Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Become a member today!
Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
Become a credit card member today!Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!APPLY NOWLearn More About Petco Pay Benefits
Pure Water Pebbles Freshwater Sand, Gravel, & Substrates
Related Articles & Questions
- Home & Habitat
Your Guide to Healthy Freshwater Aquarium Plants & Thriving Fish
Learn how to pick the right aquarium plants, substrate, lighting, and fertilizers to ensure that your aquarium plants thrive and stay healthy.
Updated on November 13th, 2025
- Home & Habitat
Blackwater Aquariums: Easy Setup & Benefits for Thriving Fish
Search Petco to learn about blackwater fish aquariums. We want to help you decide what lifestyle is best for your unique fish.
Updated on November 13th, 2025
- New Pet
Aquatic Pet Safety: Keep Your Home Aquarium Pets Healthy & Safe
Learn how to safely handle your aquatic life to avoid toxin & bacterial exposure. Find aquatic life care supplies at your neighborhood Petco pet care center.
Updated on November 13th, 2025
- New Pet
Brackish Water Fish Care: Your Complete Guide to Tank, Food & Species
Learn how to care for brackish water fish, recommended diet & aquarium setup. Find the right food, supplies & equipment at your neighborhood Petco.
Updated on November 13th, 2025
- New Pet
How to Care for Freshwater & Brackish Pufferfish: A Complete Guide
Find expert care tips for freshwater and brackish puffers, including tank setup, diet, and maintenance to keep your fish thriving.
Updated on November 13th, 2025
- Health & Wellbeing
Rust colored algae in both of my 10 gallon tanks after switching from gravel to sand substrate. What can I do?
Sand substrate is always a problem as it promotes decay and anaerobic bacteria. If you need sand in a tank for a fish species (none of the ones you mentioned above actually need sand) you should not use it in the whole aquarium , but only in a small spot to accomodate the fish. Rust-colored spots on the glass and gravel are due to diatom algae. They likely were brought in with the silicates in the sand.Diatom algae need the silicates to make a shell they carry around with them. Remove the silicates, and the algae should die. Removing silicates can be done with a silicate and phosphate filter, or, in your case, I would remove the sand completely and refill your aquarium with washed gravel. Algae also need lots of nutrients, so if you overfeed your fish, algae will increase. Feed only what your fish eat in one minute, no more.
Updated on August 12th, 2025
- Health & Wellbeing
I have a Four discus fish with water wisteria(Hygrophila difformis plants ) . Can I add Rock salt(sodium chloride ) in aquarium this tank ? I have some adding this ....so any bad effects on plants and discus ?
As a short term bath of up to seven days and a concentration of up to 1 tablespoon/ 1gal water can be used but this is just the fish as a treatment. You cannot add it to the daily aquarium as it will damage the plants and can damage the fish. Remember these are freshwater fish, not salt water.
Updated on August 12th, 2025
- Health & Wellbeing
My fish tank got infested with pink algae and green algae and the fish are acting lethargic and dying.
Check the water chemistry using a home test kit or submit a water sample for testing. The local Petco may do this for free or for a small fee. Aim for an absence (0 ppm) of ammonia and nitrites with nitrates at 20ppm or less. Perform partial water changes to stabilize chemistry and/or to improve water quality. Rinse the filter media in tank water, not tap water, and replace it. Use only conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. To limit algae growth, maintain pristine water quality via filtration and regular water changes. If possible, turn up filter flow to keep water moving. If this stresses the fish though, do not do it. Do not overfeed and remove any uneaten food promptly. Limit lighting to 8 hours daily and closely monitor water temperature as well. All these can promote algae overgrowth.
Updated on August 12th, 2025
- Health & Wellbeing
hi! I have gold fish in a tank and after doing a 20% water change my fish seems to be in shock just sitting at the bottom of the tank... could it be the PH level change? please help me!
It may be the pH change or other change in water chemistry. Use a home test kit to check water quality. Make adjustments as indicated. It may also be a response to a temperature change. Check water temperature and increase the heat if necessary, just don't forget to turn it down or off once the temp is within range.
Updated on August 12th, 2025
- Health & Wellbeing
I have recently got 2 gold fish(Saturday) night ish and got a medium size tank with no pump but told that dosnt matter at first the fish would swim little and stay near the stones/ground the next day the water went green the swam around abit more bu
Goldfish are surface breathers so seeing them up at the top is not unusual. They are also very dirty fish, so I recommend getting a small pump for aeration and doing a partial water change. There is usually a period of cloudy water after establishing a new fish tank until the bacterial balance is established and stabilized in the tank. I also recommend getting a siphon--type tank cleaner so you can use it to clean the gravel as you remove some of the water. It acts as a vacuum to pull out all the fish poo that settles to the bottom, and the water you remove from the tank is a great thing to water any plants you have with, as it also fertilizes them. Remove no more than half of the tank's water and replace it with clean fresh water that has had the correct amount of water conditioner for the volume you're adding.
Updated on August 12th, 2025
