Cories - Sand Vs. Gravel

[Dieses Madchen]

I know that there is generally some argument as to whether sand or gravel is best for cories. While my cories did well on gravel, I recently switched to sand. I have seen a huge activity boom in my tank! The cories never sit still! That are constantly digging at the sand, playing with it, moving it around! It is so cute to watch! I don't know if sand is neccessarily healthier, but they sure do seem to enjoy it more! I am soo glad I made the switch. I hope to add a few more cories in the next few weeks.

 

[Tizer]

its taken you this long to do it?

 

[Dieses Madchen]

its taken you this long to do it?

Gotta have the time to tear down a 40g aquarium Finally found some time

 

[This Old Spouse]

I'm so glad you made the switch! Cory can live on any substrate, but they only shine when they're in their native habitat, which is sand. They scoop it up and blow it out their gills, keeping the food they find. I posted a photo earlier this week showing one of my albinos literally diving into the sand! Glad to hear it's working so well for you!

 

[Tizer]

Native isnt 100% sand, they do also live in areas where there are stoney bottoms and such. But for a home aquarium sand is most deffinately the best for them, imo!

 

[This Old Spouse]

It's sand over rock, and they snuffle through the sand and over the rocks, etc. My point is that it's generally not gravel, as most folks have in their aquariums.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

The good think is that gravel I had was very smooth. They didn't have any barbel erosion or anything, but it is soooo much more fun watching them with the sand. I am so glad I made the switch as well. I wish I would have been able to do it alot sooner. Also with the change in decoration, the bottom of the tank is more open and I can up the numbers. I want about 2-3 more so I have a shoal of 6-7

 

[Xraymark]

Any issues on colour of sand. I've got black(more grey to be fair) sand but I have read that corys like the more natural sand as its more a camouflage effect.

 

[Tizer]

na, any sand will do, as long as its fine, not sharp, etc.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

The sand I used is a tannish brown color. Not really dark, but dark enough that the cories stand out, as I have albino cories.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Have a look at this video from Aquanet TV. It is shot in the wild and helps to challenge some things many folks seem to take as gospel.

Corydoras- soft barbels on sharp gravel

 

[fishguy2727]

I never had any problems with cories on gravel. I don't think it is an issue, especially with the smooth gravel in the hobby. I have heard the idea that not vacuuming the gravel and letting it stay dirty can contribute to an infection on their barbels if they are ever scratched. I keep sand in all my tanks now, not for cories but because it is so much cleaner and less maintenance in general.

Personally I don't think it matters what they are on in (parts of) nature, this doesn't mean it is the ideal thing for them.

Nature is Not Always Ideal

 

[Tizer]

I've seen that video several times and while its a useful eye opener, it doesnt reflect 6 years in a home aquarium. Corys simply behave more naturally on sand.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Help an ignorant fish keeper and please explain what the term more naturally means as you used it. When I look up the word in Webster Online it tells me:

1: by nature : by natural character or ability <naturally timid> 2: according to the usual course of things : as might be expected <we naturally dislike being hurt> 3a : without artificial aid <hair that curls naturally> b : without affectation <speak naturally> 4: with truth to nature : realistically

That video's purpose is to illustrate that cory's in nature appear equally at home on sand, gravel or bedrock. That in the usual course of things they will be found on all three bottoms. On the other hand, seems to me that there is almost nothing natural about a home aquarium. Maybe if one has a huge tank of several 1,000 gallons one could create an envrironment more like nature.


An nature is not ideal. It is a complex system which promotes adaptation and survival of those that are most able to do so in the face of the most drastic changes. Look at the horsehoe crab. Its ancestors came into being during the Paleozoic Era (540-248 million years ago) ending in the Permian Period.

The Permian ends with a large mass extinction, perhaps caused by glaciation or volcanic activity. The trilobites become extinct, as do 50% of all animal families, 95% of all marine species and many trees. The horseshoe crab survives.

The horshoe lives through the Mesozoic Era:

The Mezozoic Era ends with a major extinction of dinosaurs and about 50% of marine invertebrates, probably caused by an asteroid impact or by massive volcanic activity. Horseshoe crabs survived.

If you want to study horshoe crabs today, the Delaware Bay on the USA East Coast is the largest spawning grounds for them.
(All quotes from http/www.horseshoecrab.org/nh/hist.html )

I highly doubt anything was ideal in all the changing conditions under which these amazingly long existing creatures have survived. I think it had more to do with their being able to adapt or weather them all.

 

[fishguy2727]

Not sure what the Paleozoic or horseshoe crabs has to do with cories on sand...

Although the use of the term 'more naturally' may not be exact, I think we can all infer that the cories are more active and as far as we humans can tell enjoy the sand more than the gravel, at least from that aquarist's experience.