wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello,
I'm an aquarist, and many fish like to live or breed in shelters,
referred to as 'caves'.
Normally shattered plant-pots or terracotta tubes are used, like
this...
http://www.planetcatfish.com/images/...sc/sw/hz/7.jpg
...but it would be very useful to be able to make 'custom' caves for
the fish.
When I've looked in to this in the past, the need to use a kiln has put
me off, but now I see there's air-drying clays, as well as low-fire
clays and polymer clays you can fire in your household oven.
My questions a are air-drying/low-firing clays or polymer clays
non-toxic after firing, and would they survive (ie not fall to pieces)
if kept constantly in water for several years?
Luckily, I have a kiln, so I will be making my own decorations and stuff for
our coming (SOOOON!!) aquariums.
There are clays that have to be oven-baked, which might not give off as much
"stuff" as air-dry clays. You also have that plastic stuff that just needs
to be heated a little in order to dry hard, and that seems then very
durable.
But I second Steve that you need to put a piece in a water sample that you
test before and after - and long after! You don't want to poison your fish
in the attempts :-)
Marianne