I recommend to try different apps for accessing Mastodon. You can try all in parallel, next to each other. You need not remove the one you're using to try another.
I myself recommend not to use the official app.
Look here for what to try. Get Fedilab from F-droid.
https://joinmastodon.org/apps
@rudolf What do you mean with text only?
@trinsec
No pictures. Just text.
@rudolf You mean, only SEE text? Or post text? I can interpret this in a few ways.
@rudolf I see what you mean. To save on mobile data I presume?
Mastodon's settings enable you to always hide media unless you click on it, so the idea already exists. But I guess you might want to keep your desktop environment and mobile environment settings seperate?
I'd call that 'an exception', really. But you can mimic this already with the mobile web interface. Although you wouldn't see the alt text so I suppose that's a plus for Tusky there.
@trinsec
I am not saving on data. I read a lot, and pictures distract me. I can scan text quite fast, but get stuck on pics.
I have tried all Android apps and the web interface, but only Tusky gives me this view.
@rudolf Then Tusky is a match made in cloud for you. :)
But again, kinda an exception. Usually the mobile web interface would be perfectly fine for the majority. Not saying that apps don't have a place though. Just mostly not necessary for many. And they kinda clash with some custom modifications too.
@trinsec
Your fixated on my detail. Lots of people prefer Tusky or Fedilab over the web. These apps give them options. Tusky has 100k downloads on Playstore alone.
@rudolf 
Fine, then I'm fixated on details.
I can't show you the amount of downloads for the web version because.. well.. it's always there. ;)
@trinsec
Tusky can do text only. Just one of many possible reasons.