cory tank

kevin619pug

im starting a new 10 gallon tank especially designated for corydoras, i need to get small size gravel, plants (any ideas, java fern, swords, etc..), and i would like a big piece of wood or stick, you know you see that in a lot of tanks, should i use sponge or regular filter? i dont know but does anyone know a good site for plants or that wood. plus landscaping ideas. Dont worry im not a beginner i have been a succesful fish keeper for over 2 years, love cories, and have done all the research imagineable, and yes i have owned and currently own cories. i just never had a tank especially designed for them.

Byron

If you want to go for a biotope setup (an aquarium that closely replicates the natural habitat of corys) you could use inert sand or very small grained gravel (natural aquarium gravel) and bogwood. Plants like any of the Amazon swords (Echinodorus species) are authentic. You will need a good light, a single fluorescent full spectrum tube will work well. Most corys inhabit slow streams and still pools so filtration should not move the water excessively.

I would suggest a few upper-level fish to make the corys feel more secure; a shoal (5-6) of one species of small tetra, pencilfish or hatchetfish (all South American characins). And corys must be kept in a group of minimum 5 or 6. Species can be mixed, they chum around together, but they do have a preference for their own species so a good choice is 2-3 of each species, max 6, as long as they are the smaller species (some grow to 3-4 inches). With weekly partial water changes and healthy plants this will work fine in a 10g.