Flowerhorns, also known as Luohans come from a huge mix of Cichlids that are known for their vivid color and the exclusive shaped head for which they are named. They are super active fish who will follow you if you go near your tank. Some Flowerhorn lifts their head out of the water to be petted. So, do flowerhorn eat gravel? Let us find out!
Well, fish likes to take the gravel in their mouth and spits them back. They actually do this kind of behavior in search of food or ich in their teeth. They don’t have hands to search for food so they usually use their mouth to do such things.
To know more about why they eat gravel, I have written many reasons and solutions down below, you can go through it to know about it.
Do Flowerhorn Eat Gravel?
As we have seen fishes eating gravel and spitting out. They think gravel is their food so they do these activities. Yes, they take the gravel in their mouth and take it out.
But sometimes they swallow it by mistake. In some cases, the gravel gets stuck in their neck which will harm them
Why Does Flowerhorn Eat Gravel?
Flowerhorn eats gravel in search of food or when they have ich in their teeth but they don’t swallow it.
Gravel Contain Algae
Gravel contains a small number of algae and other microscopic organisms. This might be the other reason why your Flowerhorn is eating gravel. Side by side Flowerhorn makes the tank dirty very quickly, thus it will be hard for you to clean the tank too often. So you may avoid gravel in the Flowerhorn tank.
Flowerhorn Think Gravel as Their Food
Another reason is they think of the gravel as their food and they take it in their mouth. As some gravel is shaped like fish foods.
It will be better if you leave the bottom of the tank without any substrate. If you are not willing to do so you can use fine sand or specific-sized stones as your substrate.
Types Of Gravel
There are many types of gravel used in tanks. Every gravel has its pros and cons. To make it easier I have elaborated on some types of gravel.
Colored Gravel
Few people love to put colorful gravel as their substrate in their tank. Mostly people having smaller babies put colorful gravel in their tanks. Colored gravel is made from a mineral called white dolomite.
White dolomite is packed with calcium and magnesium, so it will be fine for fishes who like alkaline and high pH levels. But, if you have fishes who like neutral and soft water this gravel is not preferred or you should add pH buffer to maintain water Chemistry.
WAYBER 1 Lb/460g Natural Pink Quartz Crystal Stones Irregular Aquarium Pebbles Rock Sands for Turtle Tank/Succulent Plants/Vase Decoration (Fill 1 Cup) is one of the beautiful looking gravel for your flowerhorn tank.
Inert Gravel
This grave is called inert gravel as it doesn’t contain any substance, which will not alter the water chemistry of your tank.
It will be best for the fishes who prefer neutral and soft water.
Pea Gravel
Pea gravel is one of the most famous gravel used in aquariums for natural looks. It is formed by small fragments of mixed types of stone.
It won’t disbalance the chemistry of your tank so you don’t need to worry about it. This gavel is also used in tanks that contain live plants. It also works very well with under-gravel filters.
It has many advantages but it also has some disadvantages. Furthermore, it can contain sharp pieces which may harm your fish badly. When you buy pea gravel you should wash it 3-4 times as it contains lots of dust and sand. Don’t put gravel in the tank directly make sure you wash it before introducing it to your tank.
Gravel You Can Use in Flowerhorn Tank
There are some gravels you can use in your Flowerhorn tank. You can use a large piece of tile or a small piece of tile as a substrate for your tank.
Use Large pieces of gravel because they can’t swallow it or take it in their mouth.
Likewise, use small pieces of gravel because if they mistakenly swallow it they can digest it through the intestine of fish without blockage.
Hence, you can use small pieces or large gravel, understanding the terms mentioned in the above paragraph. But it is best if you leave the bottom.
Prevention is Better Than Cure
There are high chances of getting hurt or gravel stuck in their neck. Make sure you are putting round-shaped rock or gravel which is bigger that will not go in the mouth as their substrate. Your other option is to keep fine sand as a substrate.
