Haven't switched to sand yet. New York temperatures are varying between 70 and 90 lately and I don't want to add more stress to the tank at this time. In the Fall when the heater kicks back on and the temperature stabilizes at 75 or so, I'll make the switch.

Thank you both. Sorry to be redundant but I couldn't come up with the right search terms.

Currently I have gravel but was thinking of changing to sand. Two questions...

How do you clean sand? Doesn't it get sucked up with a siphon?

Is sand really that much better for cories than gravel?

Search the site re Pandas. Alot of people have problems with them including me. I have lost far too many Pandas while all of my other fish do fine. But I have to admit, I like the look of Pandas above all others.

I actually logged on to talk about the same thing. I have a 55 gallon tank, good water parameters like you, 74 degrees... yet I can't get the Pandas established. Currently I have 5, about ten minutes ago I had 6, last week I had 8. I loose two or three every few months, all in close proximity. I ...

However, if we for example take one albino male, and mate it with an albino female that has a completely different lineage (i.e. it has completely different parents and grandparents), then the only trait that is likely to "stick" is the albinism. I understand that. But what is the likelyhood that ...

Well, I raised the question because albino-ism (sp?) is really a genetic defect raising the possibility of other defects. Add inbreeding to preserve the albino trait and who knows what other defect-traits are preserved. All the above aside, I went back to the store three times since the albino pleco ...

Hello. First post...
Looking for info or opinions on health of albinos. More specifically, I am considering buying an albino pleco and was trying to find info on whether or not they are less healthy or likely to grow less than their pigmented relatives. Thanks in advance of your responses.