Cory questions

[CrunchyLeaf]

Looking for some help from people who have a decent amount of experience with cories, I've never had them in any of my tanks. (I know, crazy right?)

I'm trying to decide what's going to be a good bottom dwelling fish for my 120g. I'll be adding whatever I pick in about 4 months when the tank has been established for awhile. I'm using flourite as the substrate and this will be a lightly planted tank with driftwood.

My two questions are these. My PH is 8.2. The primer in this forum recommends a PH no higher than 7.5.

How do they do on flourite? I wonder if it would be too abrasive for them.

If my tank isn't suitable I'll just pick something else : P

[Slaphppy7]

Hmmm, never used fluorite before, but others here have

Whether or not with corys, I do not know

[BluewaterBoof]

I have seen similar discussions many many times on forums. They all boil down to two sides:

Side one believes that rough substrate = worn/damaged barbels and/or sickly cories.

Side two believes that this is a myth and that worn/damaged barbels is a sign of poor water conditions.

I fall into group #2. I don't have direct experience with fluorite, but I use Eco Complete and Black Diamond blasting sand in some of my tanks. I have never lost a single cory in those tanks, and their barbels are perfect, despite the abrasive quality of the grains and gravel.

As for pH levels, I wouldn't worry too much about that. I had similar apprehensions when I first started looking into cories as my pH is 8.2, but now have dozens of cories with no issues.

[CrunchyLeaf]

Thanks Blue, that's helpful.

[BluewaterBoof]

No problem. Hope everything works out! Cories are awesome little creatures :)

[madagascariensis]

Had cories of various species on fluorite with marvelous barbels. Barbel erosion is due to poor water quality or parasite (fluke) infestation.

The only problem you might encounter is having food pellets fall between the large grains and become inaccessible. I had good results with embedding a reptile feeding dish into the gravel to feed the cories without food waste.

[Boundava]

That's a smart way to feed them, I use something similar for my shrimp.

Crunchy, good luck with your corys. Have you come up with any specific variety(s) you want?

[steeler58]

I have seen similar discussions many many times on forums. They all boil down to two sides:

Side one believes that rough substrate = worn/damaged barbels and/or sickly cories.

Side two believes that this is a myth and that worn/damaged barbels is a sign of poor water conditions.

I fall into group #2. I don't have direct experience with fluorite, but I use Eco Complete and Black Diamond blasting sand in some of my tanks. I have never lost a single cory in those tanks, and their barbels are perfect, despite the abrasive quality of the grains and gravel.




Had cories of various species on fluorite with marvelous barbels. Barbel erosion is due to poor water quality or parasite (fluke) infestation.



I agree with both of you, I have kept cory's over fluorite for the last few years without any damage to barbels. As madagascariensis knows, there have been several discussions here over the years about this very subject but no matter how much fact you produce, some people will always say different ;-)

[DoubleDutch]

Never used Fluorite but I do know the Corys in my graveltanks show the largest barbells of all my Corys.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170413/4e2dd406bcf9f9e1eb8de1d1eb832254.jpg

[mac]

I have used both Fluorite gravel and many types of sand with many types of cory's over the years.

As for the arguments I stand more in natural habitat were possible. So now days my cory's will only have sand substrate.
Works really well and hasn't caused me a single issue at all.
Thus far I have had success with fluorite with them, and also gravel. But nothing like sand. They really dig into it and sift around looking for bits of food or micro organisms that they are after.

Personal choice IME.

Out of curiosity whats your Kh/Gh?
As long as your ph is stable they seem to adjust quite well, IME

[DoubleDutch]

In German but I think you guys will understand.

https://youtu.be/yGx__0JDZls

[OnTheFly]

Neat video, thanks for sharing that.

[CrunchyLeaf]

Thanks guys! These responses are great. Thanks so much.
I'm currently looking at Sterbai, Adolfoi and Panda cories.

[mac]

The sterbai are really awsome. Love mine to bits. Just picked up another 10 of them.

[DoubleDutch]

The sterbai are really awsome. Love mine to bits. Just picked up another 10 of them.
They sure are. Even my one-eyed Sterbai is a beauty !https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170416/d6dc2ff3378a829b3b8ee64cb7567b12.jpg

[mac]

What happened to it's eye.

[DoubleDutch]

What happened to it's eye.
I think it was a birth-defect.
Had one eye when my son got it.

[mac]

That's a shame. But still goes to show they adapt to things.

[DoubleDutch]

That's a shame. But still goes to show they adapt to things.
Not gonna try but it definitely could be a complete blind Cory could survive !!!!
They smell tiny foodparts in the water.

[mac]

I have noticed at night with variouse foods that they can sense good supper fast in the upper water Colin quite fast that is for sure

[DoubleDutch]

I test that sometimes by releasing tiny parts at one end of the tank. Unbelievable hahahhaha. Like sharks sensing a drop of blood in a million litres of water !