Sterbai Cory + Planted Tank

Hi everyone! I have a question I’m having trouble finding an answer on…

I’m establishing my first planted aquarium and it’s not crazy heavily planted but there’s pretty much plants rooted in almost all the surface area of the aquarium. They’re still establishing so theyre pretty susceptible to being uprooted.
I’ve been wanting to stock my tank with sterbai corys (since I want to keep the tank at 80 degrees for future rams) but I was told by my LFS that corys are terrible for planted tanks since they uproot everything and make a mess. I’m pretty skeptical about outside advice but he seems knowledgeable, what has your experience been?
Has anyone ever kept sterbai corys, or any other cory, in planted tanks with success or did it become an uprooted mess? I have aquasoil btw, in case that makes a difference. Is there another species of Cory that can work for my tank (keeping temperature in mind)?
I really love corys and want to have a school but if they won’t be happy with my tank and make a mess then I’d rather stock another fish. If this is a case, suggestions for bottom-dwelling fish for planted tanks are welcome

 

Hi

Cory's need to be able to access the substrate to feed so if the pants are covering the substrate it may not work.

I have never experienced corys uprooting plants, they are gentle foragers really.

A pic of your tank would be good.

 

Hi

Cory's need to be able to access the substrate to feed so if the pants are covering the substrate it may not work.

I have never experienced corys uprooting plants, they are gentle foragers really.

A pic of your tank would be good.

Thanks for the response! Here’s the current setup (dwarf sag in front and tiny vals in back are finally bouncing back after massive melt). I have a floating wisteria that I want to eventually plant in the back if it survives (came in rough through the mail).

 

Anyone got any thoughts?

 

Anyone got any thoughts?

That I can't think of much why Corys wouldn't work.

 

Just wanted to bump this thread and follow. I'm in almost the same situation, 80f water, pretty heavily planted 55g up and running for about 2 months now. 20 ember tetras and 5 amanos. I'm planning to add a pair of GBRs and maybe a pair of pearl gourami. Would also like to add a school of sterbai, I was looking for info on if they would clash with the rams down at the bottom much when I stumbled on this thread. Thanks all

 

I have corys in all of my planted tanks and I don't consider them to be aggressive diggers. I have schools of sterbai in tanks that have black sand 'beaches' in the front but they seem to enjoy nosing around and cruising over the Flourite plant substrate just as much. I have some green corys in a tank with really fine CaribSea sand, and they playfully 'snowplow' in open areas but don't upset potted plants or rearrange driftwood there either. I'm curious if the OP ended up adding corys and how that worked out.

 

I have Corydoras panda, Corydoras pygmaeus, and Corydoras trilineatus, all in moderately to heavily planted tanks with sand substrate. I won't say it's never happened, but I'm not aware of them ever uprooting any plants.

Very small plants, like some in the picture B3TT45 posted, might be a problem, but I doubt it.

 

I have a heavily planted tank with Sterbai cories. I think when the plants are newly planted and don’t have a root system the cories may be able to uproot them. But once the plants are established it is absolutely a non issue. If you plan on having the entire tank carpeted that may present a problem for the cories to forage the substrate, but otherwise it’s not a problem!

Just wanted to bump this thread and follow. I'm in almost the same situation, 80f water, pretty heavily planted 55g up and running for about 2 months now. 20 ember tetras and 5 amanos. I'm planning to add a pair of GBRs and maybe a pair of pearl gourami. Would also like to add a school of sterbai, I was looking for info on if they would clash with the rams down at the bottom much when I stumbled on this thread. Thanks all

I have my cories with Bolivian Rams and Pearl gouramis and it’s no problem at all. The cories and Ram ignore each other. Even when they are rubbing elbows at the dinner table. Cories are so good natured that it seems everyone loves them, even other fish.