Can fine sand be used with Goldfish?

[rusalka]

Can I put a thin layer of very fine sand (black Hawaiian sand) in the tank with goldfish? I have this tank bare bottom, the bottom is transparent with paper glued on the outer side (Sea Clear tank). Once in a while the paper gets wet, and yellows in spots. It's ugly. I don't want to put gravel, but I was thinking about some "carpet" to glue on the bottom to make it better looking... or paint the bottom from the inside. Then suddenly I remembered I have this sand. Won't it be bad for goldfish? I don't think it's natural for them to encounter fine lava sand....

[devonjohnsgard]

A thin layer might be ok, but you might find it's hard to keep clean.

Here's what Carl has written:

"Here is how to get around this and have a beautiful goldfish aquarium WITH gravel and decorations:

Use pea sized gravel (or larger); I have not yet seen any goldfish in MANY years experience get pea sized gravel stuck in their throat.

Do not over feed, and have good circulation, especially near the bottom. I have improved water conditions in even crowded feeder goldfish tanks with the addition of air stones attached to air pumps placed strategically on the bottom.

Do not use sand either as this has a tendency to trap anaerobic bacteria and not allow proper nitrification of organic mulm in gold fish aquariums.

With pea sized or larger gravel; getting gravel stick in a goldfish' throat is very rare.
Should you suspect this, the symptoms are a fish not eating along with a an open mouth and gagging (with the gravel obvious in the open mouth when viewed in good light). Removing and gently holding the goldfish in your hands and then using small tweezers is the best way from my experience to remove gravel (I also 'lubricated' my hands with a water conditioner such as Prime to lessen stress on the fish' slime coat)"
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Goldfish_disease.html

[rusalka]

Thank you. I will try a thin layer, merely decorative. I don't like bigger gravel or stones, because if the food goes down the fish will never find it. I preview one downside though. Vaccuming. Let's see how vaccuming does with the fine sand.

[devonjohnsgard]

Ya, you have to be quick with kinking the hose.