# substrate with cory



## geisterwald (Jul 18, 2016)

The sand will slowly (or not so slowly? never tried it myself) but surely fall between the cracks of the EcoComplete. Did you have any salt or medication in your water? Do (or did) you vacuum your substrate regularly? How long did the cories last after you got them, and what changes in behavior did you see from them leading up to their deaths? Cories can live on EcoComplete, they might not have as much fun as on sand but the talk about it being too sharp for their barbels is a very well-rooted, but false rumor. What really wears down their barbels with regard to substrate is high levels of rotting organics.


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## Immortal1 (Feb 18, 2015)

I'm not going to claim / brag that Eco Complete is *OK* for cory's. What I can tell you is these guys are over 1 year old and all I have in my tank is Eco complete. You make your own decision on their barbels.


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## All4Fish (Jun 23, 2014)

Oh no, now what? I had the cories for about 1 year, 8 of them, there are still one or two left. It is hard to tell as they always hide in the plants and wood. I do vacuum, but maybe not well enough where they always hid in the wood and plants. I did not see any symptoms. The front of the tank is sand, but they never came out to the front and I did not see rotting organics, but I feel awful that maybe I missed this? They were always in a back area where the sword plant was (with fert tabs-is that an issue?) So now I don't know if I should try to add more and just vacuum deeper or more or add some tahitian moon sand on top?


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

Didn't you start the same topic in the fish sub-forum and many members stated that their corys are fine with Eco.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

houseofcards said:


> Didn't you start the same topic in the fish sub-forum and many members stated that their corys are fine with Eco.


Yes. I thought I was seeing double when I did a new post search. 

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/21-fish/1089009-substrate-cory.html


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## All4Fish (Jun 23, 2014)

Yes, I posted it in fish as well as I noted as I did not know where it should go! Sorry.........Any tips as to how to know better for the future? 
I would still like to know if it is ok and/or helpful to add some black sand on top of the eco-complete?


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

All4Fish said:


> Yes, I posted it in fish as well as I noted as I did not know where it should go! Sorry.........Any tips as to how to know better for the future?


Yes, only post once. >



> I would still like to know if it is ok and/or helpful to add some black sand on top of the eco-complete?


Sand will eventually work its way down, under the eco. Especially with bottom dwelling fish.


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## All4Fish (Jun 23, 2014)

Ok, only 1 post per topic! So is that a bad thing if the sand works its way down under the eco? Over time it would just defeat the purpose I guess, so is it ok to just keep topping off as long as it does not get too deep? Or should I try to carefully remove some of the eco-complete and then add some sand? How do people use the lava rock with sand on top? I am still learning so sorry if these are dumb questions!


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## devilduck (May 9, 2012)

Are they getting enough food? I had to feed my cories at night when the more aggressive fish were sleeping. I've never had any issues with ada, eco complete, tarface substrates and rarely vaccuumed.


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

All4Fish said:


> Ok, only 1 post per topic! So is that a bad thing if the sand works its way down under the eco? Over time it would just defeat the purpose I guess, so is it ok to just keep topping off as long as it does not get too deep? Or should I try to carefully remove some of the eco-complete and then add some sand? How do people use the lava rock with sand on top? I am still learning so sorry if these are dumb questions!


Topping it off will just keep increasing the sand under the eco. My advice is to pick one or the other. I think most of the people who layer substrates are plant-only tanks or at least ones that don't have diggers.


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## All4Fish (Jun 23, 2014)

Ok, thank you everyone for the input.


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