First Post - Need Ideas - Prison Theme Tank

[Notrega]

I have worked in the prison system for the past 24 years and I have a 20 gallon tank with a curved front. I want to decorate the tank as a prison. The footprint is too small for a whole prison of any scale, so I am thinking of a stretch of fence, a gun tower, and a housing unit. The images attached are McFarlane Walking Dead Prison Sets. I like the look of this, but I am unsure whether it would be safe in a tank.
If is is safe then I am good to go, well as long as Ms. Notrega releases the funds. Otherwise what are my options on replicating this look with commercially available stuff or DIY?
And considering convict cichlids as occupants of course, no Hershel or Zombies allowed... well maybe one or 2 zombies

 

[fishorama]

Beware convicts, they WILL outbreed a 20g tank if you have a M & F pair, very fast...& they will be hard to rehome...they breed like no tomorrow, lol!

I'll give this some thought overnight, a neat idea! but a small tank. Black bee shrimp?

 

[Notrega]

I am not set on the convicts... I am really open to any fish...

 

[fishorama]

So what says "prison" to you? Stripes? I'm sticking to black bee shrimp, lol.

What else? You have much more experience & vision of what you want. Maybe these http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/eirmotus-octozona/ are bit hard to come by if you don't live in a big market area, but there's mail order...

 

[OrionGirl]

Tiger barbs, maybe?

In terms of the decoration--can you find out what it's made from? Things like LEGO are tank safe, but they float. You might need to glue it to a piece of slate or tile to keep it down.

 

[Narwhal72]

I was thinking jailbirds (Leporinus fasciatus). but they get too big for a 20 gallon tank.

The decorations are all hand painted. Assuming they fit safety standards for children's toys they should be safe for the aquarium. However the paint will likely flake off over time.

 

[Avogel1231]

those bee shrimp would be amazing in there, maybe some kuhli loaches for the bottom?

 

[OrionGirl]

Kuhli's will make short work of any shrimplets. Adults would be safe, but young would be snacks.

 

[Notrega]

The material is lego type, you have to assemble it. Is there anything safe I could seal it with so the paint doesn't come off?

I like the fish suggestions. The Kuhli Loaches and the shrimp look interesting... stripes are not required though. LOL

 

[Rbishop]

And the convicts are diggers....rearranging the substrate to form a depression that the existing currents help keep the fry located...could upset your decor easily.