Substrate For Bottom Dwelling Fish

This week someone requested suggestions for substrate that is good for bottom-dwelling fish. Here is one of the responses ....
"I use a small river gravel. I like its natural color, it holds plants well, is well rounded so it doesn't damage their barbels, and it is small enough that they can move it a bit as they rummage for food. I got mine at PetSmart so it must be readily available. It is between 2 and 4mm round and doesn't need much washing before you add it to a tank. Your small gravel sounds similar. For the plants I put a layer of Eco-Complete down first...
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