# Are pebbles bad?



## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

I read in a book that smooth round gravel is bad and dangerous....Is this true? Do they just mean the big river rocks? Because the more rounded gravel actually seems safer to me....


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## Goldibug (Jun 29, 2012)

My guess would be they are talking about the small river rock. The bettas may mistake it for food. I know with goldfish you can't use small rock because they'll eat it and choke. Bettas might do the same.


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Goldibug said:


> My guess would be they are talking about the small river rock. The bettas may mistake it for food. I know with goldfish you can't use small rock because they'll eat it and choke. Bettas might do the same.


like sand? The small river rock I see are way too big for a betta's mouth....they are like 1/2 a centimeter average....


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

How old is this book? When reading stuff like this you have to consider the source. I know it's not great to keep goldfish with gravel that can fit in their mouths, but it would have to be a very small piece of gravel to get lodged in a betta's mouth. Sand is perfectly fine because it will pass through the digestive tract. Substrate isn't typically a problem with bettas.


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

The book was published in 2006. I think the author was trying to say not to use large stones because they will get hurt trying to rummage through them....that doesn't sound quite right to me either though...


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

You're right. I have used large stones with betta and had no problems at all. Most betta don't even bother with what is in between the rocks. Without having some logic or experience to back up his claims, I wouldn't put much stock in them.


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

thekoimaiden said:


> You're right. I have used large stones with betta and had no problems at all. Most betta don't even bother with what is in between the rocks. Without having some logic or experience to back up his claims, I wouldn't put much stock in them.


So pretty much any commercially available type of substrate is safe for bettas?


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

The only ones I would caution against are really rough substrates. I know some of the enriched substrates have rough parts in them and shouldn't be used with cories or other substrate fish for that reason. I wouldn't use them with long-finned males for fear or tearing their fins.


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

What types of substrates are too rough?


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## thekoimaiden (Oct 19, 2011)

I've heard that Seachem Flourite is a bit too sharp for cories, and that makes me not want to put a long-finned male in there. The Caribsea crushed coral I use to harden my tanks is kinda sharp, too. I don't let my goldfish touch it, and I wouldn't let my bettas touch it either. I don't really know too many others as I've never worked with anything but smooth gravel and sand.


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## Purple (Jun 25, 2012)

I used large rocks in my tank once, but my fish tried to hide under them. I was afraid he would get crushed, so I took them out.


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## Goldibug (Jun 29, 2012)

If it feels sharp to you when you rub it in your hands then it is to sharp for delicate fins or bottom feeding fish. The average substrate is typically okay to use. My cories have been in both the standard gravel from Petsmart and from petco and haven't had a problem with either. I feel safe putting my bettas with those gravels as well.


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## misty1477 (Jun 22, 2012)

I use Luster Gems as substrate. Got them from a 'dollar-type' store for a-buck-a-bag. They are very smooth and the clearness of the colors look very nice. My tank does not have any live plants ... I use silk ones ... so I don't have to worry about the correct base for live plants. 

If you look at my profile album you can see how they look ... my pics are not too good ... but you can get an idea of how they look.


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## Catfish Billy (Jun 27, 2012)

The problem with large stones is that your betta might get it's head stuck in between the rocks and drown. That's what happened to my first betta.


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Catfish Billy said:


> The problem with large stones is that your betta might get it's head stuck in between the rocks and drown. That's what happened to my first betta.


I guess that's what the book was talking about....

So is something like this okay? 
http://m.petco.com/Petco/product/detail.do?itemId=115871&categoryId=&path=


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## Goldibug (Jun 29, 2012)

That stuff would be perfect! I have it in my 29 because my cories use to be in there and they did great! Just a tip though. Black makes fish's colors show off the best. Even though the black rock looks rough the edges aren't sharp and my cories are doing just fine with it.


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Oh okay, thank you .


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## Aurie (Jun 22, 2012)

Here is an old picture of my divided betta tank (it has since obtained more plants).. the rocks on the left are old rocks that are your standard hum drum aquarium painted gravel.. the stuff on the right is small aquarium river rock,











Here is a close up from my WCMM tank of my snail.. the pebbles are no bigger than 1cm each











I have used both in betta tanks for years, the river rock is my favorite, and it syphons better (IMO) than the standard gravel

I got both from petco (the red and black are red, and black mixed together, not available in the same bag)


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## Cinderwolf (Dec 22, 2011)

Oh my gosh Aurie! Your snail is catching a ride on a bigger snail! Thats too cute.


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## Aurie (Jun 22, 2012)

Cinderwolf said:


> Oh my gosh Aurie! Your snail is catching a ride on a bigger snail! Thats too cute.


I love my zebra nerite, but the ramshorn snails are a problem in my tank.. it's a cute pic none the less.


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

I really like the natural, basic look of the small river rock. You can get it pretty much anywhere that sells aquarium stuff, right?


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## Aurie (Jun 22, 2012)

I bought mine at Petco .. don't remember the price though, but their large bag has done a 10 gallon with about an inch of gravel, a 2.5 gallon and half the other 10 gallon so it's probably the 20 lb bag .. I also had some gravel from my failed growing of bamboo (at my desk at work) to add into it that I got home home depot... might also be a good place to check, might be cheaper, just look over the whole bag, there are probably about 2% sharpish stones, but my bettas have never cared (stones that broke)


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

I have river rocks in one tank. I don't see how a betta could move them as they are about the size of a finger nail, unless he get stuck under it somehow?


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