Some caresheets recommend a soft sand substrate, I'm not sure what's considered soft, or how to tell it's soft. I've used pool filter sand in the past, however I reading the description of one brand it states it's rough to catch particles-the opposite of what I want. Anything to look for?
What type of sand for sand sifting cichlids?
- Thread starter Johnez
- Start date
Pool filter sand will be fine for sand sifting Cichlids.
Agree with the others, I have been using PFS for about 20 years with the Geophagines, and other sand sifters I have kept.
It easily passes thru gill membrane, and is similar to sand I've seen in South and Central American rivers.
The photos above and below were taken in the Rio Magdalena system, in Colombia.
It easily passes thru gill membrane, and is similar to sand I've seen in South and Central American rivers.
The photos above and below were taken in the Rio Magdalena system, in Colombia.
Few tips:
Just make sure you filter out and dust etc. Rinse the sand before adding it so it’s not cloudy. Also make sure the substrate isn’t too deep. Too deep traps a lot of waste.
It’s nice to see someone want to use sand for earth eaters. Many keep them in bare tanks or big/gavel rocks.
Most people think of only Geophagines when thinking about sand sifters, or earth eaters.
But in reality there sand sifting cichlids from all over the world
Africa has a number of earth eaters
The genus Fossorochromis and Taeniolethrinops are just a couple of eartheating genera from the rift lakes.
The genus Stomatepia from Cameroonmight also be considered an earth eater, it jams its face into the substrate in search of prey, it even has cephalic pits that help it find prey. Depending on light used they appear as white or iridescent spots on the face
There are two genera from Central America that would be considered primarily earth eaters, Cribroheros and Thorichthys
Below Cribroheros rostratus sifting sand in a tank I had.
And from Madagascar the genus Ptychochromis has some sand sifter types.
Below Ptychochromis sp Tarantsy
They all look remarkably similar, and many prefer to live socially in loose shoals as opposed to alone, or in pairs, except when spawning.
But when you think about it, most cichlids do plenty of sand sifting..
My Andinoacara coerleopunctatus spend a large portion of the day earth eating, and would not necessarily be thought of as earth eaters.
But in reality there sand sifting cichlids from all over the world
Africa has a number of earth eaters
The genus Fossorochromis and Taeniolethrinops are just a couple of eartheating genera from the rift lakes.
The genus Stomatepia from Cameroonmight also be considered an earth eater, it jams its face into the substrate in search of prey, it even has cephalic pits that help it find prey. Depending on light used they appear as white or iridescent spots on the face
There are two genera from Central America that would be considered primarily earth eaters, Cribroheros and Thorichthys
Below Cribroheros rostratus sifting sand in a tank I had.
And from Madagascar the genus Ptychochromis has some sand sifter types.
Below Ptychochromis sp Tarantsy
They all look remarkably similar, and many prefer to live socially in loose shoals as opposed to alone, or in pairs, except when spawning.
But when you think about it, most cichlids do plenty of sand sifting..
My Andinoacara coerleopunctatus spend a large portion of the day earth eating, and would not necessarily be thought of as earth eaters.
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