Sand with New World Cichlids

[Experiment397]

hey i have always just used gravel and was wondering if i could use sand for my next prodject. i am setting up a 125 gallon new world cichlid tank that will be a biotope for latin america. i was thinking of using a rough grain sand, but was wondering if i could still vacum the sand. the grains are fairly large for sand, about the size of t-rex reptile calci sand. would this irritate the bellys of my fish? some cichlids a rapheals catfish, silver dollars, freshwater lionfish, and a bristlenose pleco. thanks

 

[DanielR32]

i've been told that cichlids prefer sand, they need it to pass through their gill's or something like that.

 

[gazelle]

yeah itll be fine i got really fine sand and was worried but stuck the gravel vac into the gravel to test it out and the sand got sucked up right to the top and fell down so yous should be fine since this was fine sand