Do Apisto's have to be able to sift?

[DannyC]

 I'm thinking about using crushed lava rock as my substrate, but I also want Apisto's. Can this work?

[Fish Folk]

I would advise against it. They like to sift through gills. The lava rock might damage them. But I’m not absolutely sure about that. Maybe a shoal of sand with a surrounding rim of crushed lava rock? I’m not entirely sure that Apistos _have to_ sift. It seems to be what they prefer.

Our A. Cacatouides always sifted through sand.

[DannyC]

On 12/22/2021 at 5:30 PM, Fish Folk said:

I would advise against it. They like to sift through gills. The lava rock might damage them. But I’m not absolutely sure about that. Maybe a shoal of sand with a surrounding rim of crushed lava rock? I’m not entirely sure that Apistos _have to_ sift. It seems to be what they prefer.

Our A. Cacatouides always sifted through sand.

The lava rock definitely isn't small enough for them to sift, but that's not a bad idea to have an area for them to do their sifting. I'm more so concerned with how they feed. Is it via the water column or sifting or both I guess is possible too?

[Fish Folk]

In captivity, they’ll eat however you choose to serve them. Live foods are excellent if you’re planning to spawn them. I’m reasonably sure that I’ve seen breeding tanks for them with no substrate at all… but tons of dried oak leaves, etc.