aqua_holic
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Salt is aquatic snake oil IMO. It's widespread use is a relic from the dark ages of fish keeping. Like was said, salt has very specific applications in fresh water fishkeeping.
Pictus catfish...not so humble.
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aqua_holic
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Lots of people keep them in freshwater without salt. Livebearers are not my thing though so maybe someone else will have something more to say.
sinibotia
Aquarium Advice Addict
Yeah they don't need salt. They'll be fine in fresh.
Seems to me like the catfish is still kind of young. Adding a few more might have changed things up a bit and stressed them out a little, they should grow out of it. When I first got mine he did the same thing. Now he rules the tank and has his own cave and territories that none of the other fish are allowed to be in. I switched from gravel to sand a while ago and he loves it. He rests on the bottom now when he never did before. He seems a bit more relaxed as well. Good luck, keep us updated.
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Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
I have a question about that sand, is it possible for me to just add some to areas in my tank in combination with my current substrate? I do not want to convert to sand entirely, and I also have a loit of rooted / planted plants that I do not want ti disturb either.
Would be nice if I would just work cups of sand around and let it work into place?
I will definitely keep everyone posted. I am doing a water change now to downgrade the salt content...
Would be nice if I would just work cups of sand around and let it work into place?
I will definitely keep everyone posted. I am doing a water change now to downgrade the salt content...
aqua_holic
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Is your current substrate gravel?
aqua_holic
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Sand will settle underneath the gravel, so you cannot simply dump sand overtop. I would make the complete switch. Yes it's a lot of work, but it's worth it.
But what about plants? I read that sand can suffocate plants....I did read about how the sand would sink so my thought was to severely reduce the rubble and add sand to areas, make an aerated type of mix?
I have thought about sand many times and am definitely thinking about it. As long as my plants will be fine..
I have thought about sand many times and am definitely thinking about it. As long as my plants will be fine..
aqua_holic
Aquarium Advice FINatic
There are many many beautifully planted sand tanks.
I have a little bit of an update. The Pictus have become more happy as I have removed salt and softened water. My main one has been exploring the entire tank. The two new comers have been eating and they come out to explore at night a little more, though they are a little skittish still.
Everyone inspired me to switch to sand, so I have been picking up supplies and trying to prep for a switch....
Everyone inspired me to switch to sand, so I have been picking up supplies and trying to prep for a switch....
aqua_holic
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Best things you can do to prep for the switch are removing the current substrate and washing the sand. You can gradually remove the gavel from the tank over the course of a few days to allow the bacteria colony in the filter to compensate.
During that time you can wash the sand over and over and over and over and over again. And then again. How much you actually have to wash it depends on type and brand of sand, and how particular you are about getting it clean. It's certainly not the end of the world if the water gets cloudy from the dust, but depending on the species intended, dirty sand can pose an ongoing issue for a period of time.
Anyway, once you have the sand washed the rest is easy. You don't even need to remove the fish or water if you don't want to. In a large tank like that it's easy because the fish have room to keep away from you. What I do is fill a Britta pitcher with sand, submerge the pitcher to fill it with water, and then simply pour our the sand where I want it to be. Just keep displacement in mind - adding sand to the tank will raise the water level.
If you're big on aquascaping, I'm sure it would be easier to do without the fish in the tank.
During that time you can wash the sand over and over and over and over and over again. And then again. How much you actually have to wash it depends on type and brand of sand, and how particular you are about getting it clean. It's certainly not the end of the world if the water gets cloudy from the dust, but depending on the species intended, dirty sand can pose an ongoing issue for a period of time.
Anyway, once you have the sand washed the rest is easy. You don't even need to remove the fish or water if you don't want to. In a large tank like that it's easy because the fish have room to keep away from you. What I do is fill a Britta pitcher with sand, submerge the pitcher to fill it with water, and then simply pour our the sand where I want it to be. Just keep displacement in mind - adding sand to the tank will raise the water level.
If you're big on aquascaping, I'm sure it would be easier to do without the fish in the tank.
Thanks for the info!! I had intended to make a divider for my tank for prego fish, and thought maybe I would go ahead and make it, then change out the substrate using it. I could set it up to section off almost half of the tank and then work on it, finish, and relocate the splitter to do more....
Coursair
Aquarium Advice Addict
What are you feeding ? Are you giving any frozen bloodworms ? Our Pictus went nuts for them. You can use a turkey Baster to target feed. Quality sinking Shrimp pellets like Omega One are good also.
I have sand tanks covered in plants.
Smoke signals from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I have sand tanks covered in plants.
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I use pellets. I used to try and feed my Pictus when I fed the other fish, but lately I wait until night time and toss around a few pellets and they have been coming out and searching for them!
My first Pictus has even been searching around for food during the day with the lights on. It never really did this before, I wonder if the salt I had in the tank was causing issues because since I started working it out and just having fresh soft water they have been much happier...
My first Pictus has even been searching around for food during the day with the lights on. It never really did this before, I wonder if the salt I had in the tank was causing issues because since I started working it out and just having fresh soft water they have been much happier...
aqua_holic
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I feed mine NLS Thera A. They are like vacuum cleaners.
Ok so I have some updates and questions. The pictus are doing great, they swim all around and chase food, plus I set up all of the caves and hutches just right so each has one and guards it. So all if good there. My spotted one still goes after the glass a lot, but it does swim around and chase food too!
I am going out today to buy sand. I am curious to the aspect of sand and parasites. It seems it is quite often I get fish from the store with a small amount of ich, most times they itch a little. I have had no issues dealing with this as I have medicines and now know how to fight them through water changes and proper temps.
My question is how to parasites do with sand? Like, I know now that if there is parasites I can really go through the gravel good and vacuum them all up, but if I had sand will they burrow down into the sand like they do gravel?? I have managed to get rid of all parasites in the tank, but every now and then I rehome or buy a fish that has it, then I get rid of it pretty quick.
But I understand if parasites did go deep in the sand how would I get them out?
I am going out today to buy sand. I am curious to the aspect of sand and parasites. It seems it is quite often I get fish from the store with a small amount of ich, most times they itch a little. I have had no issues dealing with this as I have medicines and now know how to fight them through water changes and proper temps.
My question is how to parasites do with sand? Like, I know now that if there is parasites I can really go through the gravel good and vacuum them all up, but if I had sand will they burrow down into the sand like they do gravel?? I have managed to get rid of all parasites in the tank, but every now and then I rehome or buy a fish that has it, then I get rid of it pretty quick.
But I understand if parasites did go deep in the sand how would I get them out?
I read that there is nearly 0 oxygen at the bottom of sand, so that would deter parasites from bedding in it? I am just curious as a "just in case" situation, say I did take in a parasite, how would I get it out of the sand (say it went into it)..?
aqua_holic
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Parasites ultimately require a host to live, so burying in the sand isn't exactly it's M.O.
