EmptyH

I am currently cycling my 55 gal tank and am trying to plan out what kind of bottom feeders I want to get once the cycle is complete. I would really like to get some Cories but I want to make sure they would be a good fit. I have a lot of decorations on the bottom of my tank; a sunken ship with a cave like hole in the hull, pottery caves, some rocks that I bought at my lfs stacked to form cliffs and valleys, etc. I have not seen Cories in such a varied bottom environment. What I was wondering is will they crawl on top of all these decorations, scavange and be happy or do they prefer a more flat bottom? If Cories would not be a good fit, what are some other choices given my tank configuration. My current fish really like the varied bottom and so do I. I just want the newest members of my fish family to like it as well as the current members.

MTH

0morrokh

What is your substrate like? Cories need sand or fine substrate, because larger gravel gets 'stuff' lodged in the spaces and grows some bacteria, which may eat away at the barbels of scavenging Cories. Info on your water parameters and other fish you have or will get would be helpful in making suggestions.

EmptyH

My substrate is standard aquarium gravel and my water chemistry is still a little out of whack, nitrItes are still too high a little over one.* Unfortunately I got my other fish before I fully understood cycling a tank.* I have been doing frequent water changes.* About once a day.* My ammonia is finally at zero but I am still fighting the nitrites.* If I had known then what I know now I would have done a fishless cycle, but all of my fish seem to be doing ok so I must be doing something kinda right * I won't be getting anymore fish until the tank has fully cycled.*

The fish I currently have are in my signature.* I plan on getting a bristlenose pleco and I am not sure what else. If you have any recomendations of what other fish would go good with my setup I am all ears (or eyes as the case may be).

Thanks,

MTH

atmmachine816

id say ud be ok but get at least 3 perferably 5 and get all the same type and make sure u hav some caves were ther isnt much light just for them and ur other fish dont like them b/c they need osme caves to hide in wen ther not looking for food

EmptyH

Great, thanks Its good to know they will do well in my tank, but will they climb on top of the rocks and the ships that I have and scavenge for food there or will I need to get another scavenger for that area, or will the bristlenose pleco scavenge there?

MTH

Jason

They both will

atmmachine816

yup complety agree

EmptyH

cool thanks As soon as my tank cycles I will pick up some Cories and either a bristlenose pleco or a clown pleco.

atmmachine816

i just got a clown pleco and so far he doesnt eat algae and iv read he doenst eat algae so if u want a algae eating one get a bristle nowe

Jason

He'll probably eat the algae, you only just got him. Wait a little while before you get the corys they like matured tanks

Maida_gc

Seems like a good Cory question locale (35Gal, still cycling, in no rush just planning)

For curiousity sake, I would like to get 6 Corys. With that said, would two different varieties of Cory's (in 2 sets of 3) be okay? Would they hang out as 6, or in the original groups of 3? Or is it up to me to find out? I should probably get one set of 3 in advance of the other? 6 at the same time?

Jason

I think 2 sets of three would be ok they'll all hang around with no problems. Slowly introduce them put three of one species and then the other after they've settled in. They wont outcast them or anything as corys are not territorial