Coco fiber for substrate?

[mantisfan101]

I know that it’s loose and gets everwhere which is why I plan on using sand on top. Would it work? Would it mess up the pH? Also if the apistos unearth it I’m fine with that, I like the more natural look it gives to the tank.

 

[Ekona]

I personally would not use it. The fibers are basically rigid and sharp and if any were to be accidentally ingested they could be harmful.

 

[rasmusW]

I have use it from time to time. It looks great when you tangle out the biggest chuncks. I normaly just place a small patch ontop of the sand.
So far i haven’t seen any fish getting caught in it. They are pretty good at making there own ways around it.

-r

 

[Ekona]

If I wanted to add some kind of brown organic matter to an apisto tank, I'd go with peat or small pieces of dried (and then soaked so it sinks) oak leaves. Like I said, cocco fibers can be harmful if the small rigid fibers are ingested. Kind of like a human ingesting shredded bamboo. Although an apisto may avaoid ingesting any, there is the chance if could happen; why run the risk when much safer alternative are available. Just my HO.

 

[allentwnguy]

I would go for a natural look with leaf litter etc to get that "brown" natural aquascape your apistos will love. Using coco fiber under sand sounds like it will end up a mess. You will have to eventually vacuum the mulm and you will be pulling up the fibers. I don't understand the reasoning behind it. To lower PH? In some of my tanks I use coconut curls which basically are the sliced coconut husk which does look nice. For the natural look you can't beat driftwood branches and Catappa leaves.