joannde
Aquarium Advice Addict
When I re-established my long empty 30 gallon tank I wanted to do something "different" from the average everyday gravel bottom. I choose those glass rocks / marbles that are used inside glass vases. I didn't cover the entire bottom of the tank so that there is a way for the cories to dig between the pieces and get all the sunken food. It also makes water changes a breeze since I don't have gravel to dig into. The tank is cycled and my parameters are perfect, so I'm not too worried about not having enough good bacteria (but I do keep a very watchful eye on the parameters whenever I add new fish - and I'm a bit concerned about what might happen when I replace the filter media - time will tell on that).
Originally I had put dark paper on the underside of the tank bottom so that the fish wouldn't think they were going to sink into the stand. When my betta was MIA I tore the paper off to see if I could find him by looking UP from the bottom. The fish didn't seem to mind and in fact the cories rested in the areas without any of the rocks right on the glass.
Yesterday beforeI fed the fish I emptied out the center of the stand and stuck my head INSIDE, looking UP to watch them eat. It was so interesting to watch the cories scuttle around hunting down their food - I eneded up staying under the tank for over 30 minutes, just observing. Talk about a "different perspective" on fish keeping !!
Originally I had put dark paper on the underside of the tank bottom so that the fish wouldn't think they were going to sink into the stand. When my betta was MIA I tore the paper off to see if I could find him by looking UP from the bottom. The fish didn't seem to mind and in fact the cories rested in the areas without any of the rocks right on the glass.
Yesterday beforeI fed the fish I emptied out the center of the stand and stuck my head INSIDE, looking UP to watch them eat. It was so interesting to watch the cories scuttle around hunting down their food - I eneded up staying under the tank for over 30 minutes, just observing. Talk about a "different perspective" on fish keeping !!