If I were to move my cories from my gravel substrate tank into a sand substrate tank, will their barbels eventually grow back? 
Will Cory Catfish Barbels grow Back?
- Thread starter Evanleigh
- Start date
It depends on how far the barbels have eroded. If they're completely down to "face level", they might not grow back. But if they're just shortened, they have a much better chance. Keep your nitrates low will help on any substrate.
Here's an interesting read http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/corydoras-genus
Here's an interesting read http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/corydoras-genus
I've wondered about that as well. I've kept corys in with pea gravel and finer natural gravel and never noticed barbel erosion, but I always kept nitrates very low (~10ppm or less) with 50% wc's at a minimum.
Thank you Fishorama, that was a great article.
My nitrates are always low at about .5 with occasional .10. I think the problem is that I used that black eco-gravel as the base level of my substrate then put smoothed river gravel over that, but during gravel vacuuming it has brought up the rougher eco-substrate to mix in with the regular gravel. I think that's what is doing the barbel damage. Two of my corries have no barbels at all now. I'm setting up a 10 gallon with sand substrate and want to transfer those 2 corries to see if they can recover, but then I worry about the other 3. If I transfer all five into the sand substrate tank, what can I get for my 29 gallon? Will Kuli loaches do the bottom feeding like the corries?
My nitrates are always low at about .5 with occasional .10. I think the problem is that I used that black eco-gravel as the base level of my substrate then put smoothed river gravel over that, but during gravel vacuuming it has brought up the rougher eco-substrate to mix in with the regular gravel. I think that's what is doing the barbel damage. Two of my corries have no barbels at all now. I'm setting up a 10 gallon with sand substrate and want to transfer those 2 corries to see if they can recover, but then I worry about the other 3. If I transfer all five into the sand substrate tank, what can I get for my 29 gallon? Will Kuli loaches do the bottom feeding like the corries?
I've used Eco for a number of years (8?) with "whiskered", digging bottom feeders, I really don't think that's the problem if you vac regularly.