# Proper Substrate for Geophagus



## Zathamos (Aug 22, 2014)

OK, so I know most of you will say Sand substrate is the only way to go with a Geophagus. But I couldn't talk my girlfriend into sand when we are using 4 HOB filters (she wont risk the filters). So I got the next best thing I could find. I got real natural river pepples, the size of the actual stones are about 1/8-1/4 inch. They are very smooth and for the most part rounded. Color-wise it is a darker gravel, not black black, but a darker shade of river gravel.

I am looking to add 2 Geophagus Altifrons to my cichlid tank. How will they do in this substrate? Altifrons will get to be about 10inches big, so he is not a small Geo, but how important that they have sand over a really fine substrate? I know this is not the place for stocking questions, but does anyone know how a green terror (solo terror in the tank) would do with an Altifrons. I have heard conflicting arguments. Some say The terror is too aggressive and may kill the Geo when he comes into his general area, others have said the Alti gets big enough he would be fine. I just don't want to pay $21 for an altifrons that may get brutally killed without a chance. The terror is a juvenile and so would the altifrons. Both would be about 3 inches. Which again raises the substrate question. At that size, will the Altifrons be ok with this substrate? I could always put him in a 30g for a few weeks or months with just sand and let him grow out if his size and this gravel would be a problem. But I also don't want to wait too long to add him in with the terror, I hear getting them together as soon as possible will give you the best chances


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## Narwhal72 (Sep 26, 2006)

A Geo's natural behaviour is to take mouthfuls of sand and sift them through their gill rakers and it comes out their gills. This is impossible to to do with gravel and they will end up picking it up, and then spitting it back out.

I have kept many types of Geo's and sand is definitely the best thing to keep them on. However they will still do ok on gravel. You just won't see that natural behaviour. As long as the gravel is smooth so it doesn't cause cuts and abrasions when they pick it up you should be ok.

As far as keeping with the GT you have to remember that the GT grows much faster than the Geo's will. Your best bet is to put them together at as young an age as you can and see if he tolerates their presence. If he is by himself without a mate there is a good probability that he will leave the Geo's alone. But there are never any guarantees when it comes to fish behaviour.

Andy


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Pool filter sand @ #20 grit is a large grained, heavy sand. Keep your HOB intakes several inches above the substrate and you should be fine. Stuff like play sand and some of the finer grain you find at an LFS should be avoided.


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## Zathamos (Aug 22, 2014)

Thanks for all the feedback. The gravel is as fine as I could find without calling it sand. To properly clean it we had to use a sifter (its so fine). They are all young, the terror is less than 4 inches, about 3 to 3 1/2 right now and is the lone terror. There is also a firemouth and a electric blue jack Dempsey along with a gold severum. All are juveniles. There is also a Senegal bichir in here, but he seems gentle towards everything else. The geos would grow to 10" so he couldn't eat them.


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