What fish are nice/not nice with black backgrounds and sand?

[swervo513]

I have had fish that look wonderful in the pet store and look terrible in my tank because of the black background. Please speak from experience. Personally I have noticed that many gray hybrid type fish darken in color when put in my blacked out tank even if they look nice in the store.

Fish that have looked great in blacked out tanks are red/green severums, tinfoil barbs, arowana, and green terrors.

I may change the black sand if it makes most fish look worse.

 

[aclockworkorange]

IMO the background color doesn't even come close to affecting color like substrate color does.

 

[Jc1119]

^^ this


Substrate color has an enormous effect. Generally, I prefer lighter substrates

 

[woofy]

Black gravel is killer on the gray base color fish. it will darken them out. i have black background with white sand and fish like green terrors, and their fine. but ive had the same fish with black gravel and the fish just go black. Good fish for black gravel would obviously be albino shades of light red orange or white fish.

 

[Allan01230]

I like my black sand with no background. I keep marble angels and roseline sharks that look fantastic, My wall behind is a pastel yellow. Sounds awful but fish look great. Also have subdued lighting.

 

[Mateomedina]

I agree with everyone that says light substrate! I just finished changing from black gravel to white sand with some decent sized neutral colored rocks spread on the sand and the change in color is amazing. Usually my Lyonsi, chocolate cichlid, and severum are all dark and washed out but now they look smexy . I am also using a dark background with some plants and it seems to balance everything out nicely. The firemouth does look more washed out with lighter substrate but im ok with it because all the other fish look hella great now.

 

[swervo513]

I am also using a dark background with some plants and it seems to balance everything out nicely. The firemouth does look more washed out with lighter substrate but im ok with it because all the other fish look hella great now.

But that is my point. Some look better with dark gravel some do not. Which ones are they? Red based fish usually look a lot better with black sand. But, if a majority of fish look better with lighter colored gravel I should probably change. But It would be nice to know what fish go better with what so I can be careful as to how I stock my tank.

 

[virgil2090]

i would search photos of the fish you plan to keep,most of my fish do well on PFS,but you can change that alot with adding a bag of other size/color gravel.the same species will not all look the same,other factors affect them.genes,stress,water,age

 

[jgentry]

Lots of fish look great with black sand and a black background. I have some Geo bahia red that look awesome in that setup. herichthys Carpintis really bling on a black substrate as well. Generally duller colored fish wash out or just look dark on dark substates, while often really bright fish look even better on black sand. Most africans also really pop on black sand. Discus on black is the one big no no though.


I really like the salt and pepper mix of white and black sand together. You can buy some africans sand like that or you can justmix your own however you like it.

 

[swervo513]

Lots of fish look great with black sand and a black background. I have some Geo bahia red that look awesome in that setup. herichthys Carpintis really bling on a black substrate as well. Generally duller colored fish wash out or just look dark on dark substates, while often really bright fish look even better on black sand. Most africans also really pop on black sand. Discus on black is the one big no no though.


I really like the salt and pepper mix of white and black sand together. You can buy some africans sand like that or you can justmix your own however you like it.

Thanks for your post. That was really informative and the kind of response I am looking for. Maybe I will add a carpintis. Geos in general have been very nice on my black sand. Would love some orange heads. Also I remember breifly having a peacock bass that was amazing in the dark sand.