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Over the years I've tried all kinds of tools and gadgets to assist in cleaning and feeding newts. Everything from battery powered syphons to home made pooters, but I always fall back on a handful of trusty tools. It struck me that few of the items I use regularly are actually intended for use with aquariums or animals. It would be great if we all shared some of our favourite tools, you never know, you may be using something that no-one else has thought of.
Here are some of mine to get the ball rolling (pictured above).
1) Large Squeegee - Great for cleaning algae and dirt from the glass. It can also be used for cleaning the outside of the tank. I like the design of this one as the frame holding the rubber blade creates less water movement than if it were solid.
2) Basters – One of the most useful and embarrassing tools you'll ever buy. Essential for sucking up poop, transferring larvae or eggs and priming syphons.
3) Long forceps/tweezers – Rarely a day goes by without delivering some unsuspecting invertebrate to it's death using these forceps. Great for feeding worms and grubs.
4) Radiator Paint Brush – This is a long handled paint brush with an angled head. It's intended for painting behind radiators, hence the long handle. I cropped the bristles to leave approx 2cm which makes it far stiffer and therefore more useful for scrubbing. Great for brushing algae from glass and tank decorations. Very few places in a tank are too awkward for this to reach.
5) Feeding Wires – A simple but effective way to offer food to newts. The top one is a bait hook from an angling shop. The bottom is home made using a wooden skewer and some fine wire. To make, simply remove the thin wire from a food bag twist tie and roll around the end of a skewer. Perfect for offering soft pellets and worm chunks.
6) Razor Blades – Sometimes the only thing that will remove stubborn algae and water marks. Can be used in a holder or by hand in awkward places. TAKE EXTRA CARE WITH BLADES! I once ended up in A&E using a razor blade to clean a tank.
Right, lets see yours...
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