adam85491 wrote:About the cuttlebone, is it like a hard white block like turtle bones? I cant push the turtlebones against something and it will indent it, but that is all. It is only two dollars for two blocks about six inches big here. But if I decide to get cuttlebone, will it be softer and should I get the flavored kind? I also noticed that many of them have a metal wire on them, how easy does that come off?
The metal bracket is extremely easy to remove. Just un-bend it. It's not any harder to bend than a metal wire. You'll see when you get it.
Also, the "hard backing" on cuttlebone that people are talking about is on one side. You have to actually get your hands on one to "feel" this backing. Basically it works like this: the cuttlebone is 2-sided. It is easy to press your fingernail into the one side. The other side, you fingernail will not go in. The side where you nail won't go in is the "hard backing" and can easily be peeled from the cuttlebone using a sharp knife before you put the cuttle in your tank.
And yes, even the hatchlings can bite into the cuttle. They actually just "shave" sections off the cuttle....it's not like they actually "bite into it & swallow whole." More like shaving/nipping (if you ever watch a bird in a cage, they shave away the cuttle too....same thing). I just got a new hatchling, and it took a few days, but I am noticing that there are some little shave/nip marks in the cuttle that weren't there when I first put the cuttle in the tank.
My big adult RES doesn't like cuttlebone, so I put a "water neutralizer" block (shaped like a treasure chest) in there with her. She likes to bite/eat that for some reason & usually finishes it off in about 5 days. Oh well, as long as she is getting calcium, I guess I don't mind getting her something different than the hatchling.
