Seachem Fluorite?

[CBBP]

Will seachem fluorite hurt cories? I heard they prefer rounded stuff.. that true?

 

[jollysue]

Cories like sand, if you are asking about substrate.

But my cories in the Eco-Complete plant substrate have done very well. Their barbells are good. Nevertheless I think they would prefer to "plow" sand.

 

[CBBP]

"plow" sand?

 

[jollysue]

Cories love to sink their noses and barbells in the sand and "plow" along until they find something to eat. They search for food with their barbells. It is quite a delightful sight to watch a tank of secure feeling cories searching the tank bottom with their noses in the sand and their butts in the air.

So is the fluorite the artificial gravel/stone substrate? If it is the little guys will likely get sore noses and could get an infection from it. I actually did try artificial gravel once and my lovely new babies had red noses. I changed to sand, and they have been ever so happy. There is a little of the colorful gravel along the edges where they will go and move the individual stones aside to search for food. They don't need very much substrate.

 

[CBBP]

well I am getting a 55 gallon soon and jsut trying to picka substrat.. do you know anythigjn about peat?

 

[jollysue]

Peat can be used under the substrate for planted soft water tanks, or it can be used in the filter to soften the water. Cories do well in community planted tanks that have "earthy" substrate. But they prefer sand. It is possible to plant a sand tank buy adding other planting additives to the substrate. But sand will sink to the bottom and gravel come to the top if much is added.

 

[CBBP]

mm.. I was thinkining about adding sand to my 72 gallon.. jsut cover all the rocks in.. but i dunno.. I hear sand like to get into the fitler alot..

 

[jollysue]

Yes sand will get into the filters. I use a medium weight sterilized concrete sand from the hardware store. There is a heavier weight, but it usually has to be optained from a plumbing specialty store, and I'm too lazy to make the extra effort. Sand subtrate, if it is too deep will compact and hold in gases in pockets dangerous to the fish. It should either be shallow, stirred frequently or have Malaysian Trumpet Snails, who will dig in the sand. Well, this is what I have been taught by others. I don't actually "know" from experience that fish can die from gases trapped in sand substrate--but it makes sense that things die, decompose, and become gas.

I use sand in several tanks, most actually. Most of the time I don't have a problem with it. Stuff gets in filters--snails, sand, fish, plants, algae. They have to be cleaned. If sand gets in too much it can damage some parts.

What kind of tank are you planning? Are you talking about large rocks or pebbles? Sand will filter to the bottom and the larger stuff will rise to the top. Seems odd, like it should work the other way around. But that's what it does.

 

[CBBP]

mm.. well.. how do i stop it for gettign into the filter? will cories or clown loaches keept the sand form gettign compact and gas bubbles? or do the snails jsut go realyl deep?

 

[jollysue]

Malaysian Trumpet Snails go deep into the sand and burrow around getting rid of wasted food. Cories do not require a deep substrate. In my experience clowns will burrow and hide out if they are sick or in danger, but again if it is not a planted tank, it is not necessary to have a deep substrate. It just takes up room, traps waste, and requires cleaning to rid it of the wastes. Sand gets in the filter when it is stirred up. If the substrate isn't deep it doesn't need deep vacuming and cleaning so it doesn't get as stirred up. Plants will use waste as fertilizer, and the substrate can be deeper without deep cleaning. All these things are handled by the individual hobbiest in the way that they work out and suits them.

In cory species tanks I will have a few plants floating around, but I don't plant them or have any more than a shallow covering of gravel. Some areas will even be bare. I will also have some driftwood with Java fern and moss. The driftwood helps soften the water (keeps a lower ph) which the cories prefer. The decor is something that provides hiding places, like caves, castles, driftwood, and such.