Corydoras and Substrate

I had eco-complete with cories and indeed it looked very uncomfortable. When my cories were rooting around in the eco I noticed their barbels would snag, and they would kind of stop what they were doing in an *ouch* sort of way.

I think if you had the eco-complete well planted it would be fine, and an open spot with sand would be awesome for them to do their foraging. Most any foreground plant properly filled in so your cories won't be scouring the eco directly would work.

I had Cories with Eco Complete at one time and I had to remove the cories since the substrate shaved off their barbells completely. However I now have Brochis Splendens and in my tank and they seem to have much heartier bearbels since they are doing just fine with the Eco Complete.

I have several species of Corydoras with Fluorite, and their barbels are fine. They are constantly rooting around.

Thanks guys, basically eco complete do not mix with cories while one member had luck with cories and flourite, may I ask if you only used flourite? any sand ontop? etc..

:icon_smil

Sand on top doesn't work in the long term, it will eventually settle to the bottom. You could do a thin layer of larger grain gravel.

Be warned though, a lot of people have done this and regretted it, because it ended up just all mixed together.

It should be ok if take a few steps to make it comfortable for them. Foreground plantings, HC/M .. anything really just so they aren't constantly rooting around in the eco. A little sandy area would be cool of ya too GL

I have a few different species of corys on eco-complete. They all have nice long, full barbels. I've never noticed it bothering them.

kevin007 said:

Thanks guys, basically eco complete do not mix with cories while one member had luck with cories and flourite, may I ask if you only used flourite? any sand ontop? etc..

:icon_smil

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I only used flourite, and as lemon lime said, sand over time will filter down to the lower levels.

Ugh, I have Eco Complete and corys. Now I'm worried. They seem ok, well until I found a dead one today I'll have to look at his little barbels. RIP little guy.

I have Panda Cories with Eco Complete for about 2 months now and their barbels are as long as they've ever been. Their rooting behavior hasn't changed either as far as I noticed.

Cories in my 55 are on 100% Fluorite

Cories in my 180 are on 100% SoilMaster Select

All of them appear fine, no visible signs of trauma or distress.

Keep Smilin'
John

I am incredibly excited as I brought 9 more cories today, all Sterbai.

$30 for 7 (Buy 6 get 1 free) and $3 Each for every cory after the 7, well I brought nine and felt i should've brought the whole tank, anyway they are being kept in a 10 gallon for now, barebottom.

I'm guessing everyone that replies here keeps cories, so do anyone of you guys have experience with playsand by the brand KING? It says washed beach sand so that got me concerned.

Hey John, I just bought some soilmaster select recently thinking I might use it for a 180g paludarium for Cories, Endlers & Otos (probably some rcs too) and was wondering if it was ok for Cories, I'm glad to see yours have fared well, any updates?
Thanks in advance

JohnInFlorida said:

Cories in my 55 are on 100% Fluorite

Cories in my 180 are on 100% SoilMaster Select

All of them appear fine, no visible signs of trauma or distress.

Keep Smilin'
John

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My Corys are fine with my SMS.