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	ideas for a multifasciatus tank
Ethan14 Big Fish Posts: 312 Kudos: 339 Votes: 18 Registered: 06-Jul-2005	im starting a 20 gallon multifasciatus shell dweller colony in a 20 gallon tank and im not sure what the aquascape should be yet... i know that i'm going to need lots of shells and a fine substrate. i was thinking sand but ive heard a lot of bad things about it. So if anyone has any ideas or tips for the aquascape i would really appreciate it. thanks.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:26
Darth Vader Big Fish Posts: 338 Kudos: 334 Votes: 35 Registered: 05-May-2005	i've never herd bad things about sand, maybe your thinkingof using coastal sand which could pose a micro biological threat. but you should do alright with crushed coral or coral sand. :88) declan
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:26
FRANK Moderator Posts: 5108 Kudos: 5263 Votes: 1690 Registered: 28-Dec-2002	Hi, It sounds like it would be a really neat tank. Sand is fine, just clean it well, and keep the layer thin. Perhaps no deeper than an inch. Frank -->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:26
Babelfish Administrator Small Fry with Ketchup Posts: 6833 Kudos: 8324 Votes: 1570 Registered: 17-Apr-2003	Bad things about sand: ~Can and often will be sucked up by HOB filters to jam impeller, using nylons or sponges over intake will slow the outflow and filtration rates for the tank. ~If kept in too deep a layer it will develop anerobic pockets of bacteria. This is why Frank mentioned that it should stay thin. The multis will dig about in the sand some but you may also want to consider adding some malaysian trumpet snails and manually stirring the sand up a bit after a substrate hover with your gravel vac. ~It will need a lot of rinsing. I've used play sand from a DIY shop in my tanks, aparently it's one of the more dusty sands. Other options are pool filter, LFS, and landscaping sand. I'd stay away from concrete or self collected sands. As for the aquascape. Lots of intersting rocks, I'd go for darker ones as multis are rather light from what I've seen (I'm still waiting for them to become availabe in this area and possibly a few small pieces of well soaked driftwood if your ph is high enough that any remaining tannins would not lower it too much. ^_^[hr width='40%'] Only 13 dives and they're already calling [link=me]http://babelfish.qwertydigital.com/" style="COLOR: #EB4288[/link] a [/font]
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:26
Ethan14 Big Fish Posts: 312 Kudos: 339 Votes: 18 Registered: 06-Jul-2005	ok thanks a lot guys. I'm really excited for this tank.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:26
littlemousling Conchiform Posts: 5230 Registered: 23-Aug-2003	For multis you'll definitely want sand - but not much of it. They'll move it out from under their shells and you don't want huge piles of it, for a number of reasons. Because multi tanks can be a little, er, flat (other than the multifaceted - and, ahem, multifasciatus fish), I put a 3D background in mine. It took up much less space than I expected, was easy to install, and looks great. My photos don't really show how realistic it is but here's one anyway, to give you an idea of my multi setup (with sleeping and therefore hidden fish): [/font] -Molly Visit shelldwellers.com!
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:26
Ethan14 Big Fish Posts: 312 Kudos: 339 Votes: 18 Registered: 06-Jul-2005	very nice backround mousling. Thats a lot of shells too! Would i need that many shells?
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:26
littlemousling Conchiform Posts: 5230 Registered: 23-Aug-2003	Well ... you'll want to build up to a lot of shells, though you don't have to start there. Multis in the wild live in huge shellbeds - meters in diameter and as much as 20 feet deep, just shells shells shells (and, OK, some mud ). Photos of a fairly typical multi habitat: http://www.fishaholics.org/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=23 Last edited by LittleMousling at 08-Jul-2005 02:11 -Molly Visit shelldwellers.com!
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:26


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