Pool filter sand too coarse for corys?

I know that the conventional wisdom is: Gravel is bad for corys and wears down their barbels; only use sand. But play sand is too fine and compacts, therefore use pool filter sand.

However, in my experience, when I keep corys, especially small corys, as well as small loaches such as the Rosy loach on PFS, it still wears down their barbels. In fact, it does so even worse than gravel does, since the individual gravel particles are too large for them to really get their noses in between, whereas those of PFS are just the right (wrong) size - small enough for them to dig in, but large enough to damage the barbels. It might just be my brand of PFS, I can't remember what it was but I got it from Builders Warehouse. The grains are approximately 1mm across. It is perfect for my discus tank, but I don't like it for corys and small loaches, and I don't think it would be ideal for small eartheaters like Apistogramma either. I've bought a packet of play sand (from Toys R Us) which has much finer grains and am planning to try it in a couple of tanks. I won't use a very thick layer, but I think it will be more suitable for small fish of this type.

Has anyone else had a similar experience with pool filter sand?

 

Ah check for salt or anit-bacterial treatment in the TRUs (bad idea)... counter to that wisdom I believe it is bad water quality that causes issues with cory barbels.

Later Ferdie

 

I've started a tank with play sand and only plants, I'll see how it does for a while then introduce inverts etc, thanks for the heads up.

I think water quality has a lot to do with it under certain circumstances, but I'm reasonably sure that the differences I've seen in my tanks are attributable to differences in substrate.

 

I have 5 corries and all of them have perfect barbels, PFS not doing any damage... maybe the brands have different sizes as you said...Keep us updated on the play-pen sand please!!

 

I have a small tank with playsand and the 3 corrise dig uptown their eyeballs...lol but the play sand needs a lot of attention. Needs to be stirred and turned otherwise it does compact and a type of stringy algae grows on top of it. Not sure what it is.

 

@PsyXe I believe small sharp gravel would give an issue as it easily scratches their bodie's. I have those small pebbles in my one tank and had no issue with their barbs. The most important thing is that you siphon the substrate each week and good water quality as we all would say.
But they dig it digging in the sand!
I also use those bags of 20 Kg playsand and so far no issue. Took a day to clear up in my 4ft.

 

Keeping about 100+ Corys on several kinds of substrate (gravel, PFS fine and PFS middle). Gravel isn't bad for Corys at all (the Corys in the two gravel-tanks have the longest barbels of them all !!!!). As long as it isn't sharp.
They like sand though, sticking their nose in. To my believe (and experiences at other forums) the wearing down of Corys is 99% caused by bacterial infections / waterconditions / damage by nitriteburning (levels in and just above the substrate).
PFS is specially "designed" not to close down (rounded grains), so there is less anaerobic activity (also denitrification aso) going on in it. I like the middle sized grains for that. Think I might swap the finest for the middle sized.
This anaerobic activity also could accure with Playsand to me. A thin layer will prevent that !!! If you like gravel, I'd search for smooth / small grain gravel having the same non-closing down structure as PFS to me!!!


Regards Aad

 

That's what I noticed as well.

Experimental play sand tank is planted up and took 2 full days to clear (not using any filtration as yet) but is looking good. I'm not planning to keep corys in it, so won't have a chance yet to see how they like it, but at least we will see if the play sand is full of terrible poisons etc. Not planning to introduce fish for a LONG time; I eventually plan for it to be a breeding/fry tank.

 

PFS in mine hahaha

 

And that's huge grains too - I'd almost consider it gravel. I might not have the sense of scale right though, what species is the fish? Is it a baby?

 

Close up !! Yep it's a young corydoras Aeneus

 

Gorgeous fishies!!! :cheesy: