Swordtail Fish are some of the most popular aquarium fish species. They come in many different colors and have a bubbly personality that will delight any pet owner. They are among the favorites because they are easy to take care of. However, there are things we should be careful about while setting up a swordtail tank. Swordtail’s preference for the substrate is one of them. So, do swordtails prefer sand or gravel as substrate?
They are usually found in lakes and rivers with plenty of plants to cover them in the wild. They do not bother with substrates because they venture into the mid-tank sections. Swordtails rarely go to the bottom of the tank. Hence they do not care about the kind of substrate you use.
But what would happen if you put sand or gravel on the bottom? Would swordtails prefer sand over gravel? Well, let’s find out!
What Is A Substrate?
A substrate is a layer of material that rests on the bottom or floor of an aquarium. It can be made up of sand, gravel, pebbles, soil and other things depending on what you want to do with your tank. The type of substrate used will affect water quality in different ways, so it’s important to understand how they work.
Gravel
Gravel is a fine-grained sedimentary rock. It has small pieces that are smooth and round, making it difficult for fish to see food hidden among them. So what does this mean? Essentially, the substrate will be washed away more quickly by water changes than sand due to its surface area. This means you’ll have to do more water changes often.
Sand
Sand is a mixture of small, smooth, round pieces, making it easy for fish to see food hidden in the substrate. This means you’ll not have to clean your tank much because sand resists being washed away by water changes better than gravel does. In addition, it’s difficult for bacteria or debris to accumulate in the sand because of its texture.
Do Swordtails Prefer Sand Or Gravel?
There are fish like Catfish and Africans that prefer one kind of substrate over the other. You should be careful about your choice of the substrate if you are housing bottom dwellers.
However, swordtails usually swim around in the middle section of the tank, which means they do not mind your choice of substrate. Therefore, you can use sand, gravel, or a mixture of both in your swordtail tank.
However, personally, I think Swordtails prefer sand because they are not a bottom-feeding fish species. They search for food in the mid-tank region and will rarely go to the bottom of your tank.
What Is The Best Substrate For Swordtails?
The best substrate for swordtail fish is sand because it will have the perfect amount of room to swim, plus it will replicate their natural habitat.
They need space, and this will provide them with plenty of areas where they can explore and hide without worrying about being too cramped up.
If you use gravel as a substrate, the fish will need to swim around more and spend their time looking for empty spaces.
This is because they prefer to be in one place that has plenty of room for them- sand provides this kind of space without having to worry about being overcrowded.
Thus, even though swordtails are not much bothered by the kind of substrate you use, I think sand would be the best choice.
Here’s Why I Think Sand Would Be An Appropriate Substrate For Swordtails
We all know that swordtail fish are freshwater fish. They like to live in clean and fresh water. Unfortunately, this means that we have to change the tank water regularly. We have also read that the chances of you washing away the sand is less than that of gravel. For this reason, sand is a better substrate for your swordtail.
Another reason why swordtail fish would flourish on a sandy substrate is that they prefer planted aquariums. Swordtails love to live in well-planted aquariums, and greenery grows better in the sand than gravel.
Moreover, it is difficult for debris to collect at the bottom when you have sand. Sand is smaller than gravel and has a gritty texture which prohibits the accumulation of leftover food and residue. In addition, the sand prevents the development of harmful bacterias and parasites in the tank. Hence, adding sand substrate to your tank will indirectly benefit your swordtail fish.
In addition to all that, sand portrays the natural habitat of swordtail fish so that they would love it.
For these reasons, I think sand would be the best substrate for swordtail fish.
How To Add Substrate In Your Swordtail Tank?
Adding substrate to your tank can be as easy as a few steps.
At first, clean your sand multiple times to remove any chemicals or dirt in it.
Then, you would need to cover the bottom of your aquarium with an inch or two’s worth of substrate- this could be sand or gravel.
If it is not already there, add some low-light plants on top of the substrate and make sure they have enough space to grow.
Make sure you have a filter for the water, and then clean your tank regularly with an aquarium cleaner or gravel vacuum.
FAQs
Below are some relevant questions.
What Should I Put In My Swordtail Tank?
Swordtail fish have popular tank requirements. They need plenty of space, which means they would be comfortable with sand and plants.
Swordtails like to live in a well-planted aquarium, so you’ll have to provide this for them by adding more greenery into your tank or just replicating the natural habitats.
What Fish Need Substrate?
Fish that explore in the upper regions of the tank, like swordtails, do not usually need proper substrate. But some fish species care about your choice of substrate.
Fish like loaches, catfish, crayfish, shrimps, snails, etc., need a soft substrate that doesn’t harm them physically due to rough surfaces or any other reason.
Conclusion
We can conclude that swordtails particularly aren’t bothered by your substrate choice. However, it would help if you chose a substrate that would benefit your swordtail.
Sand takes into consideration a lot of swordtail’s tank preferences. So, I think it would be best if your use appropriate sand used in freshwater tanks.