Decor for newbie, help?

[jttt3]

Hi there, I guess I'm a newb again, I haven't touched a fish tank in 8 years! I'm starting with a Freshwater aquarium, I've done huge amounts of research on what kinds and how many of each fish to add, how to cycle the tank correctly, etc. Spent 2 months researching, the decor is the only thing I need now lol. :help:

Anyways, I have a 24 gallon bow-front aquapod aquarium from that I bought for my apartment (started small, its a small apartment). I want to decorate it with a castle and dragon theme like the rest of my main living space will be. It's a bit taller than a standard rectangular aquarium, so I need stuff on the taller side rather than wider or longer.

I think I found some castle decor from a company called Blue Ribbon that will work well, however I cannot find a dragon that doesn't look cartoony that looks or sounds remotely safe in an aquarium.

I have a good idea of what kind of materials to avoid, however finding the information you need when viewing a product online to know what it is made of is a tricky thing sometimes. Also, I live in Tampa, FL, USA, and all they sell is a key-west and beachy type feel.

Does anyone have any favorite places that sell decor they could point me to? Online preferred or in the Tampa Bay, FL USA area if someone lives in the area.

Basically I can find plants no problem, I am looking for the following:

Medieval Castle, 15 inches high, 8-10 inches from side to side.
Medieval Dragon, black, white, or blue preferred
Medieval wall, 5-6 inches in length

If anyone could help point me in the right direction, I would be insanely appreciative lol. :goldfish:

Thanks ahead of time

James Tucker
Cautious Enthusiast, Clearwater, FL USA

[Lady Hobbs]

Watch those castles! I have one that is beautiful but a death trap for fish getting caught in it. I have to actually stuff cork into the holes when I want to use it.

[jttt3]

Really? Where abouts do they normally get stuck?

Maybe I can make sure to fill in any dangerous place and take that into consideration on choosing my final purchase.

Thanks!

James Tucker

[NeonJulie]

In the little spaces, "windows" and holes I would imagine. I wanted to get some driftwood-appearing shelter, but I couldn't find ONE that had a hole big enough, that I knew my dwarf gourami could get through without hurting himself. You'd think a big fish would know it can't fit through something smaller than itself, but they do it. He goes through the hole in my rainbow rock and it's just a little larger than him.

[jttt3]

Oh goodness, though I think I can get around that. The castle will be the back piece as the tank I am using has a black back wall used to hide the filter system. With aquarium safe silicon and some black sheet plastic, I could probably remedy the sitaution.

I would have never thought of that, glad I came to this site for sure. =)

Lady Hobbs, which castle of death do you have? (read around during my lunch break lol)

James Tucker

[Lady Hobbs]

The one I purchased was from PetSmart but this particular castle was dropped from their items soon after so I have to assume others had problems.

Castles and other decorations that have nice large holes then tamper off to smaller openings are the problems. Fish can't swim backwards so they head into an opening only to get trapped when it narrows.

Make sure you get something with nice big openings all the way thru or plug off the smaller holes. I actually crammed a plastic shopping bag into my castle for a time. Kept the fish for going in there too deep.

[jttt3]

That makes perfect sense and didn't think about that. Than's for the info. =)

James

[TehTANK]

This is my castle theme I had when I had my 29 gallon. Here is a picture of the castle that I had that I never had problems with when I had gouramis and some silver dollars and what not in there.

[jttt3]

Very cool. I went for something a bit more grand lol.

This is the castle I am using, after a few *cough* modifications. the inside looked like a nasty death trap and i absolutely did not want to take that castle out once it was in if I didn't have to.

Here's a pic of it outside the tank after my mods.

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james