# gravel size?



## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

does everyone use large gravel for their goldies?
Even with the large gravel my oranda got a piece stuck in his mouth and it took some time for him to get it out.he seeme quite stressed over it and layed on the bottom til he got it out.
I am afraid if I used pea size gravel, he would actually swallow it and then he would block up for sure.
what are you all using and for what size fish?
Mousey


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## FishGuy1564 (Oct 18, 2005)

I use really small gravel for my goldfish and I have a tiny pearlscale (about this long -------------), and in another goldfish tank I have the same size gravel and a big oranda (about this long
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## Niki2105 (Apr 12, 2005)

I use normal size gravel with bigger rocks mixed in, for my goldies. None of them have gotten any gravel stuck in their mouths yet (knock on wood) but they are just getting to the size where it will fit. If I find the smaller gravel is a problem I will probally switch it all out to the big rocks so that its not gonna fit in their mouths. Another option you have is to have a barebottom tank it makes clean up very easy and there is no gravel for the fish to choke on. Hope this helped. 
Niki


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## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

bare bottom is not quite as nice looking as gravelled, though is it?
My son had really small gravel and ended up doing the Heimlichs on his oranda. My gravel is larger but sushi can still get parts of it in his mouth.
I am wondering about getting some of those glass stones. They're plenty big and might solve the probblem of worrying about him swallowing it.
I read some like to use sand and then the issue does not arise.

Oh the trials of fish keeping


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## Niki2105 (Apr 12, 2005)

Barebottoms can be nice.. Just because you dont have gravel dosent mean you cant put other things in the tank to make it look nice. I have my plants in little glass pots using blue and green glass stones to keep the plants inside. And in my Snail tank i just have a small layer of small black gravel and the plants are kept in little glass dishes with the rest of the black gravel keeping the plants in.. Both look nice. My 60 Gallon has gravel, I kinda want to make it bare bottom but i dont have much for decorations in it right now so i keep the rocks in it. Have Barebottom make for a easier clean up cause you can see the poop and clean it out without having to go threw all that gravel. Here is a picture of my Bare Bottom just to give you an idea of what they can look like. Their are many other ways to set things up maybe you could do a search online and see different ideas for them.


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