Sand or not to sand?

[Luciole]

Hi guys,

I have in my fire belly tank some rocks as substrate. They are not the tiny rocks you see a lot in fishtanks, they are the bigger ones.

My problem is that when I feed my guys, it sometimes ends up between rocks and no matter how much they wiggle to get to it, it's just stuck there.

So I was wondering if I could/should fill the gaps with sand?!

 

[alexps]

maybe if you show a photo of your tank we might come up with an answer

 

[Asevernnnn]

If you want to keep the rocks in it would be a good idea, but bare-bottom is easiest and removing rocks shouldn't be too difficult, and you can just weigh down plants with stones or something. But you could fill in the gaps with sad if you rinse it real good

 

[JoshBA]

Yeah filling the gaps with sand would be perfectly alright. I personally think sand looks way better than bare-bottom tanks (and you can plant rooted plants in it), but the latter is much easier to keep clean.

 

[stanleyc]

If the food you're talking about is blackworms or tubifex worms, they can burrow into sand as well.

 

[Luciole]

Pictures: I have tried to post pictures but it's asking me for an internet link?! I don't have an internet link for pictures I have on my computer.

As for bare bottom, I think it's really ugly! I much rather cleaning between the rocks when I siphon, but I also really like sand, I just know that for some fish, sand can cause stomach impacting, so I really don't want that for my guys!

 

[seandelevan]

Pictures: I have tried to post pictures but it's asking me for an internet link?! I don't have an internet link for pictures I have on my computer.

As for bare bottom, I think it's really ugly! I much rather cleaning between the rocks when I siphon, but I also really like sand, I just know that for some fish, sand can cause stomach impacting, so I really don't want that for my guys!

I was in the same boat. I first gravel and it dirtied fast. Then went to sand but it collected algae and muck and collected pockets or gas. Then I went bare bottom and like you I thought it looked unnatural and boring.

So I went a different route. I got a section of egg crate and mated down java moss to it with fishing line. Aquarists have been doing it for years for backgrounds but I just placed it on the bottom. So basically they have a java mass "substrate".

 

[Asevernnnn]

What specie and what are you feeding it?

 

[Luciole]

I do have a small patch of java moss, I spread it on the ground and a decoration they like, I am just waiting for it to grow and see what it looks like when it gets bigger.

I have 2 Cynops Orientalis in a 40g breeder filled half way. I have ghost shrimps with them but as for now they seem to think they are just swimming friends. I think the place that was breeding them fed them only blood worms because that's all they want to eat for now.
I have some of these Aquatic Newt Food - 2 oz. | thatpetplace.com but only the shrimps eat them right now. I will try earthworms too if I can find little ones in my garden (no chemicals so I am good) because I read it's the best food for them.

 

[carpenoctum87]

we have axolotl's and I know it's a bit different but we had a similar problem with rocks or sand and not only is it ugly as you said but some people say it can cause stress (I have no idea if that's true) we recently upgraded to a larger tank after trying both large rock and sand when we got a larger tank we went to a home improvement store with the measurements and had pieces of unfinished slate cut to size and then used silicone to glue it to the bottom of the tank. IT IS THE EASIEST TANK BOTTOM TO KEEP CLEAN WE HAVE EVER HAD!!!!

 

[Luciole]

I found a sand bag left-over, it's CaribSea Super Natural Premium Aquarium Substrate, I think it's the moonlight one (super fine!), is that ok for my newt???