# Can I add cory catfish to my tank?



## cammywf (Jan 9, 2015)

I have a 20 long tank. It's fully covered by mini hairgrass. I am not sure if I can add cory catfish to it since I am worrying about they might not be able to find food.

Please help. Thank you.


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## Luke78 (Apr 24, 2010)

Beautiful setup, quite the growth in there.As for cories in there, well i think you'll see a lot of plants being up rooted.Just speaking from my own past experiences, and i am sure others here as well.I don't have plants in my current catfish setup,use sand,driftwood,rocks,and caves but can tell you they all re decorate it the way they like it.My advice to you would be to add a few otos,some snails,maybe some pygme version of corries.


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## mikebike (Sep 8, 2010)

I like the pigmy cories in planted tanks although I have julie cories breed in my 14 gall Bio Cube<G>


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## Shrimpette (Feb 17, 2015)

Cories really do best in sand as all they seem to do is shift through it looking for food. I agree with Luke. Otos perhaps, but even they would enjoy a few broad leaf plants to perch on.


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## cammywf (Jan 9, 2015)

Thanks guys. Looks like I have to wait until I redo my tank next time.


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## outsider (Jan 13, 2015)

I have dwarf hair grass in my tank and my albino and pygmy corys have no problem finding food. I was annoyed by my albino corys because they actually end up de-root some of dwarf hair grass. My oto also enjoy eat algae off my dwarf hair grass. I believe you only avoid corys if you have sharp edge gravel because it will damage Corys' whiskers


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## cammywf (Jan 9, 2015)

Thank you. My tank bottom is fully covered, no bare substrate. That's why I am worrying.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

You don't have to worry. If you have cories you eventually will have bare substrate.  I wouldn't ruin your nice carpet with cories. If you want cories I would remove the carpet in one section and add sand, but then they will still mess it up. If you do pygmy cories they don't root in the sand and will swim mid-water. I think that's your best option.


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## outsider (Jan 13, 2015)

I start my new tank in late April and I waited about 2 weeks before moved my fat albino corys over otherwise they will dig up newly plants hair grass unintentionally. Some said corys will damage dwarf hair grass and end up kill dwarf hair grass due to their consistently digging which might explain why my dwarf hair grass didnt' grow as fast as I wanted. They will also create a mess during feeding time because they will dig for food and disturbance all the particles that settle on the grass. I am not sure what kind substrate you have, I know my albino corys can move fluval shrimp stratum easily which is why they keep de-root newly planted plants.

Pygmy Corys are the best imo. They are too small (about the size of galaxy rasbora which si about 1 inch long.) to de-root any plants, they will swim in school while you can get a army of them. (April's aquarium had them 2 weeks ago but not sure if there is any left.). My pygmy corys usaully park and rest on top of Limnophila sessiliflora.


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## cammywf (Jan 9, 2015)

2wheelsx2 said:


> You don't have to worry. If you have cories you eventually will have bare substrate.  I wouldn't ruin your nice carpet with cories. If you want cories I would remove the carpet in one section and add sand, but then they will still mess it up. If you do pygmy cories they don't root in the sand and will swim mid-water. I think that's your best option.


hahaha.... That's funny. I guess I will just give up cories now. Took me a while to get this carpet. Really don't want to ruin it.

Thank you.:lol:


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## outsider (Jan 13, 2015)

You can get shrimps like red cherry shrimps if you want some thing to clean left over food. Your carpet would be perfect for shrimps.


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## cammywf (Jan 9, 2015)

outsider said:


> You can get shrimps like red cherry shrimps if you want some thing to clean left over food. Your carpet would be perfect for shrimps.


Will get some, THX.


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