Corys whiskers and gravel - Truth or Myth

[Utar]

When I set my new 55 gallon tank up with a pea gravel cap I worried about what the gravel would do to my cories' whiskers. I had watched a youtube video a few years back showing and talking about gravel damaging or not damaging cory's whiskers. A few videos were showing damaged whiskers, but I watched one with this old guy who considered himself a cory expert that was saying it was all a myth, I can't find that video now. He was saying that animals don't engage in activities that will hurt themselves, or something to that effect.

So my cories have been living on pea gravel for six months now and today I seen most of them lined up in a row against the glass, so I took pictures of them. Their whiskers don't look damaged to me.

 

[seangee]

Not going to comment on the barbs...
but his is how corys naturally feed. Pay close attention to the gills while feeding

 

[Sgooosh]

your gravel is soft so it does not damaage. hard gravels like caribsea ecocomplete damage

 

[Sgooosh]

Not going to comment on the barbs...
but his is how corys naturally feed. Pay close attention to the gills while feeding

also do they do that in black sand like blasting sand too?

 

[Utar]

Yes sand does allow for cories more natural feeding by sifting sand through their gills. But mine don't seem to be starving, and look really healthy from my point of view. I also do realize that some gravel is sharper then other, so I can possibly see why it might damage their barbs, but at the same time are cories so dumb or naturally predisposed of not knowing any better going to damage their barbs, that is the question.

 

[Sgooosh]

Yes sand does allow for cories more natural feeding by sifting sand through their gills. But mine don't seem to be starving, and look really healthy from my point of view. I also do realize that some gravel is sharper then other, so I can possibly see why it might damage their barbs, but at the same time are cories so dumb or naturally predisposed of not knowing any better going to damage their barbs, that is the question.

your gravel is smooth and good!

 

[Utar]

On a different note and talking about different substrates. I have been using pool filter sand for years now, I have only used BDBS for a short period of time and same with pea gravel. For me and it is just my personal choice of course I have found I like pea gravel over the other two choices mentioned.

With BDBS, I must of picked the wrong size grain because the stuff I was using as like a fine powder. I compacted so hard that I tore up two Amazon Sword plants attempting to plant them into the BDBS, tore the root systems right off. I could not get Swords to plant by pushing them into the BDBS, so I parted it by hand and attempted planting two more Swords and they withered away and never grew. So I gave up in BDBS replacing it with pool filter sand.

Pool filter sand after using it for years it works great for plants except for some other problems like vacuuming the sand. Slowly but surely over a couple of years I had to keep replacing the sand because it would get sucked up and out while vacuuming. The sand is great for silicone based diatoms, and other problems I have had with sand. Sand can get sucked up into the motors of HOB filters.

Pea gravel all those problems went away, Plants do great in pea gravel, it doesn't get sucked up while vacuuming and doesn't blow around while adding water after a water change nor does it get sucked up by the HOB motor. Pea gravel stays where I is laid, and still easy to push threw when planting new plants.

 

[itiwhetu]

I worry about the very fine sand that is man made which has glass like constancy, I believe that will damage the fishes gills. I have always kept corys on natural gravel no problem. I think the bigger concern with barbels is pH rather than the substrate they are kept on.

 

[Sgooosh]

On a different note and talking about different substrates. I have been using pool filter sand for years now, I have only used BDBS for a short period of time and same with pea gravel. For me and it is just my personal choice of course I have found I like pea gravel over the other two choices mentioned.

With BDBS, I must of picked the wrong size grain because the stuff I was using as like a fine powder. I compacted so hard that I tore up two Amazon Sword plants attempting to plant them into the BDBS, tore the root systems right off. I could not get Swords to plant by pushing them into the BDBS, so I parted it by hand and attempted planting two more Swords and they withered away and never grew. So I gave up in BDBS replacing it with pool filter sand.

Pool filter sand after using it for years it works great for plants except for some other problems like vacuuming the sand. Slowly but surely over a couple of years I had to keep replacing the sand because it would get sucked up and out while vacuuming. The sand is great for silicone based diatoms, and other problems I have had with sand. Sand can get sucked up into the motors of HOB filters.

Pea gravel all those problems went away, Plants do great in pea gravel, it doesn't get sucked up while vacuuming and doesn't blow around while adding water after a water change nor does it get sucked up by the HOB motor. Pea gravel stays where I is laid, and still easy to push threw when planting new plants.

yea i got the medium size

 

[Geordie Paul]

When I set my new 55 gallon tank up with a pea gravel cap I worried about what the gravel would do to my cories' whiskers. I had watched a youtube video a few years back showing and talking about gravel damaging or not damaging cory's whiskers. A few videos were showing damaged whiskers, but I watched one with this old guy who considered himself a cory expert that was saying it was all a myth, I can't find that video now. He was saying that animals don't engage in activities that will hurt themselves, or something to that effect.

So my cories have been living on pea gravel for six months now and today I seen most of them lined up in a row against the glass, so I took pictures of them. Their whiskers don't look damaged to me.View attachment 126098

Ok here's my honest opinion. I don't think gravel is good for the barbs of some species of Cory's. I have 5 sterbai on gravel and they've all lost their barbs unfortunately. However they are still healthy and have been living fine without their barbs for well over a year now. I also have a small school of panda Corys that all have their barbules completely fine in the same tank. The pandas seem to be a bit tougher. Anyways long story short, they'll most likely be fine.

 

[Gypsum]

Find any of Byron's posts and read the quotes in his signature. Also, Ian Fuller, who is like the god of all corydoras knowledge, says that sand is important for their long term health and welfare.

Also, whoever said, "Animals don't engage in activities that will hurt themselves" has clearly never owned a horse. LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL.

 

[Fishiemang]

They will be fine in.a.wide array of substrates. Smooth gravel, sand or even that colored glofish stuff. I know, cause I have all those covered with at least one cory. Some sharp edge rocks can potentially cause issues, but ya won't know until ya try.

Most time the barbels.disappear due to bad water.conditions or disease. They ain't gonna go out their way to injure themselves.

 

[itiwhetu]

They will be fine in.a.wide array of substrates. Smooth gravel, sand or even that colored glofish stuff. I know, cause I have all those covered with at least one cory. Some sharp edge rocks can potentially cause issues, but ya won't know until ya try.

Most time the barbels.disappear due to bad water.conditions or disease. They ain't gonna go out their way to injure themselves.

Well said. Substrate is only a small part of the puzzle.