WARNING: Zoo Med Betta Bed Leaf Hammock

**Tetris** · 01-26-2010, 08:39 AM

Originally Posted by CherrySparkles

I really hope it's some kind of mistake and not that the company is cheap/irresponsible/all the other nasty stuff I'm thinking right now! They have a customer service email that I sent a message to about the rust, but I haven't gotten a response yet.

I'm getting a little more wary of aquarium products, since I've had one other plant rust on me before this, and I had a bit of a fit when I found MSG listed in the ingredients for Hikari Betta Bio-Gold pellets I was feeding.

Needless to say, my betta gets nothing but frozen food now and I'm a lot more aware of what I'm buying for him. :)

Stick to dried foods... More nutritional value... Most of the nutrients in frozen foods get destroyed during the freezing process.

For small fish like bettas, it's pretty hard to beat flakes... Many people swear by Hikari. Lots of people use NLS as well. In the end variety is never a bad idea as long as it's high quality variety. I will say avoid any product that promises to improve the fish's colours though.

Or you could always look into cultivating live food...

As far as tank decor... There's driftwood, rocks, live plants, and silk plants... Really not much else the fish would particularly care for to be honest. Fish live in the water, they float... It's not like they're on their feet all day that they need to lie down. Just give'em hiding places and maybe some surface cover and he'll make himself comfortable.

**gadget228** · 01-26-2010, 12:21 PM

Appreciate the warning on this product, I won't be getting any.

**Sarkazmo** · 01-26-2010, 12:52 PM

Hornwort and Java Moss both are very easy to grow, help filter the water, and do very well in low light setups. Betta LOVE these plants and will wiggle through them and lay on them all the time.

It's natural, alive, helps the quality of the water, and the fish love the plants. Don't waste your money on this crap or crap like it.

Sark

**T Fades** · 01-29-2010, 04:49 PM

Interesting topic.

I just bought one of these leaf hammocks for my 2.5g tank that holds my male betta 'Blue' about 2 weeks ago. At first, I was concerned because as mentioned, it is a very hard plastic, and am worried it might tear Blue's fins.

I gotta say though, he absolutely loves the leaf hammock. Always 'chillin' on it.

Will definately keep an eye on the rust issue.

Here is where I will probably get flamed. I do not have a hood on Blue's tank because Blue's tank is the only water my two cats will drink. The cats never try to pester Blue. Blue doesn't seem to mind, in fact, he will swim up to the cats when they are drinking and looks like he wants to play/hang out.

**dragoonwoman** · 01-29-2010, 07:16 PM

One of my cats used to drink from my shrimp tank every day. One day I noticed dead shrimp and found the tank had been poisoned (pH 6.0 or less; ammonia was 8 (!!!!), nitrites 2 and nitrates 80)!!

I had done w/c on the tank the day before, and all the readings were fine. All I can think is my cat had something on his paws, and when he paddled in the water with them, it got into my tank and killed everything.

A cat can have kitty litter on its feet that contains urine or feces, and that could kill your betta if it got into the tank. If you cover the tank so the cats can't drink from it, the cats will NOT die of thirst, believe me! They will find another source of water, although they might protest the loss of the "fish soup."

IME.

**WonderlandAlli** · 02-17-2013, 05:43 AM

THANK YOU! I was just thinking of that leaf bed because I want something for my betta to nap on, and I googled it and your warning came up first thing. Scary! I'll pass, and maybe get some plastic (NON WIRED!) broad leaf plant for him. There has to be something that works the same way he can nap on. I have a rocky arch but its a sandstone, and I want to get him something smoother and broad to nap on. (I signed up just to thank you!!!)