Corydoras Identification

Byron said:

Those are Corydoras paleatus. Sometimes they are commonly called Pepper Cory, but you can't always depend on common names. If the store where you got these two still has them, you could get 3-4 more. I don't know the tank size, b ut a group of 5-6 should not cause problems from what I can see in the photos. A few more wouldn't hurt, as corys are always better the more there are.

One thing I will mention though is your substrate, the gravel. It really would be better for the corys to have sand. If you are up to changing substrates, we can discuss further. But corys really will always be better with sand. They can sift it through their gills looking for food, and sand will not harm their sensitive barbels. A couple chunks of bogwood would be appreciated too. Corys like to be able to find a "hiding" place, plus they browse surfaces for food.

Byron.

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nf4333 said:

First off thank you so much for identifying my corys. I looked at pictures, but I wasn't 100 % sure. In regards to the corys, I can see if they have any more. They had other corys, but they looked different, and I will see if they have any sand available for purchase.
Again thank you,
Noel

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Byron said:

Aquarium sand is quite expensive. And you need to be sure you get inert sand, not mineralized sand for some fish. If you do go this route, play sand works very well. I have this in all my 8 tanks now. Play Sand is available from home improvement type stores. Needs a good rinse, but otherwise ideal for all fish and plants.

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nf4333 said:

Then I will definitely get some from one of the home improvement stores after classes are over tomorrow. I may have just gotten the fish, but I already love them, so I definitely have to make them comfortable. I have a 10 gallon tank, 20 L x 12 W x 10 H, so how much sand should I get?

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Byron said:

I don't know where you are, but in the USA and Canada both Home Depot and Lowe's carry Quikrete Play Sand. It comes in a bag of 25kg (around 50 lbs) for a few dollars. You will have some spare, but that is always handy. You want no more than 2 inches overall depth.

We can discuss how to go about changing over the substrate. You want to retain the beneficial bacteria, and you will need a temporary holding tank for the fish you have while this is occurring.

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nf4333 said:

All I have nearby is a Menards, and a Sutherland, but I know they'll have some play sand. I have a small 3 gallon round heated tank with a couple of flame tetras. I can do all of this tomorrow, because I have work tonight, but I will have the whole weekend for this. I can pick up sand after work.

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Byron said:

If you can, get the darkest play sand. I see you have black gravel now, which is fine for colour. Play sand will likely be a mix (something like black, grey, buff, white usually) which is OK too. You want to avoid white, always, for substrate.

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nf4333 said:

I will

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