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I managed to get a pair of shellies(I think they're meleagris) at my lfs yesterday. I put them in my 44g pent with the 6 juliis who currently live there. My question is, I have a gravel substrate in there, would it be better to leave it alone or switch to a sand one? I don't want anything to happen to them. $25 each!!

"Constant vigilance!"
Mad-Eye Moody

Shellies really need to be able to dig; some will even dig through all the substrate down to the glass. They really need sand or some other substrate which allows them to do this. Most gravel is far too large. Some shelldwelling cichlids such as multis really should only have about an inch of sand, and somewhere between 1-3" is good for most shellies. There are lots of variations of size, color, and type that are acceptable substrates for shellies. But most gravel is too large for them to dig, which is something they need to do.

If they can't actually dig in the gravel they will try to move it, one piece at a time. Some of the rearranging they do is amazing

I would definitely recommend sand for meleagris, IME they're one of the more active redecorators

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There is water at the bottom of the ocean

So I should change my substrate? If so, what would be the easiest and least stressful way for the fish??

"Constant vigilance!"
Mad-Eye Moody

The way I do it (and I think is the cleanest way too) is turn off all the equipment, take out all the decorations first, then fill up one or two buckets full of water. Catch out the fish and put the fish in the buckets, then cover them enough so that theres room for air to come in but not so the fish can jump out easily. Dont fill up the water to the top, leave it about 1/4 empty. This allows more air inside the bucket.

Now you want enough buckets or a large container (clean trash bin) to fill up about 2/3 of your tank water. This is the water you'll be keeping. Then net out or scoop the old gravel then drain the rest of the water (which probably is a murky brown, depending on the age of the tank. You can dump out this water. Now pour in the new sand, redecorate your tank, and fill up the water and start your equipment.

After your tank is the right temperature, do the bucket method of acclimization for your fish.

I also do it inkodinkomalinko way & i never had any problems.

You can also add an airstone in the bucket where you'll be temporary keeping the fish.


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