salt water to fresh water

Question
Hi, I brought back some shells and wanted to put them in my freshwater tank.  I have been soaking them in hot water to get the salt off.  Is that enough?  Will my fish be ok?

Answer
Hi Taryn;

It is best not to use them at all. Shells are made of calcium, like bones are. The problem is that they very slowly dissolve their calcium (not salt) into the water for as long as they are in your tank. This causes your water to become harder and your pH to rise. There is no treatment that will stop this. It is just a part of normal decay of the skeleton of a dead animal.

There are some nice artificial shells at most local fish stores. They are molded from plastic or ceramic. They are safe for freshwater tanks. That would be your best bet to keep the water chemistry safe for your freshwater fish.

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins