# Cories and substrates



## erijnal (Apr 5, 2006)

Hey guys, I was wondering what all of you guys use as substrate in your cory tanks. 

Which have been great for you (ie. barbels look great, fish can move the substrate easily), and which have been horrible for you (ie. worn down barbels)?


I personally use Eco-complete, and I don't think it's the best substrate for my Corydoras habrosus. They (three) can still find food fine, but their barbels are pretty much nonexistent. I just bought 6 more of the guys, so if it's due to not being in a big enough shoal, hopefully that will be fixed soon. If not, I plan on getting a different, light (so it stays on top), and preferably dark substrate as a top layer that will be easier on the barbels.

Anyway, thanks in advance for your replies


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## ed seeley (Dec 1, 2006)

I use sand in all my tanks and my Cories do great. The barbels are long and healthy on my C.robinae and C.napoensis. The other fish love it too. If your Corys are losing their barbels then the substrate is too sharp, or got too much debris in it. Try giving it a good vacuum and see if that helps.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

I use pool filter sand in my tank with cories. It is pretty neat to see them shifting the sand through their gills.


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## Milkdud (Jan 21, 2007)

The finer the substrate the better for cories.


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## K20A2 (Aug 12, 2006)

I have six peppered corys (corydoras paleatus) in my 30G with eco complete that are doing very well. A couple of months back I had a problem with panda corys in that same tank. Their barbells were done for, but I’m still not completely sure why. 
One is gone, definitely dead but I never found a body, and the other has spent a couple of months on sand, but without a return to his barbells. I was told it was probably the fragile condition of panda corys these days that lead to this condition, and not the eco complete. 

I’ve always read that sand is the best choice for them though.


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## rhinoman (Oct 11, 2006)

4 Pandas for about a year, gravel 2-3mm. All have their barbells.


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## aquarium boy (Nov 28, 2004)

i would say anything with a VERY fine texture i have some gravel in my 55 gallon (holding tank right now) and sadly he doesnt have his barbels. -L-


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## erijnal (Apr 5, 2006)

Thanks guys, I just sifted through my Eco-complete with my fingers, and was able to rearrange the substrate in such a way that the finer particles are now on top.

Also performed a water change to compensate for any ammonia that might have formed.


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## rhinoman (Oct 11, 2006)

I feed the little Hakari wafers. I wonder if hungrier fish search harder for food and wear out their barbels? I feed liberaly. Just wondering.


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

I have a mixture of Eco and Flourite and the cories (pandas) have been happy for months.


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## rhinoman (Oct 11, 2006)

I don't think it's substrate. My substrate is not fine by any means although I would not say it was jagged either that's for sure. My Cories have nice long barbels. Hum. If only I knew what I was doing right.


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## erijnal (Apr 5, 2006)

It's actually very interesting to me that when I did a search, there were very few, if any, threads on this topic.

I did some research a couple days ago, and some say that high nitrates lead to barbel deterioration, while others say the substrate does the work, while still others say it's a combination of both. It seems that the high nitrates possibility is something of a myth, since a lot of people here say their cories are fine, and we by necessity add nitrates into our tanks. So that only leaves the substrate..? It seems like the most obvious, but I'm not an expert on cories, nor do I have extensive experience with them, so I can't say for sure.


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## K20A2 (Aug 12, 2006)

This may be of help.. Its my thread on aquahobby addressing this same problem.

Tropical Fish Forums at the Age of Aquariums :: View topic - Panda Corys - Barbels


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## rhinoman (Oct 11, 2006)

Maybe it's as I said. My Pandas don't dig through the gravel looking for food they glide over it and eat what they find. I'd lke to hear from people that are having trouble. I'd like to know if they feed liberaly and do they feed wafers specificly made for Cories. I wonder if the Cories barbels are wearing out from searching too hard for food in substrates that are too course. It might not be the course substrate but the combination of the unnatural substrate (for Cories) and hunger?


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