Panda Cory - Sand ?

[Hammerboy]

OK, yesterday evening after work i visited my LFS looking for some new inhabitants for my tank. Currently i have 2 wagtail platies in a 20G and they look a bit lost !!

I set my eyes on a tank of Panda Cories .... i just have to have 3 or 4 of those little fellas.

Anyway, i noticed the LFS has a sand substrate for them and despite the fact that the proprietor said gravel is fine for them i thought i'd do some research first before committing to them.

So, having read around it seems that sand is best for them and my LFS may have been telling some porkies ?

If this is the case, what's the definitive answer on adding a 1cm layer of sand to my existing gravel. I curently have live plants and the gravel is a type of pea shingle ranging from 1mm - 5mm . It seems that some think this idea is ok, but others suggest there's no point because the sand will disappear into the gravel.

Please advise.



This is the second time i've posted by mistake in the Emergency forum.

Please accept my apologies.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Hammerboy

No problem! I'll just move your thread to Tropical Chit Chat. If you do get the C. pandas, please share your good news with us in the Corydoras section.

 

[liserini]

I created a sand tank for my cories which involved a layer of sand over gravel and it didn't disappear! Corys are fine in gravel as long as it's not too big. If you add sand, you have to wash it thoroughly..I did not and now my corys have knocked sand everywhere and the dirt that wasn't washed out is lingering in my tank and I'll be doing water changes for the rest of my life probably!

I also added a sandy area in one of other tanks by covering the gravel with some sand, however the gravel in that tank is rather large about 1cm diameter.

 

[Callum]

panda cories do best in a small shoal of six like most cories and sand is the preffered substrate. rounded gravel is ok for them but sand is better as gravel is known to wear down the barbells (dont think ive splet it right). it isnt unheard of to have a layer of gravel under the sand but personally i prefer just sand for my cory cats

 

[DarkEntity]

What you can do if you have a gravel tank is build a sand pit in it. take an aquarium safe bowl, sink it in the gravel and then add aquarium safe sand in it. You will find the corys will rest in the sand

Saves you changing the entire tank.

 

[liserini]

that's what i did in my biggest tank for my featherfin syno, he doesn't even go near it half the time the ungrateful @#?!

 

[Arfie]

As has been said, corys will be OK in a tank with gravel, so long as it's small and more importantly rounded to prevent damage to their barbels

My corys (bronze, albino and peppered) were in a tank with pea gravel and were doing OK, but when they were moved to another tank with sand, they were much happier, they root around in the sand and bulldoze it with their noses in search of food.

I've just aquired some panda's myself and they are so cute

Arfie

 

[Hammerboy]

Thanks guys.

Arfie - how much did you pay for your pandas ? £6 each at my LFS .... well worth it IMO.

 

[Arfie]

About that for 5

Gotta love eBay I watched my mirrors all the way home looking for blue flashing lights, I was expecting to get arrested for stealing them

Arfie

 

[Shaker]

£6 for a Panda Cory...I pay £1.99 at my LFS. Some shops have no morals.