# Low tech substrate options for corys



## James53 (9 Sep 2021)

Hi all. Beginning to setup a low tech - non co2 injection but probably will use liquid sumped aquarium with "easy" plants. I've got a load of bog wood and seiryu stone I plan to use somehow. I've got some Hugo kamishi fine natural gravel and originally thought that would go at the front of the scape and maybe tropica soil behind that. I really like the look of corys but read they like sand


----------



## James53 (9 Sep 2021)

Sorry. Pressed wrong key! Can I mix fine gravel with soil and then use sand at front? Then seen about just using sand/gravel and root tabs so now confused what to do! Any recommendations?Thanks all.


----------



## TheFishBox (9 Sep 2021)

There is conflicting information about what substrate is good for Corydoras, but I've had them in the past with pea gravel and they were fine. The gravel was rounder not Sharp, I like aqua soil because it's good for plants (I use fluval) but lots of people do planted tanks with just gravel/sand, and root tabs but in my opinion it's really up to you I think you could do either sand or no sand it's your choice. I've seen a lot of people online who mix soil with gravel again I think it's just your personal choice.

Emma.


----------



## John q (9 Sep 2021)

I think the optimum substrate for corydoras is sand, a while ago I read an article by Ian fuller (corydoras expert) and he even suggested sand had been found in the intestinal tract of corys, which he suggested could aid their digestion, how true that claim is I couldn't say.

Having said that I have and do keep them with fine gravel and clay mix and they seem to be fine (no eroded barrbles etc.)

If you can supply an area of sand for them and the other areas consist of rounded gravel/soil then I'd say this would be absolutely fine.


----------



## Kevin Eades (9 Sep 2021)

As long as its not sharp they will be fine. If you can provide a small sandy patch they will appreciate it but I have a 5 year old Cory who has been on the exact same substrate you suggested and he still has his barbels as suggested above. He seems unfussy between the sand and the gravel. He just got 6 new friends last weekend as he got lonely after his last friend passed from old age. (Peppered Cory)


----------



## shangman (9 Sep 2021)

I would put them on a finer sand, it's just much more fun to watch cories sift through sand, you won't get that behaviour of passing it through their gills that you get from sand in gravel. I use a thin layer of play sand and that works well for all my sand sifting fish (which are incidentally my favourite fish).



You can't tell me that isn't great to watch!!


----------



## Karmicnull (9 Sep 2021)

shangman said:


> You can't tell me that isn't great to watch!!


Couldn't tell whether the noise of the airstones bubbling was coming from the video or my own tanks!


----------



## James53 (10 Sep 2021)

shangman said:


> I would put them on a finer sand, it's just much more fun to watch cories sift through sand, you won't get that behaviour of passing it through their gills that you get from sand in gravel. I use a thin layer of play sand and that works well for all my sand sifting fish (which are incidentally my favourite fish).
> 
> 
> 
> You can't tell me that isn't great to watch!



Sold on that! Brilliant video, thanks..


----------



## Midwife (14 Sep 2021)

shangman said:


> I would put them on a finer sand, it's just much more fun to watch cories sift through sand, you won't get that behaviour of passing it through their gills that you get from sand in gravel. I use a thin layer of play sand and that works well for all my sand sifting fish (which are incidentally my favourite fish).
> 
> 
> 
> You can't tell me that isn't great to watch!!



What a lovely video


----------

