Sand Burrowers for a Community Tank

[PoseidonCichlid]

I'd like some recommendations for burrowing fish for a community tank with a sand substrate. I've heard Kuhli loaches and Dojos will bury themselves but I've never seen any of mine do it. Freshwater flounders and Banjo catfish will, but I think they are too carnivorous for this tank which has many small bottom dwelling fish, both are known to eat smaller tankmates. Any suggestions for safe community tank sand burrowers? Thanks.

 

[aqua_holic]

Trumpet snails. For fish there is the horse face loach, if your tank is large enough. Most fish only burrow for safety, so in a well stocked tank that shouldn't happen too much.

IME freshwater flounder only eat fry, so they are not likely to survive is a community tank, unless maybe a livebearer tank. Too, they do like some salt so the livebearers are a good match for them.

 

[Brookster123]

Borneo cat.

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[Ricky 1]

Malaysian Trumpet Snail do the job you require and are quite atractive but they do breed

 

[Fishey bricks]

Is your tank large 40 up, and do you have a lot of plants? If so some horse face loaches may be a good fit, but they can be hard to keep. The easiest solution is is to get some MTS.

 

[PoseidonCichlid]

Won't my loaches eat the snails? I have some zebra nerites in there now but I thought the only reason they've made it is they tend to like to hang out at the top just below or above the water line. Dojos investigate everything at the bottom of the aquarium so they might not last long in there. The tank is 95 gal.

 

[PoseidonCichlid]

The horse face loach looks like a great option, check out this guy in action:

 

[sinibotia]

Weird that your kuhlis don't borrow. Mine do all the time. I was gonna suggest them.

 

[aqua_holic]

My kuhlis would much rather hide under or in something than burrow.

 

[PoseidonCichlid]

I thought so too, LOL. They stay hidden most of the day, sometimes with their heads sticking out between rocks, usually more than one snoozing together. At night they are active all over the bottom and they also swim sea snake style mid level throughout the tank. The Dojos on the other hand are out 24-7! None has ever done the traditional head sticking out of the sand for me, yes I'm disappointed!

 

[aqua_holic]

It sure is cute when they do it though the horse faces do the same thing.

 

[Mcgolg76]

My peacock eel burrows all the time. So much that he is maybe seen once a month


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[sinibotia]

My peacock eel burrows all the time. So much that he is maybe seen once a month


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Yeah, that was my experience too, but as a noob I had one in a peaceful community with small fish and it had a penchant for making small fish disappear, so probably not the best option

 

[PoseidonCichlid]

My peacock eel burrows all the time. So much that he is maybe seen once a month


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Yes. my peacock eel is a regular burrower also, usually on a regular morning schedule, when you seem him do the slow tight circle you know he's about to plunge! Usually always in the same place too. It has nothing to do with being shy or fearful, when awake he's the friendliest most docile spiny with me. He's just going to bed. I could put a Banjo cat in the spiny eel tank with no problems, but the particular tank I'm looking for a burrowing species for has pigmy corys, otos and least killifish to name 3 of the smallest species in there. The killis will be far up in the plants but the catfish need a safe bottom dwelling companion. To have an idea of some of the tiny things cruising the surface of the sand in my tank check out this fine vid I found from South Korea:

 

[aqua_holic]

Have any of you gotten your peacocks to eat staple food?

 

[PoseidonCichlid]

Yeah, that was my experience too, but as a noob I had one in a peaceful community with small fish and it had a penchant for making small fish disappear, so probably not the best option

Dojo loaches are probably the best eel-like option for a peaceful community tank with the added benefit that they are much more frequently seen out and about than spinys are. Kuhli loaches are also safe "eels" but you might never see them. Don't add a freshwater moray!

 

[PoseidonCichlid]

Have any of you gotten your peacocks to eat staple food?

Do you mean flake food? Mine eats frozen bloodworms and mysis shrimp. The biggest hurdle most people face is getting them to eat anything but live food. Once they take frozen you're set.

 

[aqua_holic]

Did you know that moray eels have 2 sets of jaws - a mouth within its mouth like from the alien movies.

Yeah pellets or flakes. I've failed a few times with the spiny eels.

 

[PoseidonCichlid]

Did you know that moray eels have 2 sets of jaws - a mouth within its mouth like from the alien movies.

Yeah pellets or flakes. I've failed a few times with the spiny eels.

When all else fails try live worms, I've never had a new spiny refuse food entirely (knocking on wood!) Feeding live worms is just such a pain, plus they stink, lol! The top of the line frozen stuff is much cleaner and disease free and gut-loaded with vitamins and nutrients, always switch them over if you can.

 

[Coursair]

I use MTS in my sand tanks.

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