Eco-Complete and Corydoras

**Kevin007** · 08-16-2008, 9:58 AM

Has anyone kept Corydoras with eco-complete as the substrate? I am still in the planning stages of my 125 G high tech planted but I am sold on using eco complete as the substrate, I originally wanted to use eco for the whole tank but is it necessary to have a nice sand area for them? Will they stay away from the eco if there is sand available? How sharp and heavy is the eco? thanks.

Originally I wanted to use black flourite sand, but its too light and needs alot of cleaning.

Keep in mind i have absolutely NO success with corydoras in regular aquarium gravel.

**stezatois** · 08-16-2008, 10:01 AM

I was looking at this stuff too, but was more wondering if its ok with snails. It seems to have a lot of stuff in it. But ill keep an eye on this thread too coz it would be going in the tank with the corys

**marl_nyc** · 08-16-2008, 10:07 AM

Hello I have Eco-complete in my 55 planted tank and I have 6 panda corys in it for about 3 months now. As far as I can tell with my panda corys they are doing all right. The substrate is not too fine. The bigger pieces of gravel ar on top and the sand/finer particles settle onto the bottom of the tank. My panda corys are constantly digging into the substrate. I also have 22 olive nerite snails and they are doing ok. Hope this helps.

**Kevin007** · 08-16-2008, 10:50 AM

Hello, what do you mean by "alright"? Are the corydoras' barbels getting damaged? I plan on getting alot of corydoras for my tank 50ish, so If anything happened to them because of the substrate, I would feel really bad about this. Is it any sharper or larger than regular gravel?

thanks!

**fishorama** · 08-16-2008, 11:04 AM

I have eco with small loaches, no barbel erosion after more than 2 years. That said I don't think it's ideal, I'm still looking for the "perfect" substrate for plants & fish. I also have corys on pool filter sand, ok but I don't like the almost white.

**msjinkzd** · 08-16-2008, 11:07 AM

I use ecocomplete with both snails and cories with no issues.

**Kevin007** · 08-16-2008, 11:13 AM

Nice! Well after the tank has been heavily planted, most of the eco will be covered anyway, I'll leave the foreground with pool filter sand.

Is it 100% safe? I saw some at home depot and I didn't know if it was such a good idea. I almost brought playsand there a year ago but it was incredibly dusty, I though to myself that noway can that be used for aquariums and when i looked at the bag it said not for use in aquariums so i gave up on it.

Any pictures with pool filter sand in aquariums?

**marl_nyc** · 08-16-2008, 11:40 AM

I have only had my tank up for 3 months so its kind of early to tell but from my observations they are doing ok and enjoy digging into the ecocomplete substrate. There are some small sized pebble pieces but overall the substrate are smaller than regular gravel.

**excuzzzeme** · 08-16-2008, 11:59 AM

One of my tanks has eco-complete and stock include 1 julie cory and 1 Oto. No problem for me.

**ninjaish** · 08-16-2008, 12:09 PM

Originally Posted by fishorama

I have eco with small loaches, no barbel erosion after more than 2 years. That said I don't think it's ideal, I'm still looking for the "perfect" substrate for plants & fish. I also have corys on pool filter sand, ok but I don't like the almost white.

*agreed* i have had mine for a yr/ and have 9 corys and a gajillion snails. every one is fine and also my 2 pictus cats are doing great as well

hope this helps!