Could I do cory in my tank?

[Owlbehere]

I'm setting up my 46G again. Its for my mom and she likes peaceful schooling fish.

I am doing some hardier schooling fish. I have been reading up on our website and a few others comparing notes and seem to have found some fish that will work. Various tetra and such that have been tank bred and can acclimate better to my ph.
I'm trying to stay away from more sensitive species like cardinals and neons.

My question is about cory though. I read daves primer on them and if your ph is over 7 than you can't expect them to live past a few months.
Do you think they are a bad idea in my tank of ph 8.

I used to have Emerald green cory in there before and had no deaths in the 6 months I had them but took them to the LFS when I took this tank down (filter problems, I went through 3 filters)

I was looking into albino or pepper... What other bottom level fish would you recommend.

[Red]

I keep cories at 7.6, and they live 4+ years for me. You could try buying cories from your area, that are use to the PH. When you buy them, acclimate them for over two hours. You can do what I do, which is float the bag, and take 1-2 cups of water out ever 15 mins and do that for a span for two hours. Or you can do the drip acclimation, which is best.

[Lab_Rat]

I agree with Red. Get cories that are used to the water in your area and drip acclimate. Avoiding the more sensitive species, like pandas, will also help your success.

[wolf_eyes]

Emerald green, peppered and bronze cories can adapt to that hardness. They are bred so much in captivity that they would be able to adjust better than the rest. I've had peppered cories breed in a ph of 8 with with the hardness of liquid rock. Just acclimate them using the drip method and you'll be fine

[Gramazing]

Most cories have been bred for generations in captivity and are used to higher pH values than their wild cousins live in. My water is about 8.0 as well and I have cories, although I've only had them for a month. The LFS where I got them had 7.8. Having said that I recently put a piece of driftwood in there to soften the water a bit and have another larger piece soaking ATM.

[VoidParadigm]

I agree with all the above.
Besides that, I've never had a peppered cory die from disease or poor water. I would personally suggest those.

[lahlumdi]

Mine are also at 7.6 and they are just fine. The peppered kind adjusted faster than the black finned variety I have. Peppered corys, as they say, have been around awhile.

I'm sure you know this, but since you have a nice sized tank, be sure to get at least 5 or 6 of them.

[Owlbehere]

Thanks for the replies everyone!

[Northernguy]

Your tank is fine!
Ph is a big concern if the fish you are getting are wild caught. Farmed fish are raised in totally different water conditions and are more easily acclimated to the higher ph.

[Owlbehere]

I'm starting to gather that now... I know the PH where I get them is the same as mine and I will still Drip aclimate.

[sunfishman]

ive had a pair for 10 years now (knock on wood) in a 10 gallon with several tetras. they wouldnt hurt a fly!