# Can I put these OLD seashells in my betta's tank?



## GtownCaniac (Mar 7, 2020)

Hi all!
I'm new to these forums and relatively new betta owner (I had a betta about 10 years ago who lived about 4 years, and I finally worked up the nerve to get a new one - knowing a lot more about proper betta care and general aquarist knowledge than I did back then, but definitely still learning!)

Anyhoo, my little betta boy is in a 5 gal tank (heated, filtered, checking water parameters, etc.) with driftwood and live plants, and I have been reading some conflicting info on whether or not seashells from the ocean are safe for a betta's tank (PH being one issue, but dissolving and leaving other chemicals/minerals in the water being another).

What are your thoughts on this? I have two seashells that have literally been sitting dry in a bucket with many others in my parents' back shed for about *20 years *(not sure if their age or the fact that they've been sitting that long out of the ocean makes a difference).

*EDIT:* Was definitely planning on boiling the shells if I did decide to add them, wanted to make sure I included that.

Thanks for your help!


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## Rainbo (Nov 23, 2015)

Personally, I'd not do it due to the PH issue.


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## Mbpoppy (Nov 3, 2019)

You could utilize them as decoration outside the tank, that could be attractive


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## Rana (Apr 27, 2013)

Unless your tap water has a very high pH already, the shells will slowly dissolve into nothing. So everything else aside, you'd have to be okay with them disappearing.

I don't think a couple of shells will do much to affect your pH unless your water is very very soft, though. You may see a slight increase, but if your water is already moderately hard it's not likely to cause a large swing- and shells dissolve slowly, so any increase will be equally slow, rather than dramatically overnight. People add crushed coral to their tanks to help buffer their pH all the time, and that's the same main component of seashells- calcium carbonate.

So the bigger concern, in my mind, is salt and other contaminants. If they've been out of water for twenty years, any water-borne disease is probably dead. Scrub them well- I'd get a stiff-bristle brush, one that hasn't been used with soap before obviously- and go at them to get off any obvious salt, sand, algae, etc. After boiling, see if they still smell salty and if so, soak them in water with frequent changes until the smell goes away. If after a week or so they _still_ smell like the ocean, they're probably not ever going to be safe for a freshwater tank.


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## Fish 4 sale ¢50 a fish. (Sep 30, 2019)

I use shells as my decor.


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