# What kind of Aquarium Substrate is best for Cory Catfish?



## Espurr280 (May 9, 2018)

I'm getting some cory catfish and want to know if aquarium substrate is safe for them and what kind is the best if so? I found two different brands, one seems more fine and the other more coarse. Not sure which one to get. Or do you guys recommend something else entirely? (Planning on making it a planted tank and have a male betta as well)


----------



## Rainbo (Nov 23, 2015)

I've used them both and like the Caribsea better then the Nat Geo. 

I have the Caribsea Sunset Gold in my 10 gal tank and love the way it looks, I have cory cats in my tank and they all love rooting around in the sand. 

Caribsea Super Naturals have a few different varieties, make sure you are getting the one that's sand rather then gravel if you go with it. 

With either brand you are going to need root tabs for any root feeding plants you get as the sand is inert. If you are only going with plants that feed from the water column like anacharis and anubias, then won't need the root tabs.


----------



## Rainbo (Nov 23, 2015)

Oh forgot to add, with either of those sands you are going to have to rinse it. The easiest method is to fill a bucket around halfway up with the sand, 5 gal or larger bucket works best because it lets you rinse a lot of sand at once, take it outside, to the faucet and hose. Turn the water on between high and low then shove the hose into the sand in the bucket bucket and let the water overflow the bucket for a few minutes. If the hose is kicking up the sand so much it's flowing out with the water then you need to turn the water down a bit. Next take the hose out, carefully empty the water from the bucket, then put the hose back in and let the water flow out for a few more minutes. Do that till the water runs clear when you put the hose into the sand. Once it does rinse the sand a few more times to be certain it's clean. 

I made the mistake of not rinsing the sand in my 10 gal tank and I spent the next few weeks cleaning my filter every couple days and my water was cloudy despite my being very careful to not kick up the sand when I added water to the tank. I rinsed the sand before adding it to my 5 gal tank and never had a moments problem with the water being cloudy and sediment messing up my filter.


----------



## Espurr280 (May 9, 2018)

Thank you for the reply and for the advice! I'll make sure to get some root tabs and rinse it really well.


----------



## BubblesDaBetta (Jul 14, 2018)

I got some of the imagitarum sand and that had worked perfectly for me. I rinsed it but no dirty water came out anyway. You can get it at Petco. This substrate has worked very well for my Cory catfish


----------

