Hi..I was online at Drs. Foster Smith.com looking at the gravel and pebbles. I like the color, but I was wondering..what do you guys think is better? Larger pebbles or the normal size gravel? I like the larger size but I remember reading that the larger size makes it hard for the smaller fish to get to the food that gets lodged in the pebbles as opposed to the smaller gravel - BUT I've also heard the smaller gravel can cause a fish to choke! What do you experts think? Also, if I want to change my gravel, what is the safe way to do it?

I personally now prefer the larger stone's in place of the gravel type stuff....That way I don't have to worry about my GF getting anything stuck when I'm not around either.

I just recently removed all the smaller pebbles from my tank and left the big glass stone's in there, What I did was take a couple cup fulls out at a time (The water will get really cloudy) Then I waited for that to all settle back down and took some more out..etc etc..Until I was free and clear of the small stone's. Then I did a water change just to clear the water up a bit. It actually didn't take long for the water to clear. That should work for you also I would think. If you wish to change them out.

I use both but there is definitely a bigger chance of your goldies getting a small piece of gravel stuck in its mouth.

Hi..thanks guys...Do you guys think that food gets more "wasted" with the bigger pebbles? Like the food falls between the pebbles and since they are so big the goldies can't get to them?

I personally don't think it does, I haven't noticed that it's getting wasted now that I have removed all of the pebble's from my tank.

I think they should be able to get the food fine.

I dont think so as much either but if you worry about that get yourself a pair of loaches. They do a good job at cleaning up what the goldies miss.

that actually happened to my small black moor, he was cleaning the floor when this piece of gravel stuck in his mouth. he couldnt really spit it back out..i was about to help him take the gravel out but the got it out himself

Yeah if the fish are smallish its more hazardous I think because they dont have the big mouths! I had a rock get stuck in my bubble eyes mouth and had to get it out with tweezers!

I think in the vast majority of situations, probably when their owners are not even around, goldfish can remove "stuck" items on their own. There have been some cases where people have lost fishies because an item has got lodged, but it is quite rare so don't worry about it too much. Just be aware that it can happen and keep an eye out