed, prices run from $5.99 to $19.99, with the middle of the range around $9.98. That spread is worth knowing before you start comparing, because the cheapest and dearest options here are usually not the same kind of product at all.
Shipping is a flat $4.49 per order and free once the order reaches $29.00, which is set out in full on the Shipping Policy page.
Questions that come up with this
Is everything aquarium-safe?
Yes. What we list is sold for tank use and is inert in water. Rinse before placing, and never use soap.
How fast do orders go out?
One to two business days to pack, then two to five business days across the United States.
What is the postage?
Flat $3.95 per order, and free once the basket reaches $29.00.
The FAQ page covers the rest.
Coming in instead
Pacific Aquarium & Plant Inc. is at 46 Delancey St, New York, NY 10002, open Mon–Sun: 10:00 AM–6:00 PM. If you would rather look at something before buying it, call +1 212-995-5895 and we will put it aside for you.
Anything already ordered can be followed on the order tracking page.
Four products that show the range
The least expensive way in: Wonfly Pink Floating Diver Aquarium Ornaments, 2-Pack Resin Fish Tank Decoration at $5.99. Listed with its own specification table, so the dimensions and what is in the box are on the page rather than in a description.
A step up from the basics: EMUTOL 5″ Aquarium Underground Tunnel, Dual-Entrance Fish Tank Cave for Betta & Shrimp at $8.59. Listed with its own specification table, so the dimensions and what is in the box are on the page rather than in a description.
A middle-of-the-range option: Litewoo Blue Ceramic Shell Hideout for Betta Fish & Small Aquariums at $13.99. Listed with its own specification table, so the dimensions and what is in the box are on the page rather than in a description.
The most substantial option: FISHNOSH 1-Count Aquarium Cave Decor, Natural Wood-Like Fish Hideout for Tanks at $19.99. Listed with its own specification table, so the dimensions and what is in the box are on the page rather than in a description.
Related reading
Other pieces in this journal that cover neighbouring ground:
- Choosing a cave or hideout that a betta will actually use
- Silk plants and why they beat plastic in a small tank
- Substrate and river rock: the layer everything else sits on
- Aquascaping a small tank so it does not look crowded
The full journal index lists everything we have written so far.
In short
The most common problem caused by new ornaments is not the ornament. It is what was on your hands or in the sink when you cleaned it. If you want to talk it through rather than read about it, +1 212-995-5895 reaches the shop during opening hours, and the contact page has everything else.