Warning about use of Fine Sand as Substrates in Betta Tanks

Warning about sand in betta tanks:

Fine sand used as a substrate in betta tanks can and has been confused by hungry bettas who can be very piggy in nature as food that has fallen to the floor of the tank and they will eat it. I have had a betta eat sand and die from it. So it would be my recommendation that Fine Sand NOT be used in betta tanks as a substrate. The only recommended substrates for bettas in my humble opinion are the standard pea gravel or the glass stones or flat marbles. With the glass stones or flat marbles really being much desired as they provide a very smooth and nice surface for them to float across when they drag their fins across the bottom of the tank.

Thank You

Rose

 

I was planning on using whatever sand was leftover from my 50 gallon setup to use on Azul's tank bottom. Thanks for posting this, saved a life

 

Interesting thought:

I've been debating planting my 5 gal that Zengetsu is in (I'll try and get pics up soon) I'd like to use some sand for the plants, but after that I can see why it'd be a bad idea. What about covering with gravel or something I wonder if that would work, feed back would be great.

Inari

 

As long as the betta cannot get to it you can do it but it closely resembles betta pellets and they will eat it so if it sifts up through the gravel during vacuuming then you may put your betta at risk. It is up to you but I have never had a problem using the gravel for plants instead of sand.

Rose

 

As long as the betta cannot get to it you can do it but it closely resembles betta pellets and they will eat it so if it sifts up through the gravel during vacuuming then you may put your betta at risk. It is up to you but I have never had a problem using the gravel for plants instead of sand.

Rose

Sand is only good for plants if it has MTS snails digging in it - otherwise it compacts and is bad for roots.

 

Sand is only good for plants if it has MTS snails digging in it - otherwise it compacts and is bad for roots.

You can also manually stir it up with a wooden skewer or something of the sort, but that's not really the point. The biggest concern here is bettas.

 

Hmm those are all good points that I never thought about thanks guys,

Inari

 

Thanks for that info as I was about to put a Betta in a planted Tank with sand (under the gravel) at work.