FishProfiles.com Message Forums

sometime in the near future, id like to get a school of cories, only catfish and bottom feeders just die in my tank for no reason. ive so far tried a spiny eel and a talking catfish but both died within a week. when my grandfather owned the tank (i moved into his house, so i got to keep the tank) he owned all kinds of bottom feeders (plecos, SAE, etc.) but all died within a month. although my loaches have been in there for 2 years and are perfectly fine, which is why im asking if i should get cories.

I wouldn't try cories if you're having problems keeping fish alive. Maybe the gravel is heavily polluted. How often do you vacuum it, and what are your water pollutant levels?

---

And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

i think polluted substrate is the problem. even though my grandfather is a very experienced fishkeeper, he isnt too educated about water changes and gravel vacs, and would do water changes/gravel vacs 5 or 6 times a year. hes one of those lazy people with the motto "if the fish look healthy, then why bother?". i do gravel vacs once a month. should i be doing it more often? also, theres one thing that confuses me- if loaches are supposedly "less hardy" than most plecos, why didnt they die?

I think that gravel vac. once a month is fine, as long as you don't overfeed, but the water changes must be made more often.

If you want to try some "hardy" Corydoras, go with Bronze Corydoras, but first solve the substrate problem before adding more fish.


http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/s8xi5heh/my_photos
http://www.geocities.com/s8xi5heh/classic_blue.html
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/buzaqq/
http://www.deathbydyeing.org/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/corydoras/
Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970.
http://www.maltaaquarist.com

i do water changes 3-5 times a month. i just dont do gravel vacs that often because wouldnt it get rid of too much bacteria?

Gravel vacs won't remove bacteria Zach ...

However, what it WILL do is ensure that your gravel bed isn't compacted over time, and thus maintain an efficient flow if you're using an undergravel filter. Furthermore, removing excess gunk will help keep nitrates down to safe levels, which is ALWAYS a good idea with Corys.

My Pandas usually get two water changes (50% volume) and gravel vacs every week. Just lately, while medicating them for tail rot with melafix, I've been doing once every other day, sometimes once a day if I thought they needed it ... needless to say that is one clean gravel bed now


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Calilasseia Wrote:
Gravel vacs won't remove bacteria Zach ...

However, what it WILL do is ensure that your gravel bed isn't compacted over time, and thus maintain an efficient flow if you're using an undergravel filter. Furthermore, removing excess gunk will help keep nitrates down to safe levels, which is ALWAYS a good idea with Corys.

My Pandas usually get two water changes (50% volume) and gravel vacs every week. Just lately, while medicating them for tail rot with melafix, I've been doing once every other day, sometimes once a day if I thought they needed it ... needless to say that is one clean gravel bed now

I would have to agree with this I suck the gravel weekly in all 8 of my tanks anywere I can stick the vac without disturbing roots to terribly. Partly I do it every week because I figure I dont get the whole tank everytime and figure also that some of that mulm will spread to the clean areas thus airating it and moving it. I also Vaccum places the fish tend to hang out more heavily because there is always more of a build up there.

If I were you what I would do is get a python because they suck really really well. Then plop it into the gravel vertically and if you have only fake plants remove them and drag the vac slowly around this usually works really well for me. Some times I will just go straight down and up in a lot of places before I do that. That is of course unless I have live plants then I only do the up down movement.

But my opinion about should someone try corries is YES! always yes... if they will be safe. Cleaning your gravel really well should secure there saftey, maybe do it twice in as many days before adding cory.