What substrate should I use for goldfish?

[Yossu]

I have a 200l tank, and am planning putting some comets in there (probably only three, as that seems to be the max this size tank will hold), and am a bit confused about the best substrate to use, gravel or sand.

I have seen people recommend sand in these forums, as this allows the fish to grub around looking for food, and is also less dangerous if/when they swallow it. However, the (excellent by the way) Goldfish For Beginners article here recommends gravel over sand.

Anyone able to comment? Thanks

 

[MaloK]

Sand is the natural choice for goldies. But 3 comets will outgrow your tank in under 2 years.

Maybe a couple of fancy ones could be ok for a longer period.

 

[Yossu]

@MaloK Thanks for the reply. I'll go for sand then.

Do I need special sand, or can I just use the play sand you can buy for children's sand pits? The stuff they sell in aquatics shops is about twice the price, so if I can use play sand it would be a big help on the wallet!

As for the tank size, I got my estimation from the article I linked. It says...

Fancy goldfish need a tank that is a minimum of 100l for one fish, with an additional 50l for each additional fish (so, 150l for two fish, 200l for three and so on)

My tank is 200l, so according to that, I could keep three fancy goldfish. I thought (evidently wrongly) that comets would grow more slowly than fancies. Are you saying they grow faster?

Thanks again

 

[sharkweek178]

@MaloK Thanks for the reply. I'll go for sand then.

Do I need special sand, or can I just use the play sand you can buy for children's sand pits? The stuff they sell in aquatics shops is about twice the price, so if I can use play sand it would be a big help on the wallet!

As for the tank size, I got my estimation from the article I linked. It says...


My tank is 200l, so according to that, I could keep three fancy goldfish. I thought (evidently wrongly) that comets would grow more slowly than fancies. Are you saying they grow faster?

Thanks again

You can use Argos play sand. It's perfect.

 

[Yossu]

@sharkweek178 Has to be Argos, Early Learning Centre won't do?

Thanks for the reply, save a bob or two!

 

[Essjay]

Comet goldfish are fast swimmers and really need to be in a pond rather than a tank. Fancy goldfish, with their body shapes, can't swim as fast so are OK in tanks.

 

[Yossu]

@Essjay Ah, makes sense. Maybe we'll look at some fancy ones then. I would like a pond, but that's not going to happen yet.

Or maybe I should get comets, then I'll have to build a pond

Thanks

 

[GaryE]

"Three comets and a shovel, please".

 

[Naughts]

@sharkweek178 Has to be Argos, Early Learning Centre won't do?

Thanks for the reply, save a bob or two!

Any playsand - B&M is cheaper than Argos but looks exactly the same.

 

[Yossu]

"Three comets and a shovel, please".

I'll get my bucket and spade out, pretend I'm at the beach!

 

[sharkweek178]

@sharkweek178 Has to be Argos, Early Learning Centre won't do?

Thanks for the reply, save a bob or two!

I don't know. Maybe. I just know for sure that Argos is aquarium safe.

 

[Yossu]

@sharkweek178 Sorry, was only joking! Will probably stick with Argos if you know that's safe. It's cheap enough that saving a bit by going somewhere else isn't a big deal. It's £8 for 15Kg from them (or £8 if you buy two), compared to £30 for 20Kg from the aquatics shops we've looked in. Quite a difference!

 

[sharkweek178]

@sharkweek178 Sorry, was only joking! Will probably stick with Argos if you know that's safe. It's cheap enough that saving a bit by going somewhere else isn't a big deal. It's £8 for 15Kg from them (or £8 if you buy two), compared to £30 for 20Kg from the aquatics shops we've looked in. Quite a difference!

Same thing here in America. We have the Quikrete Play Sand that's available at most hardware stores. It's much cheaper than pet store sand. It's designed for children to play in so it's not abrasive and non toxic. It's chemically inert. So it's perfect for aquarium use. The only thing is that you should clean it thoroughly before using it in an aquarium.

 

[Yossu]

The only thing is that you should clean it thoroughly before using it in an aquarium.

I guess put in a bucket and hose loads of clean water over it? Same as I'd do with gravel, although I imagine it's harder with sand, as it's more likely to get washed away.