Kartoon Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 Hi AllJust wondering if i should put some substrate into my breeding tank. I have a 4ft tank with about 15 salousi in it and am wondering if it would be benificial to have the substrate in there. They are not breeding yet but was just wondering Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Link2Hell Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 personal preferenceusually it won't worry the fish unless they are sifters or makea crater nest , with Saulosi they are usually happy with somestructure like rocks, pipes or pots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducksta Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 Only ever bothered if they 'need' it, or if the fish seem skittish and don't like their reflection off the base glass.Substrate just makes maintenance more tedious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kartoon Posted April 18, 2012 Author Share Posted April 18, 2012 Thanks guys thats what i thought. Yeah i have a display tank and the amount of vacuming i do on that bad boy is ridonckulous.Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killiguy Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 There is only 2 reasons to include substrate for Malawis :The reflection if its bothering the fish and as a buffer.If you have a sump etc that has coral grit then its not an issue.It certainly helps siphoning the crud if there is no substrate (hence discus keepers have no substrate as a rule)For a breeding tank dont use it,for a display tank it looks much better and the fish will be more comfortable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankenstrat Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 no subsrate in any of my breeding tanks except for the lionheads (they wouldnt breed without it), and they are all going well....although calvus arent breeding Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malrift Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 africans use sand to clean their gills and love to forage in it.I always use it for africans they seem more comfortable with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogboy Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 i use bare bottoms except for shellies who like to dig shells into the sand and if i had feather fins or sand sifters i would....oh and i have sand in a breeding tropheus tank because.....well no reason i just wanted to Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kartoon Posted April 20, 2012 Author Share Posted April 20, 2012 Thanks for that guys.Malrift interesting you mention cleaning gills as i notice all my salousi at times rub against the glas bottom or the pots and rocks i have in there. Like they are trying to rub something of them. Is that what they sre trying to do?Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malrift Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 possibly or marking territories. I just find a little bit of sand on the bottom helps settle them down and you can actually see them use the sand for this. A mate of mine a few years back had over 1000 tanks and would not set up tanks without it had the largest range of africans I have ever seen in one room. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilli Powder Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 If the fish are rubbing/flashing against objects, i would check your water parameters. it's a first sign of them not being happy and can be onset of white spot. I too would not setup any tanks without any substrate. In saying that I only have a very very thin layer. 3mm max so it's easy to clean.cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stepod72 Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 Hi guys,I use crushed coral as substrate int breeding tanks and just recently started using sand. I found with the sand aswell alot of the species do user it to clean there gills and make little pits in it. Even with the crushed coral the fish sift through it for food particles and I suppose it gives them something to do which I believe makes a happier environment for them to live in.I prefer to use substrate to try and make it a more natural environment for the fish to live in, I had a few tanks that had nothing in the bottom and found them to be vary skittish.As far as cleaning the substrate I have trumpet snails and brisstle nose to do most of that job for me, if the waist builds up to much I'll give it a bit of a vacuum. I don't have the to much covering the bottom, just enough to cover the glass.Cheers,Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 I always used it in my display tanks, not so much in my breeding tanks, unless the particular fish needed it. Its really personal preference really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joller Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 fish can't see their reflection in the base, to them they can just see whatever is under your tank, look down through the top of your tank and you'll see what they see Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilli Powder Posted May 26, 2012 Share Posted May 26, 2012 it may not be their reflection but the light shining from the top!! Imagine you were walking on a mirror with lights overhead! Especially if the bottom is not painted and you only have the white foam! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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