I haven't started adding fish yet because I'm still cycling. I will be adding in more cover. What kind of bottom feeders can I add into my tank? I like the corys, but I've heard you shouldn't have them with a gravel bottom. I have some larger gravel pieces in there right now that could easily be removed if needed.
Bottom Feeders For Gravel Bottom Tank?
- Thread starter cjheck
- Start date
What are the dimensions of your tank, OP, and is your water hard or soft?
One of the dwarf corydoras would be okay, from a tank size point of view, but they would prefer sand.
Is there any particular reason you couldn't swap the gravel for sand? Would be much easier to do now, while you're still cycling, than when you have fish in.
Is there any particular reason you couldn't swap the gravel for sand? Would be much easier to do now, while you're still cycling, than when you have fish in.
I could, just bought the small gravel thinking it would be fine, but after I got on this forum I saw that gravel is rarely used. I like the textured look of the gravel more, but if the fish don't like it, it doesn't really matter, haha.
There are lots of people on here with 10G tanks that have fish in there...
Can I take the gravel out and pour in the sand without disrupting my cycle?
There are lots of people on here with 10G tanks that have fish in there...
Can I take the gravel out and pour in the sand without disrupting my cycle?
Fluval-1200
Fishaholic
Couple kuhli loaches would like that, group of 4 would work well.
Tongue_Flicker
Fish Herder
And that's how they get fish and water quality problems and then start asking for help.cjheck said:
There's nothing wrong with smaller tanks, as long as they're carefully and thoughtfully stocked. Plenty of people on here, including myself, keep tanks of that sort of size very successfully.
I wouldn't recommend clown plecs (too bulky), or kulhis (need to be in a largish group, which would take up most of the available space).
A small group of one of the dwarf corydoras species (but only one of those; no other cory would be suitable) would be your best bet, unless you want to look at shrimps or snails (which would both be fine on gravel, btw).
You can easily change substrates, it won't affect your cycle at all.
I wouldn't recommend clown plecs (too bulky), or kulhis (need to be in a largish group, which would take up most of the available space).
A small group of one of the dwarf corydoras species (but only one of those; no other cory would be suitable) would be your best bet, unless you want to look at shrimps or snails (which would both be fine on gravel, btw).
You can easily change substrates, it won't affect your cycle at all.
I have a small tank because that's all I have space for in my small apartment. It is a start for getting down this aquarium thing so that when I have more space and more funds I can have a larger tank and not have problems with just learning how to properly care for and stock it. I am doing live plants to aid in the fact that my tank is smaller and I will carefully stock it....Tongue_Flicker said:
Hi,
First off not everyone has the room or funds for a big tank, 10g is the very smallest rec'd but doesn't mean you're without options, there's a thread on here about nano fish it's just a matter of reading up and making informed choices.
I've done the same as you; bought gravel thinking it the easiest to maintain there being gas bubbles in sand... but really like little Corys. I scooped out the gravel at the front and added some play sand without a problem it is possible to have both in your tank but there's a risk (likelyhood) that they'll mix (I googled it a lot), so if you could be better off just changing them over completely. Didn't effect my cycling but I guess a complete change might slow it a little - there's far more informed people than me here
If you are going to add sand children's play-sand in cheap and safe (check it tends to say no chems..) make sure you wash it before putting into tank There's youtube clips to demo it - just put some in a bucket and run a hose over it so the water overflows the bucket making sure you stir the sand about, when the water runs clear run it off and you're ready, Put some sand in a smal container and lower it slowly into the tank so it fills with water then pour it near the bottom - stops the water clouding and clogging your filter.
First off not everyone has the room or funds for a big tank, 10g is the very smallest rec'd but doesn't mean you're without options, there's a thread on here about nano fish it's just a matter of reading up and making informed choices.
I've done the same as you; bought gravel thinking it the easiest to maintain there being gas bubbles in sand... but really like little Corys. I scooped out the gravel at the front and added some play sand without a problem it is possible to have both in your tank but there's a risk (likelyhood) that they'll mix (I googled it a lot), so if you could be better off just changing them over completely. Didn't effect my cycling but I guess a complete change might slow it a little - there's far more informed people than me here
If you are going to add sand children's play-sand in cheap and safe (check it tends to say no chems..) make sure you wash it before putting into tank There's youtube clips to demo it - just put some in a bucket and run a hose over it so the water overflows the bucket making sure you stir the sand about, when the water runs clear run it off and you're ready, Put some sand in a smal container and lower it slowly into the tank so it fills with water then pour it near the bottom - stops the water clouding and clogging your filter.
ashcole1989
Mostly New Member
Hi there,
I'm glad I found this post! I'm hopefully picking up my tank next week (60litres) and never even thought of sand! I'm looking to have a small setup to get started with and hopefully work my way up!
So to the point, I'm looking at corys also! I was hoping to have a couple yet I didn't think gravel would be an issue? So the question is: do you HAVE to have sand over gravel, and why is sand prefered? I'm looking at an external filter so sand is fine although I'd prefer gravel
I'm glad I found this post! I'm hopefully picking up my tank next week (60litres) and never even thought of sand! I'm looking to have a small setup to get started with and hopefully work my way up!
So to the point, I'm looking at corys also! I was hoping to have a couple yet I didn't think gravel would be an issue? So the question is: do you HAVE to have sand over gravel, and why is sand prefered? I'm looking at an external filter so sand is fine although I'd prefer gravel
phoenixgsd
Fish Herder
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2011
- Messages
- 1,142
- Reaction score
- 1
fish like corys have barbels, the sticky out feelers, which can get damaged on gravel, i often see mine snuffleing in the sand
Lillefishy
Fish Addict
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2013
- Messages
- 868
- Reaction score
- 1
This is why you really should have sand for corys, they sift sand through their gills to find food particles, they can't do that on gravel.
http
/m.youtube.com/watch?v=g9hEdiGqpBo
http
/m.youtube.com/watch?v=g9hEdiGqpBoSimilar threads
Most reactions
-
372 -
248 -
205 -
188 -
178 -
177 -
172 -
172 -
145 -
103 -
100 -
99 -
97 -
97 -
77