i want to put sand in my tropical freshwater fish tank but i am not sure. i like the way sand looks but will it injure the fish? i would just like some info about it.
also my fish, i think, have a disease called ich? i was wondering how to treat it. thank you.
The only fish I would not put sand with would be Goldfish, as they have a tendency to pick it up and spit it out, which can push it into your filter, griding against the impeller (bad). Any other fish will be fine with it (even diggers). Just be sure to wash it very well until the water you’re washing with runs clear.
For Ich, any of the medications sold in stores (other than Melafix, Pimafix, and Bettafix, which aren’t medications) would work fine (Rid Ich or Coppersafe would be good). If you have scaleless fish (like Catfish, Loaches, Puffers, Kinfefish, Morymids, etc.) or fish that are sensitive to medications (Tetras and other Characins as well as any fry), only use a half dose.
cories like sand because it doesn’t damage their barbels. digging fish like cichlids and goldfish would cloud the water. other fish probably don’t care. the only problem would be vaccuuming it to get debris out. ich treatment can be bought at most pet stores.
Before you do anything – deal with the ich. It’s highly contagious and fatal if untreated. There are many ways to deal with it, but the easiest is to just use a proper medication. Be sure to check that you don’t have fish that cannot tolerate it, and remember – when they say to treat until after the fish have been symptom free, they really mean it.
Here’s a page with a few options that you have available.
http://www.timstropicals.com/FishCare/Ich.asp
As for sand…. Have you ever been to a lake where the bottom was the consistency or aquarium gravel? Neither have I. I love sand in a tank.
I use pool filter sand. Cheap, easy to get, and clean, and it looks great. Rinse it by putting a hose down in a clean bucket and pour the sand in. Then turn on the water just enough to stir the sand around, not enough to blow it out of the bucket. When the runoff goes clear, the sand is ready to use. Place it in the tank, and when you fill the tank, don’t pour water directly on it – put a plate or saucer down and pour onto that – so as not to disturb the sand.
Cleaning couldn’t be easier. While you can dip the gravel vac into the sand, there is no need to. Sand compacts tighter than gravel, obviously, and the detritus stays on top. All you have to do is pass the gravel vac over the top of the substrate.
I use a Python hooked to the kitchen sink, and it will not ‘suck out the sand’ from my tank. Most people who say sand is hard to maintain have either never had it, or they didn’t do it right.
u need to make sure you have the right type of sand too if you r going ot do it… you cant just take sand from a playground..
but there are some pretty cool sand tanks at my local pet store and you can get fresh water flounders… basically like stingrays…
and yes the ich can b founds at any pet store and im pretty sure its just drops you put into the tank