Substrate for Cories?

[Magicmarymac]

Oh dear...

I have been reading that cories need sand??? I am concerned that the substrate in my "new" 36 is bad for my Cories.




I got this expensive stuff cause it said it was good for plants. (sigh) It is 50% CaribSea Flora Max and 50% CaribSea Super naturals.

Thank you

 

[FallenRedeemer]

I don't think that they need sand. You just have to make sure that your substrate doesn't have sharp edges that would damage their barbels.

 

[umramgirl86]

I've had gravel with cities for about a year and a half, and they are doing great!!!

 

[Dallascowboys16]

Substrate for coreys

I have kept Corey's in my tanks with normal aquarium gravel and never had a problem even though I assume that sand is better for them.

 

[Cafrye]

I have 4 panda corys in gravel; they are at least 10 years old and doing just fine.

I have 3 albino corys and 2 pepper corys in another tank with gravel and they are doing fine; the pepper corys are about 5 years and the albino 2 are new and 1 is I don't remember how old.

Good luck

 

[clearancepuppy]

I've kept cories in tanks with gravel substrate with no problems but my guys I have now are on sand and seem so happy with it.

They seem to find it very pleasurable and effortless to snork around in it lol...

 

[bud29]

Honestly, barbel erosion with cories is almost always due to poor water conditions, and not the substrate. You should be fine, as long as you stay on top of water changes

 

[Bettafanatic]

Honestly, barbel erosion with cories is almost always due to poor water conditions, and not the substrate. You should be fine, as long as you stay on top of water changes

+1 to this. Most of the time people who's cories have damaged barbels blame it on substrate while the real cause is poor water condition. Just make sure the substrate isn't sandpaper rough.

 

[Coco1019]

The guy at the LFS said that he won't sell me cories unless I prove that I only have sand in my tank by taking a picture.

I told him that I have been assured that ecocomplete would be just fine and he disagreed. I really need to find a new store.

 

[Bettafanatic]

The guy at the LFS said that he won't sell me cories unless I prove that I only have sand in my tank by taking a picture.

I told him that I have been assured that ecocomplete would be just fine and he disagreed. I really need to find a new store.

If I was trying to do business with this guy I'm sure I would've lost my cool and slapped him for being a moron.

 

[Nitwig]

My brother has Eco complete in his tank and bought 4 pepper cories. They have had a bunch of babies survive in his tank. He now had 14 Cories. Ignore this man and go get your cories somewhere else.

 

[TOMatt]

Ignore this man and go get your cories somewhere else.

+1
There MUST be more than one LFS in Seattle.

[edit] If it's the only convenient place, try talking to the manager. That seems pretty ridiculous.

 

[Coco1019]

If I was trying to do business with this guy I'm sure I would've lost my cool and slapped him for being a moron.

Well, I'm pretty new and am still learning a ton everyday. I didn't feel like I had the energy or the knowledge to argue with the guy. This is the same store that I have purchased almost everything from. At least $800 in the last month.

 

[Coco1019]

+1
There MUST be more than one LFS in Seattle.

[edit] If it's the only convenient place, try talking to the manager. That seems pretty ridiculous.

He was the owner's son, I believe. The own another store in a neighboring town. I think there is another store in Seattle, but the reviews aren't great and another a little over an hour away.

I'm going to do some more searching for a decent place. Maybe one that's not as well known? Yelp is pretty helpful.

 

[Bettafanatic]

You can try ordering online. Shipping is expensive, but Liveaquaria hasn't failed me yet, and I buy a ton of stuff from there. They're great for plants too.

 

[Magicmarymac]

So…adding sand now would probably not work anyway because it would settle under the other stuff, right or wrong?

 

[nereksnad]

So…adding sand now would probably not work anyway because it would settle under the other stuff, right or wrong?

greetings.

yes, adding sand over gravel is not going to work. i thought i was being smart by pouring sand ontop of my gravel as i intend to get some corydoras specimins soon, but the sand has rather quickly fallen down through the gravel.

sincerely,
nereksnad.

 

[Magicmarymac]

Thanks for the confirmation of my suspicions.


Maybe someday ill get another tank and will move what I have out…

(Methinks that way lies madness)

 

[Bettafanatic]

So…adding sand now would probably not work anyway because it would settle under the other stuff, right or wrong?

It'd just cause a huge mess, or fall through the gravel as the other person said. The cories will be perfectly fine with eco-complete. I'm probably gonna get a lot of hate for suggesting this, but you could try tricking the guy by bringing in a picture of a tank with sand. It'd work, it's not like he can barge into your house and personally check your fish tank.

 

[Ahisma]

greetings.

yes, adding sand over gravel is not going to work. i thought i was being smart by pouring sand ontop of my gravel as i intend to get some corydoras specimins soon, but the sand has rather quickly fallen down through the gravel.

sincerely,
nereksnad.

I combined sand and gravel by pushing all of the gravel off to one side and across the back. I then put the sand on the bare bottom in the section I created. The gravel mixed a bit with the sand, but they are separate for the most part. All of my bb were in the gravel, so I didn't want to get rid of it. I think it looks good with the black gravel hill, natural gravel pebbles and then white sand. None are rough and my cories are fine.