I would recommend creating another thread for that question, this thread is already very mixed up.
Re scaping tank question
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Salty&Onion
Fish Aficionado
Yeah, I willI would recommend creating another thread for that question, this thread is already very mixed up.
Stupid me
Not stupid.Yeah, I will
Salty&Onion
Fish Aficionado
StupidNot stupid.
I thought it started as a pretty simple question lolI would recommend creating another thread for that question, this thread is already very mixed up.
I think you're a bit confused on what they actually need... please read the SF profile I provided in the link.
Ultimately how does anyone know how happy they are? Ive modified my tank to suit them, lots of hidy holes and gravel areas. Ive started mixing RO with my tap water to bring to there natural ppm levels. Im using micro gravel so been keeping a close eye on there barbs. The most recent three i got from LFS had two missing there barbs
Now that we have the initial question(s) answered and settled, and sorted out that the tank is suitable for the fish, I'd like to comment on a couple of very valid points made in this quoted post. They are things all of us must continually keep in mind.
Fish cannot tell us they are happy, and there is absolutely no way we can ever know they are "happy." All we can do is research what the species requires in terms of its environment (environment meaning every facet of its life), and do our best to provide it or a reasonable facsimile. "Requires" equates to "expect;" each species expects certain things in their environment, and these expectations are programmed into the fish's DNA. None of us can change this, we can only learn the expectations and provide them. When we do, we may assume the fish will be "happy."
Like most living creatures, fish will try to make the best of what they are forced to endure. The will to live in animals is indeed strong; just look at how dogs, farm animals, captive animals that are horribly mistreated will live on. Anyone who thinks the animal is "happy" does not know much about animals. Eating, swimming and even spawning is no guarantee that the fish is even healthy, let alone happy. Eventually such conditions will kill the fish, either through a shorter lifespan to by succumbing to disease it would normally be able to handle.
Turning to the substrate, there is more to this than just the roughness though that is crucial. Bacteria lives in the substrate, and a fine substrate like sand provides the best bed for bacteria and fish will have fewer problems related to bacteria. Corydoradinae species are filter feeders, something else that is programmed into their DNA. They take in a mouthful of the substrate, filter out food, and expel the substrate material out via the gills. Some of it gets swallowed with the food, and passes through the fish. None of this can occur with anything larger than sand. And nothing but non-angular smooth sand can assure the fish will not have internal problems in the gill filaments of through its digestive tract. Add to all this, every species of Corydoradinae in nature lives on a sand substrate. There may be rocks and boulders but there is sand in between, or mud. All of this is fact.
Yes, somewhere along the way "salt and pepper" entered the fray, and several posts went back and forth because of it, not to worry.
Is this ok? Or something finer?
JBL Sansibar River Fine Aquarium Sand Substrate 10kg
JBL Sanisbar 10kg River
No, but not due to the tank size. Do not put pygmy cories in with a Betta. The dwarf species, especially Corydoras pygmaeus and C. hastatus, spend most of their time in the upper water, not on the substrate. This brings them into the Betta's territory, and a mature Betta could easily swallow a cory...which would mean death to the Betta due to the pectoral poisonous spine erected into the Betta's throat but it would be too late then.
Without the Betta, a group of C. pygmaeus--but group meaning 8-9 plus--would be OK in a cube.
Is this ok? Or something finer?
JBL Sansibar River Fine Aquarium Sand Substrate 10kg
JBL Sanisbar 10kg Riverwww.swallowaquatics.co.uk
I don't want to mislead you...I would have to see this in my hand before I would advise acquiring it. From the words they use it should be OK, but not sure.
Im not confused. Im changing the substrate to sand to help them, even though what I have is deemed as ok for bottom dwelling fish, i just want to make it more like there natural habitat. I I already give them dense plants and hiding spots which is recommended. Ok, so im a little short in the tank, and I would love to go larger but its not an option. I had 5 to start with and i was told they need a min of 8. So i think i understand what they need and am changing accordingly. Maybe if LFS gave better guidance, then newbie's like me wouldnt have these problems in the first place
You are fine, and doing very well for the fish. Some aquarists can get hung up on measurements without grasping the principles. This is what makes it so tricky for any site/source to provide guidance; there is always the quest for tank dimensions, and while these are certainly important they are one factor of several. It is not always possible to spell everything out to the "nth" degree.
Never trust the "experience" of an LFS. They are wrong almost every single time.
It looks to big IMO. (The grain size)Is this ok? Or something finer?
JBL Sansibar River Fine Aquarium Sand Substrate 10kg
JBL Sanisbar 10kg River
I would recommend getting regular play sand.
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