Substrate Change

[Julie]

Currently I have a very fine .25 inch sand substrate in my tank which my clownfish regularly stirs up to move his anemone around.  Would it create a spike or any other problem by adding another substrate on top of my current one?

thanks

[kennyman]

Your clown is digging! Does it have a mate?

I use  Seafloor grade aragonite. It works pretty good for me. It takes quite a disturbance to kick up fines out of it. I wouldn't use live sand or used sand if your worried about a spike. Washed Seafloor Grade Aragonite seems like it might work well for toping up.

[Julie]

Kenny, my clown is single - do they dig when they have a mate?

[kennyman]

The bigger of my two seems to like to dig. I was wondering if she was cleaning a spot to lay eggs. I don't know much about it but it was something that crossed my mind.

[gvv]

My Maroon female does not dig, but just rising sand/dust using her tail under the anemone. I think it is just the way she is trying to feed the anemone with creatures that could be in the sand. But definetly she does it not for laying eggs.

I think it should be safe to add sand, as you are not planning to remove existing sand.

[beertech]

Adding a little bit will be ok, but if you completely cover the existing substrate and smother it, there will be a spike from die-off.  It shouldn't last too long though, and you can just monitor it and do a couple of small water changes to avoid a huge spike.    As for the clown,  that's why they are my favorite fish, all kinds of personality!