Angular Sand And Cories

ellena

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So I have seachem fluorite sand and I'd like to get cories, but, though the sand is fine, it's also angular and I'm worried it will cause damage as they suck it up and flirt it out of their gills (is that even what they do?)
I've asked on cory forum, but no response, so thought I'd try here.
Alternatively, other suggestions for shoaling bottom dwellers for 60l, 60x30cm base tank welcome, thanks :)

edit here's a pic
image.jpg
 
Enriched substrates like Flourite and Eco-Complete are not recommended for corys.  I have had catfish specialists tell me this.  And I did have one sad experience, though it was with the regular Flourite and not the "sand" Flourite.  My panda and similis corys developed serious mouth damage, losing barbels but one panda even lost a bit of its actual lip.  I didn't clue in to the substrate being the cause at first, but after I did I removed the corys to a play sand substrate tank and fortunately they recovered.  The bleeding stopped, some of the barbels re-grew, though the one panda with half a mouth is still the oddest looking fish, but has been happily playing with his fellows for three years since so obviously doing fine.  But I would not recommend these substrates with corys.  Other substrate fish (loaches for instance) might have similar problems as they too like to dig and sometimes tunnel.
 
And you are correct, that corys like to sift the substrate through their gills.  This is one reason why sand is the preferred substrate, but it needs to be very smooth.  I've had no issues with play sand.
 
Byron.
 
Thank you :) Better have a rethink then...
 
Personally, I won't keep cories on anything other than play sand now. I've had them on a variety of different sands and gravels over the years, and every single one of them, except for the play sand (which I've had them on for about 3 1/2 years) has caused problems in the end :/
 
Thanks :) I was going for a small shoal of copper harlequins and a shoal of cories, but I'm scrapping the cories and going for a small shoal of another small mid swimming fish instead, then, once everything's settled down, some cherry shrimp. They'll scoot about on the bottom instead :)
(I'm starting the tank off with media taken from 3 filters in the tanks at work)
 
ellena said:
Thanks
smile.png
I was going for a small shoal of copper harlequins and a shoal of cories, but I'm scrapping the cories and going for a small shoal of another small mid swimming fish instead, then, once everything's settled down, some cherry shrimp. They'll scoot about on the bottom instead
smile.png

(I'm starting the tank off with media taken from 3 filters in the tanks at work)
Sounds good :)
 

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