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I noted cuttlefish got a mention


blackcat

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Hey all may I ask if anyone has used cuttlefish in their tanks as I ahve just founs some on the beach with my family and have brought them home ... have any of you ever used thwm ? Anything I shoukd be aware of .? Any special way of using them ??..

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I've used them in with snails as a carbonate booster. Don't know if they have actually done anything but certainly haven't hurt. Just be careful that there is no little pieces of flesh left sticking to the cuttlebones as they will obviously rot and pollute your tanks.

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I would also give them a real good boil as they have a tendency to carry lice and other nasties.

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I have never used them but I would keep an eye on my WP just in case they raise the TDS, PH or KH, wouldn't want to do all that work over the last few weeks getting your water right only to mess it up again. :dejection: But I'm overly cautious :encouragement:

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Carbonate boosters of any kind, cuttlefish bone being one of them, will raise tds and KH and pH over time.

It'll add some calcium in the water as it breaks down.

Great if that is your intention. Otherwise avoid using it.

There are other ways of adding calcium carbonates to your tank without using an unsightly cuttlefish bone.

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I have used them, so long as they are clean and white they won't transfer any thing. HOWEVER I have soft water so there is no problem for me using them and I have seen the shrimp grazing on them.

I would not use them with Crystal types that are sensitive to TDS and the like, in saying that I have used them on Crystal types up here with no issue.

The most and by far important thing is to know you starting water quality, because water is so different, what is a disaster for some one may be a success for you.

Bob

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Doing research I have found a lot of people with great success using cuttle but as BOB said know your WP. Some put it in their canister so it is not seen, google it and see...

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  • 1 year later...

I have read the post about cuttlefish being utilised in shrimp tanks. I saw mentioned that people were looking at adding it to filters but my question is has anyone added it directly to the tank and if so did it have any adverse effects with water parameters? What would be the recommended amount to add to a standard 4 foot tank that I have divided into 4 sections.  I use sponge filtration so adding to a filter is out of the question.

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