Barebottom tank - do the fish care if there is no substrate ??

[Bubble_B0y]

I'm thinking of removing my sand and having a barebottom tank.
I feel it will be much easier to clean and the water will always be crystal clear.

I was wondering if the fish will be stressed with no gravel/sand.

 

[ollief9]

Bare bottom tanks are not astaetically pleasing however are much easier to clean and the fish dont really care unless they are shy, quiet fish.

 

[Morgie]

It depends on the fish, honestly. Some fish like to borrow and root around for food in the substrate. You'll see more of the fish's natural behavior with substrate. Bare bottom is a better option if you want something very low maintenance and easy to clean

 

[LyndaB]

I don't think cories and shrimp would be happy with no substrate. I always think of bare-bottomed tanks as only for breeding or grow out. Just personal opinion though.

 

[crushyfish]

I think of it in terms such as if I were a fish I would probably want to hide in something tall and I'd feel very insecure if there was nothing around me. It just isnt natural, but that's my opinion.

 

[eco23]

Even though you'll never truly be able to provide it...I try my best to mimic a natural environment for the fish. Last time I checked, rivers and streams don't have glass bottoms

 

[mfdrookie516]

I have noticed no difference in behavior in the fish that are in barebottom tanks now, than their behavior before they were in barebottom tanks. I used to speak the natural part too... until I realized that lakes and rivers don't have glass walls on them either.

 

[jetajockey]

I think it's ok to do barebottom although I've done it with my tanks and switched to a thin layer of substrate. Some of them experienced fluctuating parameters so I think I underestimated the importance of substrate as a form of biomedia.

 

[eco23]

I used to speak the natural part too... until I realized that lakes and rivers don't have glass walls on them either.

That's a good point, haha. I guess another thing to consider is whether the species natural behavior involves interacting with the substrate. There's obviously some which could care less what's below them, but bottom feeders obviously interact with it, as well as other fish I've had in the past who naturally redecorate the bottom of the tank to dig out caves and hiding places. Other than that I'll agree it's for aesthetics and personal preference. My preference would be having a substrate in a DT.

 

[mfdrookie516]

In a DT, yes... but in a QT/Hospital/Fry/Breeding/Growout tank, you can't beat barebottom with a sponge filter IMO

 

[chagoi]

I like a bare bottom for Fancy Goldfish. That sounds odd.