CichlidFish.com - Fish That Think.

What are the pros and cons of each? Is one any better than the other? I think sand looks cool.

Well depending on the sand you use such as grain etc. it will raise your PH up. The other thing is one is harder to keep. I have never used sand because it is not natural habbitat for Cichlids. Granted most cichlids are captive breed, but I like my tanks to look as natural as possible. Cichilds are also interior decorators, they love to dig and move the gravel around.

-S42K

I KNOW! I've tried to weight plants down, but somehow they all get moved.

I agree with you about tanks looking natural; I definitly like that better.

It's just that I was at the store and they had this cool little guy down at the bottom that was playing in the sand. He was really cute!

Sand is generally used for salt water setups rather then fresh water.

-S42K

One benifit to sand is there is more surface area for bacteria to grow on as the particles are smaller. Sand will probably be harder to clean but Oscars probably wont know the differance.

Adam

I use sand, but it's not the fine sand stuff like at the beach. It's kind of like a cross between sand and really small gravel. It's actually easier to clean because the waste stays on top of it rather than in the gravel. My green terror likes to dig around in it.

I use about marble size gravel in my Oscar tank. Reason behind it is that when they are on the bottom picking thro looking for food I dont want them to swallow and of the gravel. I read somewhere on this board that a guy who cut open his fish and looked after it died found gravel in its stomach. Dont know for sure if it was true but Id rather not risk it and have anymore things to worry about. They get themselves in enough trouble as it is lol

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Ryan
chronic@wcnet.org
ICQ 41202405

i also use large gravel for oscars because the UGF seems to work better.

about your undergravel filter, when your oscars get a bit bigger they will most likely start to dig but since yours are so small and are being moved to a bigger tank i wouldnt really worry about it. but in your new tank or when you get it i would suggest not haveing an undergravel filter because when the fish dig poop and food get under the ugf and get there and stay there and decompose there and makes your tank a little bit unhealthy but if you dont get an ugf in your new tank it should be fine

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My tanks include:

90 gallon 3 oscars

29 gallon 3 firemouths and pleco
10 gallon swortail, molly,and pleco

FEEDER NAZI

I'm 13 years old