Substrate And Fish For Aquarium?

1. Jakari Says

   It’s really your decision whether to get sand or gravel; either way, you don’t want huge pieces of gravel. The corys will really like sand, because they like to snuffle around in sediment, but they do fine with gravel too. And the other fish don’t really care. However, kissing gouramis have a knack for digging up real plants, so getting gravel will help prevent this behavior. You want just enough to cover the bottom of the tank to about 1-2 inches; this should be appx. 1 pound per gallon. Since yours looks like a 45 gallon, you’ll probably need around 45 pounds of substrate, give or take a few (if sand, you’ll need a little more, gravel, a little less, because of the particle size).
   Really, any tropical community fish should be okay, as long as they are big enough to not fit in the gouramis’ mouths…which aren’t very big. As long as you stay away from the really tiny guppies and tetras, it’s kind of your choice. Other tetras can be really cool and there is a huge variety of colors/patterns to choose from. I also really like the Glofish Danios (they are modified to contain a jellyfish fluorescence gene, so fluoresce under lights), and they do well as dither fish to keep your tank looking more active too. Hatchetfish are always fun, too, as long as you have a top on your tank (they jump…really, really far).
   You might get one or two more corys; enough to bump it up to four, as they are schooling fish.
   You might think about getting a few bigger snails or algae-eating/filter-feeding shrimp, as long as the gouramis aren’t big enough to eat them. Algae eating fish tend to get really big, and can’t survive solely on algae; you have to get them special food as well. So unless you want to get them for their own sake, I wouldn’t get any and stick with the invertebrates.
   If you have an algae problem, there are a few things you can do. Make sure your tank isn’t by a window, or at least doesn’t get direct sunlight. You don’t need to leave your light on for more than 8 hours a day, and make sure you don’t overfeed; if you do, at least make sure to clean up the excess. Also make sure to check your water parameters and make sure to do water changes. I have one of those magnetic tank cleaners to scrape the algae off the glass for when it does get bad.

2. Chelsea Says

   I reccomend aquarium sand, it is by far easiest to clean and keep clean.
   You could add any two of the following:
   Enough corys to have 4 (any other color, broze, albino, ect. will get along well with the pandas)
   6 oto catfish (need coconut caves and things the gouramis can’t get in- you can mix these zebra, ablino, spotted, ect.)
   2 dwarf plecostomus (clown, bristlenose, ect. you can mix types of these as well)
   The otos and dwarf plecos will take care of the algae.
   Make sure you have atleast one decent sized piece of driftwood as well, not only for the gouramis, but also for the otos, and the plecos.
   Best of luck

3. Matthew Says

   get small gravel for your aquarium and some cave like decorations, and some pants I can’t say how many fish because I’m not sure how big your tank is. I would get the average bristlenose catfish, it’s sold at pretty much all pet shops and cheap, if there’s bad algae I’d go for one of there larger ones, there might also be pepermint or albino catfish at your shop

4. reignofc Says

   The fish will be fine with any substrate you would prefer. The corys would appreciate a nice sand substrate, but it is not a necessity. Too much substrate can be hard to keep clean, just fill it with about an inch to an inch and a half.
   if ypu are having algae problems you need to look at why, Algae eating fish will help with minor algae growth, but if you expect them to fix your problem you will be dissappointed. There is no need to have the aquarium lights on more then 8 hours per day. the tank should get no direct sunlight at all, ever. The tank should get regular care including water changes and filter maintenance. the fish should not be overfed.
   And just recognise even with all the precautions, most tanks will need the occasional scrubbing of algae. And if algae grows on decorations like driftwood and rocks, it actually makes a tank look more natural, which is nice.
   I will not recommend algae eating fish, as buying fish as an aquarium tool is not a good reason to buy them, and all these fish need to be supplemented other foods to stay healthy long term, and tend to be messy, and messy fish can contribute to more algae growth.

5. Lost in time Says

   If you live near a river that is not polluted you can use that sand as long as it is gotten 10 feet from the water line
   .
   Wash it a little not a lot you want to keep all the natural fertilizer in it
   .
   And lay it in the bottom of the tank by the good old measuring cup way
   .
   I do this with my tanks changing about an inch of it every two years
   .
   And my plant have flowers on them at water surface
   .
   The store sand is sterilized and needs to have a little help I use the compressed peat moss seed starter ones that you can get in the store and put then in three rows each one 8 inches apart
   .
   Under the store stuff
   .

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.