I have newly established 150 gal (60x24x24) with a light sand bed. The tank will be a dominant SPS Tank in the future. I have 2 gyre 250 and every time I turn them up past 50 it starts pushing all my sand to one side. I’ve been thinking of removing the sand and just making the tank bare bottom but I have wrasses. What are your guys opinions on wrasses in a bare bottom tank? I wouldn’t even think of turning it into a bb if I’m not able to have wrasses.
Bare bottom with wrasses
- Thread starter mafiareefer
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Turn the gyres up and let the sand pile up on the one side of the tank. The wrasses can sleep there. Later if you like, after the wrasses are acclimated to you and the tank, start removing a small amount of sand each day until you have a bare bottom and the wrasses can slowly get used to sleeping safely without sand. I would make certain there is a good lid on the tank before I tried this.
eatbreakfast
Fish Nerd
Not all wrasses use a send bed, such as fairy, flasher, and lined wrasses, but those do, such as leopards and Halichoeres, NEED a sand bed, even if it is a small container for each fish.
The relience on sand is hardwired into their being. Fish don't fully go to sleep, so when they go into the sand at night it is for protection against predators. Even though your tank doesn't have their predators, they don't know that. So removing their primary refuge leaves them feeling exposed, which increases stress. This has a life shortening effect, makes them more susceptible to parasites, weakens their immune system, inhibits their natural digestion, makes them jumpier, which increases opportunities for injury, but simultaneously diminishing their ability to heal, bright colors become more of a liability, so their coloring can fade.
If you can't provide sand for a sand burying species, then rehome them.
The relience on sand is hardwired into their being. Fish don't fully go to sleep, so when they go into the sand at night it is for protection against predators. Even though your tank doesn't have their predators, they don't know that. So removing their primary refuge leaves them feeling exposed, which increases stress. This has a life shortening effect, makes them more susceptible to parasites, weakens their immune system, inhibits their natural digestion, makes them jumpier, which increases opportunities for injury, but simultaneously diminishing their ability to heal, bright colors become more of a liability, so their coloring can fade.
If you can't provide sand for a sand burying species, then rehome them.
Excellent advice from eatbreakfast as usual. Another option that you could try is to turn your gyres up and see where the sand goes, let the fish sleep there and reduce the amount until you have 1.5-2" in that area and then use a coarser grade sand on the bare areas. This way they have an area that's suitable to sleep in and you don't have bald patches.
Waters
"...in perfect isolation, here behind my wall."
I agree with the advice, but for whatever reason my wrasses never slept in the sand (leopards). They always just dove into the rock at night. The only time they used the sand was when I first introduced them and they stayed hidden for days.
The leopards and earmuff need sand. The flames (fairy wrasse, i assume) are fine without it.
Along with what @eatbreakfast said, the sand dwellers can dive at the bottom of the tank when startled, and they can get nasty spinal injuries.
cancun
Valuable Member
I agree also with @eatbreakfast.....I have 12 Wrasses.... including 5 leopards, Earmuff, etc.....they all sleep in the sand but my Solar fairy Wrasse. I would keep sand if you have sand sleeping Wrasses imo...here is a pic of my Red Coris Wrasse sleeping....
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Agreed. They can make it short term in holding tanks/QT with PVC piping, but for long term the Leopards and Earmuff that he has will NEED sand. @ the OP can you place some containers with sand in your new tank? This will help, although IMHO still not ideal.
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