apisto breeding - why dark gravel ?

[rawdog]

i am using very light colored gravel atm but most breeding information advises dark gravel. - why ?

and what are the consequences of light or no gravel ?

thanks !

 

[Mike Wise]

I doubt that the gravel color means much. I use a lighter colored gravel & have successfully reproduced apistos for almost 30 years. Most of the Amazon Basin is covered in a fine pure white silica sand (usually covered with leaf litter). I think that people suggest darker gravel because it brings out the colors of the fish & darkens that tank - something apistos seem to prefer. A cover of floating plants darkens a tank just as well.

 

[blueblue]

I doubt that the gravel color means much. I use a lighter colored gravel & have successfully reproduced apistos for almost 30 years. Most of the Amazon Basin is covered in a fine pure white silica sand (usually covered with leaf litter). I think that people suggest darker gravel because it brings out the colors of the fish & darkens that tank - something apistos seem to prefer. A cover of floating plants darkens a tank just as well.

Mike's words are very true. In addition, i doubt the use of dark gravel for breeding when the gravel's size is big because many fries could be trapped among the gravels and they just die there because they could not get out...

usually, when we breed apistos, we usually prefer to use fine sand or aqua-soil (such as ADA's)...

 

[rawdog]

thanks guys, i always assumed fish prefered the substrate to be a similar color to themselves for camoflauge

that aqua soil looks great though (googled it) - nice one blueblue

 

[HaakonH]

That ADA Aqua Soil sure does look interesting, what grain size is it? Is it small enough for Apistos to be able to dig in it? Would you recommend it? I will ask my suppliers if they can get it.

-Haakon H, Norway