Tropical Fish Forum
Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => Fish Tanks and Equipment => Topic started by: barneyadi on May 25, 2020, 11:56:29 AM
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Wondering if anyone has used Argos Play Sand as a substrate in a tank. I ask as having done some research have discovered that corydoras prefer a light sandy substrate and this product has been mentioned in various places.
Any thoughts much appreciated.
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Play sand can be good in a heavily planted tank, where it’s full of roots, but it’s very fine and can be a nightmare without plants. It can easily compact and become anaerobic. The commercial aquarium sands are a safer bet.
If you can stir it regularly you can overcome this.
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I've only used aquarium sand in my tanks as I tend to have a preference for the darker colours.
I have some species of corydoras in almost every tank, and I enjoy watching them rummage through the sand. They can occasionally be so vigorous in their rummaging that they move sand, plants & decor. Still very cute though. :)
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I've only used aquarium sand in my tanks as I tend to have a preference for the darker colours.
I have some species of corydoras in almost every tank, and I enjoy watching them rummage through the sand. They can occasionally be so vigorous in their rummaging that they move sand, plants & decor. Still very cute though. :)
I have read that corydoras only like light colours. Sources bring a practical fishkeeping article and a group on Facebook. Do you find their colour changes depending on colour of substrate?
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I have read that corydoras only like light colours. Sources bring a practical fishkeeping article and a group on Facebook. Do you find their colour changes depending on colour of substrate?
This article https://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/fishkeeping-answers/whats-the-best-substrate-for-corydoras/ is helpful and suggests that white/beige is better but certainly not that they 'only like' white or beige. Your question on the Facebook group that I'm aware you're on, and on which you've asked this question a couple of days ago, hasn't received any replies other than one saying that theirs were on soil which was fine and another saying that white/beige might be preferable for ease of seeing if it's clean or not and thus ease of cleaning. Whereabouts are you reading that a dark substrate is essential? I haven't noticed this yet on any of Seriously Fish's species profiles for corydoras but I haven't checked all species.
The above article ought to help in finding an appropriate substrate plus the two sets previous advice. I'm not sure I can answer your particular question, though.
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Didn't say that a dark substrate was essential. I posted on a corydoras FB group and asked the question about substrate, and was told to avoid dark substrate.
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OK. Out of interest, what were the reasons given for that?
When I had my cories, I had Unipac Tana Sand (which is white/beige).
Edited to add: Just recalled that when I had my cories, I didn't use a light in the tank as the x-ray tetras used to hate it - so, because of that, the white/beige was probably the equivalent of a darker colour if that makes sense.
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If it’s of any use to you @barneyadi I have Pygmy Corydoras and I use a finer Aquarium Soil which dark brown/black in colour. They are able to rummage around in it and show no signs of discomfort or ill health.
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The sand in my tanks is probably a mix of everything I've ever used, which would mainly be JBL Sansibar dark, but also with a bit of red & grey, probably with a bit of Unipac something-or-other, or possibly something else that was available at the time.
I don't think I've ever moved my fish from light to dark sand (or other way around) so couldn't comment on change of colouration with different substrates.
I have peppered corys in the river tank, and I think these were the first corys I ever had, so quite mature. I have panda corys (which have lived in several different tanks) as well as salt & pepper corys in another tank, with a group of gold stripe corys in another tank. Most of the corys I have seem to spend a lot of time moving around in the tanks, although the gold stripes seem to prefer having some cover in their tank and head for the caves & under the wood when anyone is around.
As I've not had light substrate I'm not sure if any of my gang would prefer it, but they seem to be comfortable with what they have.
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Ok, this is reply I got about using light sand.
Not really, others colours like black are called sand but under magnification it is sharp and nasty obviously because it is for blasting. Aquarium sand has rounded grains. Remember Cory put their faces in it and blow it through their gills.
So with this in mind, as long as I use fine aquarium sand or soil, the colour might not be as important as I thought.
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That's very helpful.
This might help in terms of grain sizes http://www.unipacpet.co.uk/aquatic/aquarium-sand/ but I'm not aware of whether other substrate/sand companies actually list their grain sizes - from recollection, I've not seen them cited.
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In the past I bought a black sand, can't remember which brand, and when I got it home I realised it was not suitable. It felt sharp & gritty rather than sandy, but was the only really black substrate available at the time, and it ended up not being used. A few people on the axolotl forum also noted red patches on their axies, and it turned out they'd bought this "sand" as well..
I will note that we've all met people who have done things not quite in accordance with the rules, but their fish have been fine anyway. Perhaps opinions have changed, perhaps sand colour might be more or less important since that PFK article was written, perhaps my fish have just got used to what they have in their tanks, perhaps pants & decor are just as important as sand colour. Who knows. These things are probably quite complicated, and perhaps it's more a case of keeping the corydoras on something soft enough not to damage their barbels, provide enough decor for them to feel safe, and keep them in large enough numbers for them to feel comfortable. I'm no expert. :)
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perhaps pants & decor are just as important as sand colour
Please don't edit your typo. This raised a laugh with me, as I envisaged knickers pegged up around the tank as though on a clothes line, and I'm sure it'll amuse some others too.
:rotfl:
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The typo is staying as I now have a vision of my corys wearing pants. :rotfl:
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Nothing to add over what’s already been covered excep that play sand can be very dusty. I’ve had better luck with kiln dried sand from B&Q which didn’t need any washing before adding to the tank (though the batches do vary a little). It’s also a nice natural colour.
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Thanks everyone. I think I will get something like this stuff.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00G37698Q/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1
Seems to be good enough.
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Looks like very fine grain in the picture, and description says it is suitable for bottom feeders & barbed fish, so I'm sure it will be great.
Just check how it feels, and make sure it's rinsed thoroughly before it goes into the tank.
Please keep us updated on progress. :)
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Looks like very fine grain in the picture, and description says it is suitable for bottom feeders & barbed fish, so I'm sure it will be great.
Just check how it feels, and make sure it's rinsed thoroughly before it goes into the tank.
Please keep us updated on progress. :)
Strangely I have found something else called Unipac silver sand which has granules 0.3 to 0.4mm which sounds ok, and is cheaper.
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I have used Unipac sand in my tanks, just in different colours, so I know it's good for corys & other bottom feeders. Even my axolotls have unipac sand, and their skin is very sensitive.
Cheaper as well - bargain. :)
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Corys are found all over tropical and subtropical South America, living on all different kinds of substrate from sand to leaf litter to mud. They have adapted their colours and patterns to be camouflaged against the substrate. All species are happiest on a substrate the same colour as they are.
:)