clown loach barebottom?

[aznfab213]

is it better to keep clown loaches in bare bottom or put a substrate. If a substrate, what kind would be good?

 

[xxblwn408]

I tried my loaches in a bare bottom tank and the would swim with there nose dragging along the bottom. A few days later they all had this mark on thier nose from swimming like this.
Got then some pea gravel and they are alot happier.

 

[jcardona1]

I tried my loaches in a bare bottom tank and the would swim with there nose dragging along the bottom. A few days later they all had this mark on thier nose from swimming like this.
Got then some pea gravel and they are alot happier.

this happened to some of my loaches when i moved them into a BB tank from a sand bottom tank. they adjusted quickly though and they were fine like that for over a year. now theyre back in sand. it seems as though loaches like to be able to sift around in tanks with substrate

 

[Hao]

sand i think is better

 

[xxblwn408]

Either will work fine. Gravel or sand... It comes down to what you like.
I see you like pink, green and yellow. lol

 

[Lupin]

Sand is IMO better than gravel.

 

[aznfab213]

thank you everyone I willl try some sand

 

[Hao]

black sand and black barebottom FTW

 

[ewurm]

A good non-compacting sand is great for loaches.

 

[Cetin]

i think fine grains of about 2 to 3 milimeters is ideal. i kept mine in bare bottom tank with some stones sparsely spreaded for over a year. they have been doing fine.

maintaining tank with sand as substrates might be a chore.