Aquarium Substrate-More Than Just Gravel
By Phillip Wurm
GVAC Jan/Feb 2004, Issue 28
For most of my “younger hobby” years-until age twenty or so-I used multi-color gravels including reds, blues, white and even fluorescent orange in my aquariums. In those days I still largely kept community tanks, with artificial plants. I even used some neon colored plastic plants! All of that looked good, I thought, even cool. My fish-all the guppies, platies, gouramies, tetras and danios didn’t seem to mind. Then one day I changed the gravel in my 45 gallon-the colors had faded and looked terrible. I purchased some gray, brown, and a light colored natural blend, mixed them all together, and put that in. The difference was amazing! All the inhabitants promptly brightened up and even seemed happier. I then changed all the other substrate colors too, with the same results.
Since that time-twenty years ago, I have used only “natural” gravel colors with one exception. My four year old daughter’s Eclipse Explorer has a dark purple gravel in it, but that makes her happy, and increases her interest in her goldfish, and they look fine with the purple. I don’t want to discourage a young aquarist from keeping whatever décor in their tank that they want, but I would like to encourage that one would learn from my experience. Do you want people to see your red swordtails and fancy guppies, or do you want them to see pink or neon green gravel? I know of a couple of fellow fishkeepers who have done just that. Personally, I cannot imagine showing anyone of my aquariums full of African cichlids with all of their vivid yellows, blues and silvers if the gravel were even brighter than the fish! They display far better with darker or at least natural colors of décor than they would otherwise. I have seen a tank with fluorescent gravel and neon colored plastic plants full of fish-the tank literally glows in the dark, but you can hardly even find the fish. I would much rather have someone see the healthy, colorful fish that I keep, against a neutral substrate and a dark lace rock that I use in my tanks.
There is a huge selection available to hobbyists as far as aquarium substrates and décor go. I personally use only the BB sized gravel, but I can see the larger sizes being of use when one keeps Oscars or similar sized fish. I have never gone past the contemplation stage far as using sand as a substrate, and I would enjoy reading about anyone’s experience with sand. I generally would recommend a “natural” colors approach to aquarium décor.
So, for all of you who want to keep a red betta in a bowl with red gravel, as long as the fish is properly cared for, go for it. But consider this will the betta look better and attract the attention you want it to if the substrate was plain brown? And for actual aquariums, stop and think about it- do you want to see and want others to see gravel and your décor, or your fish?