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I'm planning on setting up a new 65 gallon semi-planted community tank and would like to have some corys. What sized substrate could be considered "all purpose" for most corys?

Sand is preferable for corys. Or small gravel - not with sharpened edges. Cories will spend most of their time searching through the bottom and they will hurt their 'moustaches' if the gravel is not right for them.

Small rounded Gravel with no sharp edges & Sand are both very good with Corydoras.


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Last edited by jasonpisani at 02-May-2005 15:06

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Another FP member had trouble with florite, so avoid that.

If not sand, then how small is small (for gravel). Is the typical 'old style' aquarium gravel ok...not the pea sized stuff...more like peppercorn size :%)

Pea sized gravel is Ok, as long as it rounded with no sharp edges.


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

I've had good luck with very smooth pea sized gravel. I've had BAD luck with flourite and smaller (not so smooth) gravel.

See? My cories have lovely barbels. That's one of my trilineatus for cory-to-gravel size comparison.

Drat it! Helps if I attach the picture! *thumps self over head*



Last edited by Kitten at 02-May-2005 16:21[/font]

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~

Thanks for the info! Can't wait to get set up!

My view is that the substrate itself isn’t that important, but the cleanliness of it is. It is best to use a substrate which can be easily cleaned, so that nitrates do not build up and cause problems. Nitrates seem to affect Corydoras barbels more than the actual substrate does, because a buildup in nitrates can easily lead to an infection of the barbels. I offer up this example:
I have read an article in which the author mentions something interesting pertaining to this. He said that while residing in a tank with fine gravel substrate and high nitrates, his cories had infection-shortened barbels. However, when he moved them to a tank with a crushed glass bottom and little/no nitrates, their barbels grew back. It seems unlikely that this is a total coincidence. I do agree that the substrate choice can be somewhat important, but my point is that nitrates and unclean water are bigger enemies of Corydoras catfish. Keep your tank relatively nitrate-free, and you shouldn’t have a problem with their barbels wearing down.

With that having been said, just pick out a substrate that you like. Try not to go too fine or too large, or you may have trouble keeping it clean. Other than that, go wild!

---

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

That would be a great theory except that I've always had very low nitrates in my tanks... and still had barbels erosion with the flourite as a substrate. My theory (which could be completely wrong, of course!) is that the flourite is more porous, so could potentially hold in bacteria? Add that to any nicks or scratches cories might receive from the slightly rougher edges of the flourite, and perhaps that could be factor in barbel erosion?

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~

Ah, yes.

Cory_Di had BIG issues with her habrosus and fluorite.

And she's not the only one to notice that habrosus seem fussy about the substrate. Derek Laambourne in his book on Corydoras mentioned that when using sand as a substrate, he had serious losses among his fry, which ceased when he switched to gravel. Barbel loss was noted, followed by expiration of the fry.

With the smaller Corys, I think rounded gravel (particle size chosen accordingly) is a better choice. And Lambourne agrees with me in the case of habrosus at least.

As far as my Pandas go, gravel seems OK for them. Given the rate at which they spawn of late, I'd say they're happy with their substrate


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

My cories do well with a substrate mix of gravel and flourite, it's probably a ratio of 3:1

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There is water at the bottom of the ocean