sand & cories

[philtre]

Hi All,

remember seeing someone mention about silica sand and cories ... could you please advise what's silica sand? any difference between silica sand & sand? what about the pros and cons of each?

Thanks very much in advance!
philtre

[philtre]

anyone ? would appreicate your thoughts on sand and cories?

Corydorus?
if I don't remember wrongly do you use silica sand?

[Wyrmbait]

I think generally, as long as your gravel is not too big or sharp edged,
your cories would be happy with them.

They cannot sift through large gravel to get food and sharp edges might
cut their mouths.

I think sand should make them happy since it'll be easier for them to
get left-over food and they would not cut their mouths on them. But
sand is kinda messy though (clouds the water).

[budak]

Sand should not cloud the water. YOu are probably thinking of base ferts like JBL's. Technically, sand consists mainly of silica, so silica = sand.

People generally refer to the pebbly stuff commonly used in tanks as sand even though it can consists of anything depending on the brand - pure sand (not common as sand is too fine), coral/shell fragments (not good for most freshwater tanks), Lonestar-type substrate (ideal with a good size of 2-4 mm). Anything larger than 5 mm should be considered pebbles and unsuitable. I think cories will do find on most smallish substrates without water hardening shells/corals.

[DEA]

lol
yeah, budak is right
sand = si02 = silica

there's no issue with using ANY kind of substrate for cories
except to keep them bottom clean and the water conditions good
people have caught cories in the wild where the substrate would draw blood from fingers, and the cories had ALL their barbels

[philtre]

this is great!

heheh ... I didn't know silica = sand. heheh. anyway ... thanks very much for your inputs!Heheh ... found it really helpful. DEA, very enlightening!

thanks again,
philtre

[chia2k]

is fine white sand good for cory ? coz i got a second tank with woods and fine white sand . thought of putting cories and rams chiclids.

[CoryDorus]

Keep a lookout on the RAM. Mine peck the Cory.
Not sure there will be long term damage.

[BFG]

I believe Rain has tried it.

[DEA]

territorial cichlids will attack cories
my kribs tore up the fins of my cories during breeding season
no permanent damage done tho
armoured catfish don't go don't easily

[lsz]

Rain had used it for a pure cory tank at her place before. (a 4ft with 50plus corys)

it looks great and corys seem to like it.

but we changed it eventually because cleaning the substrate (unplanted tank) is a little difficult as the particles are too light.

now using lonestar kind of gravel. works very fine.