# Okay to not have substrate for Cory Cats?



## Kurly (Jul 31, 2007)

I am going to start the fishless cycle on my 10g QT tomorrow. It will be kept up and running even after I get my larger tank so that is why I decided to go ahead and cycle it. From what I have read, since it is going to be a QT, I am not supposed to put any substrate on the bottom. After the tank is cycled, I want to buy some cory cats which will be held in the QT without any substrate. Is that okay since they are always at the bottom of the tank? They will eventually be moved to my larger tank with substrate when I get it.


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## flamingo (Nov 5, 2005)

They should be fine.
Granted, their colors will likely bleach out a little... but it shouldn't stress them out.


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## Guest (Oct 5, 2007)

Yep....it will be fine. Just make sure you have something for them to hide in/behind for cover. 

QT tanks are best kept bare bottom because they are much easier to clean that way....just be sure to have some type of hiding spots.


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## Kurly (Jul 31, 2007)

Thanks,
I have a couple little coconut huts that I haven't used yet and two artificial plants that were used in a previous tank so they will have some hiding spots.


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## gemjunkie (Jan 20, 2005)

Throw a few pieces of drift wood in there and a couple BIG rocks..... They'll be fine!


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## Guest (Oct 8, 2007)

i run 3 of my tanks barebottom, some with cories too. i have not noticed any bleaching out of colors, and they do just fine. there are some theories that suggest that bottome dwellers such as cories can get a bacterial infection from barebottom tanks, but this has yet to be proven, and i have not noticed it myself. the reason i mention that is because it is not a bad idea to use a scrubber pad and clean the bottom of the tank when you do your waterchange, just for good measure.


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

pvc pipe is great for quarentine tanks as it won't mess with meds... driftwood and rocks would mess with meds, and the coconut houses might as well.


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## gemjunkie (Jan 20, 2005)

PLEASE explain to me how those things will mess with meds?


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## Barbie (Jan 22, 2005)

Driftwood and rocks won't "mess with" meds in general. If they aren't affecting water quality, they're going to be fine and I consider driftwood from an established tank a requirement in any tank I'm quarantining plecos in. While I realize different people have different requirements from their tanks, blanket statements like that tend to get blown out of proportion on the internet and then repeated as fact. I too would be interested to hear just what they interact with and how.

Barbie


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## Kyoberr (Dec 6, 2006)

If anything, they'll be lonely. But I suppose they'll have eachother


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