# Random thought #1



## Jasonator (Jul 12, 2011)

When you buy _some_ plants from LFS, they come with foam and *lead* weights wrapped around the bottom of the stems.

Isn't this a bad idea? I mean, if we don't like our kids sucking on lead-based painted toys, then wouldn't we be doing bad things to our fish-kids by putting big chunks of lead in their tanks.

Just throwing it out there....


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## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

First of all, the fish are not my kids   I also bury the weight - not so much worry about the fish than aesthetic. Also not worried about getting a brain damaged fish ? 

I also think fish kids have better instinct than human kids - they won't be chewing on things not edible. Never seen one picking on lead wt yet. Never seen fish kids trying to eat their own fins. My kids tried to eat their own finger/fist and toes. hehe


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## TomC (Apr 21, 2010)

Im not sure it is really lead. It may be zinc. Does anybody know? I suppose if it is lead, then the issue would be how much leeches into the water.


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## Diztrbd1 (Apr 21, 2010)

I think if it were harmful to fish, they would have quit making weights/sinkers & lures for fishing,out of them. Though I could be wrong.


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## jbyoung00008 (May 16, 2011)

Jasonator said:


> When you buy _some_ plants from LFS, they come with foam and *lead* weights wrapped around the bottom of the stems.
> 
> Isn't this a bad idea? I mean, if we don't like our kids sucking on lead-based painted toys, then wouldn't we be doing bad things to our fish-kids by putting big chunks of lead in their tanks.
> 
> Just throwing it out there....


Great question. Stem plants are supplied to LFS in this matter because suppliers cant wait for roots to grow as the supply and demand is too great. Lots of plants at LFS are stem plants. The best way to keep a plant from floating is to attach something to it. The lead holds it down. The foam allows the plant to grow roots and breath. Some suppliers use rubber bands which kills the stem of the plants. Always remove the foam and weight. Than plant it into the gravel. Who knows if the lead is harmful but either way you should be removing it so their should be no issue if it is harmful to your tank. Suppliers have been selling plants this way for years. Lets assume its safe. Unless you have fish with 3 eyes


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

I wouldn't assume it's safe, people already did that with asbestos and look what happened as a result. I used to pick that off of piping at my elementary school, and the adults said "don't make a mess". That was hardly the 50's or 60's, I'm talking less than two decades ago. Yes, the school did relocate but not because of that, it became over populated, and yes it had to be environmentally removed and disposed of after the fact to allow a new cultural school in to the premises.

Do I know any negative affects of it, no, but I can almost certainly promise you we will find out it leeches, and it won't be vitamin C that's a result.


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## waterbox (Nov 26, 2011)

Lead is toxic. . . but not highly toxic. The problem is that it accumulates in living organisms over time. In higher doses, it causes developmental problems in children and ultimately brain damage in adults. Unlike some other substances that are good for you in small quantities (like, say, iron or magnesium) but bad for you in excessive quantities, there is no such thing as a good amount of lead to have in your body. We don't need lead at all to be healthy. 

So, it is somewhat toxic, and personally I discard the lead sinker that comes with any plants I buy. But I do think that it would take a lot of lead sinkers in an aquarium to actually affect your fish negatively. 

By the way Dztrbd1, lead shot (for hunting ducks and other game birds) and, to a lesser degree, lead fishing sinkers, is a fairly serious environmental problem in places where hunting and fishing are popular. Some European countries have banned lead sinkers and shot in favour of steel, which is much less toxic. Unfortunately, many hunters don't want to use steel shot as it is much less effective at bringing down ducks and other birds. There are powerful lobby groups in the United States (the NRA) fighting the changeover in some states that have sought to ban lead shot and sinkers.


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## Insane in the Fish brain (Jan 10, 2012)

Meh those weights are awesome tie food to them like veggies and my loaches love it. Its only if its really ingested can it by harmful to the fish.


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## Foxtail (Mar 14, 2012)

Waterbox, as far as I know lead shot is banned for hunting waterfoul. i'm not positive about upland game birds though. I do know it is hard to find lead shot shells nowadays

Sent from my SGH-T959D using Tapatalk 2


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

It's lead, not zinc. I happen to have some on hand, because I take them off plants when I plant them. Lead oxidizes fairly quickly and since the oxide is not very water soluble, unless your fish eats the lead, they're not getting exposed to much lead.


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## Danw (Feb 26, 2011)

from my understanding lead is banned because after it is shot, some animals (like geese and many other species of bird) eat small stones to help in digestion. this is called the gizzard. So then the bird eats the lead and gets a small does of lead poisoning. like waterbox mentioned...


> Lead is toxic. . . but not highly toxic. The problem is that it accumulates in living organisms over time.


 And the lead is passed on up the food chain. to higher order animals such as wolves or humans.


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## Jasonator (Jul 12, 2011)

Good round of replies! 
I figured if the toxic proprties of the lead were to be/get free floating, the fish would inadvertantly inhale/injest the toxicity.
I personally can't think of a more convenient way to keep my plants anchored and facing the right direction, as my fish in one of my tanks graze the plants non stop and the plants end up all over the place.


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