I just bought two Balinese Lantern Ornaments for my 2 Betta fish. The window carvings felt a little bit sharp around the edges, so that my fish wouldn't get their fins torn I scraped the edges to make them smooth. Where I scraped, a white plastic (or whatever base material was used) became exposed. And oh my it smells like a chemical factory! I washed it and let it sit for a few days before putting it in the tank. Once in the tank, the smell came alive and completely permeated the water. I took the ornaments out for now since the fish are stressed enough from being put in a brand new aquarium.
The website where I purchased it from states that these ornaments are made from nontoxic materials and are safe for freshwater fish. Did they perhaps mean that the outer layer is nontoxic? And if it is nontoxic, what material could be causing such a sharp smell?
The website where I purchased it from states that these ornaments are made from nontoxic materials and are safe for freshwater fish. Did they perhaps mean that the outer layer is nontoxic? And if it is nontoxic, what material could be causing such a sharp smell?