# Cories and carpet plants



## moze229 (Dec 10, 2011)

Hello all,

I'm currently planning my stocking list as my tank is almost finished with cycling. My original plan was to go with only 2-3 species - Cardinals or neons, cories, and something else.  However, I've been considering the delicate nature of carpet plants.

I recently purchased some marsilea minuta and with me being new at planted tanks, did not realize the delicate nature of these little things. I have them planted in sand substrate right now. They were easy to get in there but they are also extremely easy to pull out. 

Will my original plan or cories work? What is a good bottom feeding fish that is "easy" on the orientation of plants? I wouldn't have to get them right away. I suppose I could wait until the minuta is more established to prevent uprooting. I just wanted to introduce some of each now. 

Thanks for any info.


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## BBradbury (Nov 8, 2010)

*Corydoras and Carpet Plants*



moze229 said:


> Hello all,
> 
> I'm currently planning my stocking list as my tank is almost finished with cycling. My original plan was to go with only 2-3 species - Cardinals or neons, cories, and something else.  However, I've been considering the delicate nature of carpet plants.
> 
> ...


Hello moze...

How about some "Livebearers" to round out your community tank? Swordtails or Platys are hardy, peaceful fish. 

Corydoras are diggers, but your post reads like your carpet plants stay pretty well anchored in the substrate. I keep several species of Corys with my Livebearers and as long as you leave some open areas, the Corys aren't destructive. They'll make a very good cleanup crew. I keep at least one Cory per five gallons of tank volume, a minimum of three or four. If you keep to the smaller species like Skunk, Pygmy, Melanistius, Bandits and Pandas, you'll be fine. These don't get larger than a couple of inches. I personally like the "Orange Saddle" Corys, very similar markings as the Pandas, but have orange stripes (obviously). Very small and extremely active.

B


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## moze229 (Dec 10, 2011)

Thanks for the other recommendations. I don't have too much of an incline towards any particular species of fish in other areas, but my main concern is the substrate. I want bottom feeder fish because they clean up well, but with a carpeted bottom is this going to work for me? In other words, how do people with carpeted bottoms usually keep them clean? Are cories the standard answer for this, or is there another fish I should be thinking about? That's what I should have asked the first time 

As far as the other fish, I haven't really decided yet but I will look into the recommendations that you've mentioned here.


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## Bandit1200 (Dec 11, 2010)

I would recommend you allow some time for the plants to root first. I tried to plant a whole mat of HC (one at a time with a pair of tweezers!) only to watch as my small herd of cories dug it all up and left it for the filter. Once it's rooted in though, I think it will be fine. I'm currently planting another batch of HC with all the fish removed. Waiting for the day I can put the cories back in.


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## Kathyy (Feb 22, 2010)

Planted deep the corys won't knock newly planted ground covers free. I pull Marsilea down so mostly the broad parts of the fronds show. I blame my technique when plants go floating, not the corys.

Platies do a great job pecking all over the tank too and eat algae as well as gunk. Several went overboard last week into the sump and that sump never looked cleaner, fished them out anyway. They are just as likely to uproot plants as corys.

Corys adore ground covers. Mine prefer to spawn in thick hairgrass. It is really cute to see them dive into Staurogyne repens, you wouldn't think they could fit under the leaves and I have medium/large sized C. paleatus.


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## moze229 (Dec 10, 2011)

Thanks for the additional comments. Actually, in the meantime I had already purchased two Corys and so far everything has been fine. It's been a couple of weeks and all of the plants have remained where I've put them.


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## Wicket_lfe (Aug 21, 2008)

yeah once the MM starts growing and spreading, they should be fine.


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