The microplastics are collected by hand from beaches and river beds

ssi, dan; idea: ckö; pictures: Shutterstock

Aurora, Illinois (dpo) - Pet fish can now finally live like they do in their natural habitat! A pet shop in Aurora, Illinois, today launched a new product: microplastics for fish tanks. This product can be used to create an absolutely realistic habitat for underwater companions.“The water in most fish tanks is unnaturally clean in comparison to most American rivers and lakes, let alone the open ocean,” explains pet shop owner Darren Anderson, who designed the product himself. “But fish owners want to get as close to nature as they can, which must in truth involve animals slowly dying of a colon inflammation caused by prolonged exposure to microplastics.”This innovative product is sold in 2 oz, 4 oz or 7 oz containers for both saltwater and freshwater fish tanks. “If you are going for the real experience, you need a good 4 oz for this size of tank”. Anderson sprinkles a few pinches of the small plastic flakes into one of his fish tanks.“Many owners of freshwater fish tanks are unaware that microplastics have become a permanent feature of the river ecosystem , too, these days. And then they wonder why their fish live longer than they would in the wild”, Anderson says. Using microplastics, he has managed to lower the life expectancy of his own animals by up to 30%.Priced at $4.99 for the 2 oz pack, these fine granules do not exactly come cheap. The beauty of it, though, is that you only have to buy them once. “This stuff keeps for a few hundred years, and once in the water, it stays there virtually forever. If it gets caught in the filter on the tank and is removed that way, you can just put it right back in again.”Ever resourceful in his fish keeping, Anderson is already planning to introduce further innovations: glyphosate drops to achieve the correct level of water pollution and a method entailing using real heavy fuel to create believable streaks on the water’s surface.Read the German version HERE