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I love my Oscar fish, but at 12 and 13 inches they tend to really rearrange the tank. This can be especially frustrating because I like to have plastic plants in my South American cichlid tanks. I have tried several solutions but finally came up with the idea of making a base out of aquarium substrate.
Materials Needed
- Plastic plants
- Some aquarium gravel
- Clear aquarium safe silicone sealant
- Waxed paper
- Rubber gloves
- If your substrate is sand, you can use some sand in addition to the gravel
Directions
The first step is to remove the plastic plants from the little plastic cups they come with. Once the plastic plants are removed set them aside. The next part can be a little messy so it is important to have a good clean place to work. Spread the waxed paper on your work area and put on the gloves to keep your hands free of silicone. Once the work area is set up, measure out one cup of gravel and 1/3 cup of sealant. Mix the gravel thoroughly with the sealant. After the gravel/sealant combination is mixed, form it into cookie shaped mounds and place them on the waxed paper. Insert a plastic plant into each mound. If you have sand substrate you can sprinkle it on the newly made bases to make the base blend in with the substrate. Leave the bases on the wax paper to dry for 48 hours. When they are done they will stay in the substrate for all but the most destructive fish.
Article by Keith Pardee |
