I Just Had To Have Them

[Far_King]

I like the Adolfi's too.  I saw the Black Venezuelan but thought they may get a bit lost in my tanks.
 
Good news....turns out I don't have six; there's seven 

 

[RCA]

Awesome, someone can't count in the LFS

We want pics
Aldolfi's are my favs

 

[Akasha72]

pics pics pics!!!!!!!
 

 

 

[Far_King]

I'm trying but they're quick little suckers!  I did a water change which helped in getting them to clump together nicely for a while.
 
https/flic.kr/p/CgheMa

 

[Akasha72]

lovely .... but you know what I'm about to say .... cories need to be on sand for them to display their natural behaviour. The gravel looks soft and rounded so it shouldn't affect their barbels but I'd still consider switching to sand so the cories can sift it for food and bury themselves too if that's how they are feeling! lol

 

[Far_King]

I know (now) 

 thank you, I had this discussion with Byron on another thread.  I didn't realise that substrate could potentially be so rough so I'll look at layering sand over the top.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I know the feeling about orange lasers, it took me about 6 months to track some down, but I eventually did. Mine are F1s.

 

[Akasha72]

I know (now) 

 thank you, I had this discussion with Byron on another thread.  I didn't realise that substrate could potentially be so rough so I'll look at layering sand over the top.

 
Layering over the top won't work. That was my plan a few years ago but the sand just falls through and over time you end up with sand on the bottom and gravel on the top again!

 

[Far_King]

It only needs to be there for a while hopefully.  I expect to be having to move and so can look into properly converting the substrate at that time.

Thank you for the heads up on that though!

 

[Akasha72]

no problem - happy to help

 

[boshk]

 

I know (now) 

 thank you, I had this discussion with Byron on another thread.  I didn't realise that substrate could potentially be so rough so I'll look at layering sand over the top.

 
Layering over the top won't work. That was my plan a few years ago but the sand just falls through and over time you end up with sand on the bottom and gravel on the top again!
 

these are pretty! someone suggested I switch out my plans of Bronze corys......maybe these would be good.
 
The sand thing, I was planning on using fine-ish gravel on one side to build up a slope then layer it with ADA soil, other side maybe sand. Would that be okay for the cory?

 

[Akasha72]

the fine gravel needs to be soft. To check if it's soft enough roll a piece between your fingers, if it feels sharp or rough it's no good for cories. I don't know what ADA soil is but I'm guessing it's a soft soil like substance so that should be okay for them
 
What we need to avoid is anything rough or sharp. Cories have very delicate mouths, they also sift for food - I see sand coming out of my cories gills most days as they sift it for anything edible - if they are unable to do this you won't see their natural behaviour. If the substrate is too sharp or rough they will eventually loose their barbels. Sometimes the barbels can re-grow but often it's a perminant thing
 
Another thing you are missing out on by keeping them on gravel is them burying themselves which is the funniest thing ever! I've seen mine completely bury their heads because they've found something in the sand that they want to eat.
 
Hopefully that helps

 

[eaglesaquarium]

ADA Soil should be fine for the cories... almost a muddy type bottom after a while.

 

[boshk]

the fine gravel needs to be soft. To check if it's soft enough roll a piece between your fingers, if it feels sharp or rough it's no good for cories. I don't know what ADA soil is but I'm guessing it's a soft soil like substance so that should be okay for them
 
What we need to avoid is anything rough or sharp. Cories have very delicate mouths, they also sift for food - I see sand coming out of my cories gills most days as they sift it for anything edible - if they are unable to do this you won't see their natural behaviour. If the substrate is too sharp or rough they will eventually loose their barbels. Sometimes the barbels can re-grow but often it's a perminant thing
 
Another thing you are missing out on by keeping them on gravel is them burying themselves which is the funniest thing ever! I've seen mine completely bury their heads because they've found something in the sand that they want to eat.
 
Hopefully that helps

 
so many considerations.
So for the sand, I'm guessing it needs to be fine-ish, as you said not sharp which I guess sand shouldn't be but then you get the problem of blocked filters right with sand?

 

[Akasha72]

nope, never had sand block a filter yet. So long as you remember to switch the filter off when you do the change over and wait for it to settle before switching back on there should be no trouble. If you have an external filter remember to keep the intake basket a couple of inches above the substrate. You might find the odd bit in a filter (I'm talking a tiny bit) if the fish have been swishing around in - cories being the one's I'm thinking of but a tiny amount won't affect anything