One thing while keeping sand. Make sure you research the sand because some sand may irritate the gills of your Flowerhorn. As said “prevention is better than cure” you should keep the substrate that will not harm your fish.
FAQ
What Happens If They Swallow Gravel?
As mentioned above that they take the gravel in their mouth in search of food. Sometimes they may swallow it which will cause harm to their neck or it may get stuck to their neck. So it is best if you use any fine sand or bigger stones as your substrate or leave the bottom of the tank empty.
If the gravel is small enough to go through the intestine of the fish without blockage then it is fine. Otherwise, they would get irritated, in such conditions, the fish will require surgery to remove gravel stuck in their neck.
It will be harder for them and show aggression if the gravel is stuck on their neck, to prevent that don’t use gravel as a substrate of your tank.
If Not Gravel, Then What Do Flowerhorn Eat?
If you are not willing to leave the bottom of your tank empty then sand might solve your solution. You can use sand as a substrate for your tank instead of gravel.
Sand is better than gravel as it will not cause any critical harm to your fish and it can keep them active too. Flowerhorn is aggressive which makes them more vulnerable to becoming injured with gravel. If you choose gravel, make sure they are polished.
Why is My Flowerhorn Trying To Eat Gravel?
Your Flowerhorn is not eating gravel they are just finding food with their mouth as they don’t have hands. They just put gravel in their mouth and try to scrape off as much algae from it. Do flowerhorn eat algae? Find out here.
In this process, they can swallow the gravel which can harm your fish.
Do Flowerhorn Love Substrate?
Flowerhorn loves to rearrange its substrate. If they are looking stressed then you should put some substrate or decor in their tanks. If they are fine you don’t have to worry
As they do this with their mouth it is best to use round stones so that they will not get hurt. Choose your substrate wisely for fish like Flowerhorn fish.
Some of the best substrate choices for your flowerhorn tank can be:
- Carib Sea ACS05820 Super Natural Moonlight Sand for Aquarium, 5-Pound
- Carib Sea ACS05840 Super Naturals Crystal River Sand for Aquarium, 5-Pound
- SACKORANGE 2 LB Aquarium Gravel River Rock – Natural Polished Decorative Gravel, Small Decorative Pebbles, Mixed Color Stones,for Aquariums, Landscaping, Vase Fillers (32-Oz)
- WAYBER 1 Lb/460g Natural Pink Quartz Crystal Stones Irregular Aquarium Pebbles Rock Sands for Turtle Tank/Succulent Plants/Vase Decoration (Fill 1 Cup)
Why Is My Flowerhorn Eating Sand?
It’s commonly observed that flowerhorns will “eat” sand. While this may initially seem worrisome, there’s actually no cause for alarm. In most cases, flowerhorns engage in this behavior because they’re stressed. When flowerhorns are stressed, they produce a hormone known as cortisol.
Cortisol is known to trigger a sensation of hunger, even when the flowerhorn isn’t actually hungry. As a result, flowerhorns may start picking at gravel or sand in an attempt to satisfy their hunger.
While this behavior isn’t harmful in and of itself, it can become problematic if the flowerhorn ingests too much sand. If this happens, the sand can actually block the fish’s digestive tract, leading to serious health problems.
Fortunately, there are several things you can do to reduce stress in your flowerhorn’s life. For example, you can provide hiding spots in the tank, or use calming colors and patterns in your decor. By reducing stress, you can help to prevent your flowerhorn from overeating sand.
Conclusion
If you are keeping Flowerhorn fish then you should know what is good for your fish. Putting gravel as your substrate can be a headache as they make their tank dirty quickly. You should consult with a fish expert asap if your Flowerhorn swallows gravel
With all this said I think you should leave the bottom of your tank empty or keep sand as your substrate if you are keeping Flowerhorn Cichlid. I hope now you know why your Flowerhorn is eating gravel.
