I Want To Make My Cory Happy

[M'al-finny]

I have one remaining cory, and I realize my community tank is not optimized for her. First off, she needs companions.

Secondly, I would like to change over from pea gravel to sand ... has anyone done this in populated tank?

Any suggestions on how to do that without choking the water?

Thanks!

 

[jollysue]

Yes, she needs companions.

How did your other Corys die? How many? What are their tank mates? What species of Cory do you have?

I would like to add that Corys can often live up to 20 years.

There are several methods for changing gravel to sand.

First of course is to wash the sand well. I find doing small amounts at a time to work best.

My method of changing gravel to sand would most likely depend on the size of the tank, the inhabitants, the decor and what would be stirred up when I removed the gravel.

 

[jollysue]

Yes, she needs companions.

How did your other Corys die? How many? What are their tank mates? What species of Cory do you have?

I would like to add that Corys can often live up to 20 years.

There are several methods for changing gravel to sand.

First of course is to wash the sand well. I find doing small amounts at a time to work best.

My method of changing gravel to sand would most likely depend on the size of the tank, the inhabitants, the decor and what would be stirred up when I removed the gravel.

The easiest, if the substrate is deep and the tank well stocked with lots of fish, might be to bucket out most of the water, put the fish in the buckets with a heater if necessary, and then remove the old and add the new. Then just add the fish and old water back. If the substrate is shallow and easily removed lower the water some, and take the old out and in with the new.

A plate or something is sometimes used as a deflector so the water or substrate being added does not plop into the tank. As far as I know I have never lost a fish from changing substrates with the fish left in the tank. Well, I don't leave Bettas in their tanks during even water changes.

 

[Elaine2]

I've changed gravel with inhabitants in the tank by doing a section of the tank at a time over a few days. Move ornaments etc., remove gravel, then add the new gravel very slowy from a submerged jug, a bit at a time. You could add sand in the same way but it is likely to mix with the gravel and leave you with a mess. Removing everything and everyone is probably a better option.

Forgot to mention. You've probably realised but keep the filter running in the bucket, if its a removable filter, too.

 

[M'al-finny]

Thanks, it is a 55-gal acrylic with natural-colored pea gravel, some decor which serves as hiding places (plastic "moss log" and plastic "rock cave") and some artificial plants placed artistically.

Filter is 120 gallon wet-dry (got the tank from a saltwater guy, we kept the stand, hood and filter)

My cory is c. weitzmani (I think; I'm basing that on photos in this forum.)

I originally had 2 cories (I didn't know they were better in herds -- novice mistake on my part) and I suspect the other cory died of ... bacterial infection? I don't really know. He was hiding away and I hadn't seen him for about a week, so I moved the decor to make sure he was still OK. He swam away and hid in the other decor that evening. But in the morning, he was dead in the corner. No obvious cause of death. At that time I thought he was overstressed by having forced him to expose himself. I examined him and posted in another thread that he had a round dark mark on his ventral midline. Someone suggested it could be a water quality or gravel quality issue and suggested I gravel vac more often.

I am now gravel vaccing about 2x/week for about 20% water change each time. At first my remaining cory was much zippier, but now has taken to being shy (although I see her coming out to get her wafer, or after bloodworms go in -- but if she sees me she zips back under her log.)

 

[M'al-finny]

Also, I should add that the tank has been set up for about 7 months and the remaining cory has been with me for about 4 or 5 months. The other died about a month or so ago.

Other inhabitants are: 4 danios and 5 black phantom tetras.

Re: changing sand to gravel; it seems that I can take out 100% of the gravel and the decor and then replace with well-washed sand. This seems like it might need to be a summer project. How cruel is it to have a cory on gravel?

 

[jollysue]

Is this the same gravel as the salt water tank had? Do you have test kits? I would test for ph and the hardness of the water. Most pet and fish stores will test the water for you.

Corys can be sensitive to ph. They are a soft water river fish for the most part. They thrive with fresh clean water--like runoff.

Gravel is ok for the Cory for now, just keep it clean. If the gravel is deep and there are no live plants, I would start taking it out. It does not need to be deep and is a harbor for bacteria and extra work for you.

If you only have the fish out for a short time, you don't need to filter the water. The filters will stay good for short times without the fish also. Wet/dry is good. Does it have a refugium?

The Corys are shy because they are alone. But test the water. The wrong ph, etc can affect the long term health of the Cory.

 

[Iron Man]

If at all possible take the fish out, take out all decor and plants, and using a cup, change all the gravel out for thoroughly washed sand. I've always used playsand and pool filter sand for my tanks. Both are great but there's a lot more dust to wash out of playsand, although it half the price.

If you have to leave the fish in then take out half the gravel out at a time. This way your fish can safely stay at one half of the tank while you destroy their home on the other side. When that's done, slowly move to their side and give them time to slowly move over to the other side, the one now without gravel. Now you can destroy this side of their home.

Once that's done, do as you did with removing the gravel but this time putting the sand in.

Make sure to always move slowly and not make any really fast moves. This really scares the fish and may send them into a panic, which is not good.

Also, just a personal suggestion. If it were mine and I had natural colored pea gravel. After I put the sand and decor/plants back in and had everything the way I wanted it, I'd sprinkle a little of the pea gravel sparsely on top of the sand. Would look awesome!!

 

[M'al-finny]

Sorry for the delay; that's what I get for using an email account other than work for replies!

The gravel is *NOT* the same as the salt water tank. I do have a water test kit, and the pH is very high and the water is hard ... it is well water on the continental divide. I have not had the actual composition of the water checked, but it passed the "suitable to drink" with flying colors. I am not using chemicals to lower the pH, though, as it seems that they can trash the tank more than high pH.

I am not sure about a refugium ... am guessing that is a place for the fish to sit prior to going between the top plate and the drip plate?

I am noting the suggestions and will make any substrate changes in the summer when I can open the exterior doors and big spills will not be such a problem.