Wow that's dangerous...

[Artarmon]

I've been meaning to post this thread for a while (ever since I first changed Dorian's water that is).
Just a warning, make sure that when you buy gravel you sift through it a bit (perhaps even wash it) before you put it in your fish's tank (that is if you don't already do it). I bought some nice gravel from the local aquarium store and I didn't realise this until I did the first water change, but it had all these rusty pieces of metal wire in it!!
And this was gravel bought from a pet store.
That could've ended reallt badly.

Just a warning... you all probably already check the gravel and stuff anyway... but yeah. Maybe some of the newer fish owners like me would benifet.

[xxabc]

Wire? Pieces? RUSTY? Oh ew. I'd call that petstore when I'm in a bad mood and rantrantrantrant.... :)
Haha, maybe not so far. But that's just...wow.

[Artarmon]

It was such a shock because I didn't notice them when I was putting them in, but then when I was doing the first wate change and scooping out the gravel with my hands to scrub it with hot water I cut myself on a piece of the wire... I was like wth...
I still have the little bits sitting on my bench as a reminder to be more careful next time.

[dramaqueen]

Wow! Thats horrible!! Yeah, I'd definitely give the petstore a piece of my mind. Thanks for thhe warning.

[Chicklet]

You should always wash and re-wash any gravel you get,

If I had of run across something like that I would have been livid,
Lord help the store, I'd have marched it straight back and made a totally ass of myself in front of everyone.

I would a come away with more then just my money back I can guaranteed you that!

That is horrible!

[Tinthalas Tigris]

Was it packaged gravel?

I would contact the company that manufactures it. And inform the store that sold it. It is the manufacturer's fault, and the store simply is the vendor and might not be aware. Definitely inform the store calmly, and contact the company that manufactures it.

[Jupiter]

How horrible! You should let the pet store know, not in an angry way or anything.

[sandystar]

Watch your fishie really well, iron/ rust will kill them.

{Edit}
My mom lost two boys due to iron in the tank.

[Artarmon]

Tigris: Yeah it was packaged gravel... so it is definitely the supplier's fault not the store's fault. I did let them know at the store tough, and they told me they would phone the supplier (lucky I still had the package the gravel came in and it had the batch number on it). I don't tink I will be buying that brand gravel again though!

Sandy: Yeah :l I wouldn't imagine it would be good. But I gut the iron/rusty wire out pretty promplty, and I've made sure that there is no more of it in there. Dorian seems fine though. Thank goodness.

[BettaxFishxCrazy]

That's horrible! I;m glad you brought it to the pet stores attention. I always wash everything very thoroughly before I put it into a tank because things like this do happen.