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I have 7 cories in my 55g tank. I have 2 trilineatus and 5 sodalis.

The trilineatus cories all have short barbels. I recently lost one and didn't see anything wrong with it, except for the short barbels.
Now I am afraid that my substrate is too big. I have had the same substrate (about 4-5mm gravel mixed with flourite) the whole time I've had the tank...which is almost a year. I've had these particular cories for about 7 months. This is the first cory death I've had. The others seem fine. The sodalis cories' barbels are fine...not the least bit short. They don't dig around as much as the others do though.

Should I look into replacing maybe an inch or two of my substrate with smaller pea gravel? Should I change all of it? I have sooo many fish in the 55g that I would be afraid of losing some if I changed the gravel (taking the fish out of course).

I am setting up a new tank soon and it will likely have Eco-Complete as the substrate. Should I just plan on moving the trilineatus cories over and adding to the shoal?

It worries me only because I don't want to lose my cories.

*Kristin*

I highly doubt the death of your cory was from the substrate. The short barbels probably, but a death i don't think so. If you wanted to incorporate a smaller gravel in with the larger stuff, it'll stay on top for a short time, then filter down to the bottom of the tank and push your larger gravel up to the top, negating any effect the smaller gravel had in the first place.
I wouldn't worry about the gravel, as long as your cories barbels aren't bleeding, ragged or fungused over. I've kept my cories in a mix of estes brand gravel and flourite for years, and never a problem.
I'd look elsewhere for the death of your cory.

If you're really intent on changing the gravel for your cories, then we can help.

Thanks Fallout. I really don't want to change the gravel, unless it was really a problem. Its a big job to change out substrate. Since that's the only cory that has died...I know the gravel didn't cause it. And my other cories don't have fungused or bleeding barbels...so I guess they are alright.

I'll probably end up moving the trilineatus cories into a new tank sometime this summer.

Is Eco-Complete ok for cories? I would love to give them a sand substrate to play in...but I love my plants.

*Kristin*

I think eco-complete would be just fine As long as the substrate doesn't have a lot of real sharp edges, you shouldn't run into a problem.