cories and plecoes in a tank with soil

MongMong · 10-13-2007, 07:52 AM

I have been talking with some friends and they said that cories cant be put in a tank with soil. If this is so, can you put gravel on top of the soil in order to keep the cories with it? Or will the cories do okay with the soil?

RTR · 10-13-2007, 09:06 AM

Personally, I would not keep either Cory cats or plecos in a tank with soil substrate. They both dig.

OrionGirl · 10-13-2007, 09:09 AM

Yep--it's not so much a matter of hurting the fish as dealing with the particulate in the water column. It won't ever settle in, they'll constantly be disturbing it and that will a) cloud the tank and b) clog the filter. A layer of gravel would help initially, but they'd dig through in spots, and if you went deep enough to prevent that from happening, you end up with a really thick layer of substrate--and no assurance that someone won't go nuts and dig down to the soil anyway.

And the list of fish that dig is pretty long--most if not all loaches and many cichlids are champion diggers.

MongMong · 10-13-2007, 07:34 PM

then what would be a good substrate to have in a planted aqaurium and still have cories?

joephys · 10-13-2007, 08:51 PM

Very fine gravel, or a large grain sand. Pool filter sand works well, and A lot of people swear by eco-complete. Its not available in my area so I have never tried it my self.

OrionGirl · 10-14-2007, 03:29 PM

Fluorite works well with cories and plants.

Emg · 10-14-2007, 05:02 PM

Echo Complete is a nice substrate....all my planted tanks have that for a substrate.

I do have a tank with panda cories that has a very fine reef sand in it. Cories are awesome little vacs and keep that sand tidy clean.

Sneekii · 10-15-2007, 12:18 PM

All of my showtanks have soil with a layer of gravel above and are heavily planted. Ive never had any issues with cory's causing any issues there.

wesleydnunder · 10-15-2007, 02:13 PM

I agree with OG; Fluorite will work fine with cories and plecos, as does Onyx and Soil Master Select.

Mark

Lobo. · 11-01-2007, 04:02 PM

one possible issue with soil is the possibility of anoxic environments forming within the denser substrate. when these bubbles are disturbed by say a foraging cory the toxic gasses released can be bad....

10-13-2007, 07:52 AM	#1 (permalink)
MongMong Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Daegu, South Korea Posts: 11	cories and plecoes in a tank with soil I have been talking with some friends and they said that cories cant be put in a tank with soil. If this is so, can you put gravel on top of the soil in order to keep the cories with it? Or will the cories do okay with the soil?

10-13-2007, 09:06 AM	#2 (permalink)
RTR RTR Join Date: May 2006 Location: Exurban MD, USA Posts: 849	Personally, I would not keep either Cory cats or plecos in a tank with soil substrate. They both dig. __________________ Where's the fish? - Neptune

10-13-2007, 09:09 AM	#3 (permalink)
OrionGirl Miss you, Old Man Join Date: May 2006 Location: California coastline Posts: 6,723	Yep--it's not so much a matter of hurting the fish as dealing with the particulate in the water column. It won't ever settle in, they'll constantly be disturbing it and that will a) cloud the tank and b) clog the filter. A layer of gravel would help initially, but they'd dig through in spots, and if you went deep enough to prevent that from happening, you end up with a really thick layer of substrate--and no assurance that someone won't go nuts and dig down to the soil anyway. And the list of fish that dig is pretty long--most if not all loaches and many cichlids are champion diggers. __________________ ~Sheila tempus edax rerum Ideas do not have to be correct in order to be good; its only necessary that, if they do fail, they do so in an interesting way. ~Robert Rosen

10-14-2007, 03:29 PM	#6 (permalink)
OrionGirl Miss you, Old Man Join Date: May 2006 Location: California coastline Posts: 6,723	Fluorite works well with cories and plants. __________________ ~Sheila tempus edax rerum Ideas do not have to be correct in order to be good; its only necessary that, if they do fail, they do so in an interesting way. ~Robert Rosen

10-14-2007, 05:02 PM	#7 (permalink)
Emg Moderator Join Date: May 2006 Location: Northeastern Ct Posts: 3,265	Echo Complete is a nice substrate....all my planted tanks have that for a substrate. I do have a tank with panda cories that has a very fine reef sand in it. Cories are awesome little vacs and keep that sand tidy clean. __________________ Blog of my tanks and critters....come check em out and don't forget the archives ! http://emgstanks.blogspot.com/ Eileen

10-13-2007, 07:34 PM	#4 (permalink)
MongMong Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Daegu, South Korea Posts: 11	then what would be a good substrate to have in a planted aqaurium and still have cories?

10-13-2007, 08:51 PM	#5 (permalink)
joephys Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Location: auburn, wa Posts: 4,393	Very fine gravel, or a large grain sand. Pool filter sand works well, and A lot of people swear by eco-complete. Its not available in my area so I have never tried it my self.

10-15-2007, 12:18 PM	#8 (permalink)
Sneekii Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 23	All of my showtanks have soil with a layer of gravel above and are heavily planted. Ive never had any issues with cory's causing any issues there.

10-15-2007, 02:13 PM	#9 (permalink)
wesleydnunder Resident Cannibal Join Date: May 2006 Location: La Marque, Tx. Posts: 2,347	I agree with OG; Fluorite will work fine with cories and plecos, as does Onyx and Soil Master Select. Mark __________________ If it can't be fixxed with a hammer, then you've got an electrical problem.

11-01-2007, 04:02 PM	#10 (permalink)
Lobo. sheep in wolf's clothing Join Date: May 2006 Location: Nashville Posts: 563	one possible issue with soil is the possibility of anoxic environments forming within the denser substrate. when these bubbles are disturbed by say a foraging cory the toxic gasses released can be bad.... __________________ "So long and thanks for all the fish!" The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy He was a playful guy but often used his ink at the worst times.

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