Fishing weights, the small metal balls suitable for use?

[Blatchy]

Hello, just curious as to whether I can use the small weights people attach to fishing lines in my FW tank?

I plan on buying a few weights and tying fishing line to these to weigh down zucchini and other vegetables in my 17gal tank for my small briselnose cats.

Just curious whether placing such metal will leak harmful toxins into the water. Before using I will wash these and they will not have previously been used in salt or fresh water as they will be brand new. I'm aware you can get some weights designed for tanks however these are always marked up at the pet stores and are incredibly expensive and look the same as the metal used for the fishing weights although come in a stick around 2 inchs long which can bend.

 

[Guest]

It depends. Australia, I have no idea of your laws, but some states here in the U.S. require fishing weights to be made of steel, which I think would be ok in a tank. Most states allow the weights to be made of lead, which I would not want to put in my tank.

When I used to have fish I needed to feed veggies too, I did two different things. One, I bought a veggie clip, basically a clip w/suction cup you can stick inside the tank. Two, a rock and a rubber band, just attach the veg to the rock with the rubber band, and drop it in.

Also, the weights designed for holding down plants are made of some sort of tank-safe metal, perhaps worth the investment.

 

[Blatchy]

Thanks mate, i suppose it is a one of investment anyway considering I will just be reusing these over and over. In all honesty I'm probably just being tight and not wanting to fork over $10.

Thanks for the advice. Be interested in those vege clips, havent seen any over here but would definatelly be beneficial.

 

[jclubb]

I use a rubber band and an the proper sized rock. I saw this in my LFS and it works just fine.

 

[William]

I would not want lead anywhere near my fish.


I know first hand the toxic nature of lead, Someone very close to me developed cancer from to much exposure to lead weights [ He was almost an everyday fisherman ]


So I would use something else if at all possible.

 

[Enki]

Lead is bad news, I would recommend never even touching those lead weights ever, at all. I would never put them in with my fish.

 

[tabitha]

i'd say try and find veggie clips.. they have them at all our petstores here but i dont know about australia now im sure you can find one somewhere

 

[nemokeeper]

I bought a product from my lfs that was made by Hagen. It is little strips of metal that bend around the base of plants to weigh them down. Looks like lead to me. You would think that they would not sell something that would hurt your fish. 8O

 

[William]

Did you read on the back? if it contains lead it must have warning lable on the back stating such

 

[nemokeeper]

Well I found the package and low and behold it says on the front that they are non-toxic, but they look and feel like lead. Shows you what I know.