1st post, can you help me create the perfect tank for corys?

[fishtales81]

Hi everyone, I am new to this site and so glad this place exists! So, what started as a problem will hopefully work it's way to a solution. We currently have a 60 gallon planted tank, with 10 little tetras (black and neon) a few platies, 6 otto's and 7 cory catfish (Sterbai). We have it moderately planted and put in several large pieces of driftwood.
THE PROBLEM: The substrate is eco-complete......
The tank has been set-up for about 4 months,...and I noticed 1 of our catfish was losing his whiskers/barbells...well, I have put him into a small hospital tank because I think he has a bacterial infection. His barbells are completely gone and it looks like his mouth is being eaten away,...The fish store told me to dose him with Maracyn. I hope he makes it
I decided to look closer at the other corys, and I noticed their barbels are disappearing too!! I've been searching like crazy online today to find the problem,..and I think the problem is the eco-complete, from what I've read, it's too rough and ripping away their little faces!

THE SOLUTION (I hope!): We have another 60 gallon tank we can set-up,...only problem is it is not cycled:(
First thing first,....do we need to put the other cory's in the 10 gallon hospital tank? I'm not sure if we should since the cory we have in there presently is being medicated because of his wounds:(

As for the new tank,...we LOVE these little guys and would like to add to their little group, only this time we want it all about them.

What would you recommend for the 60 gallon tank? sand? and if so, what kind?
Do they like plants or driftwood? I've been reading about biotopes,...it would be cool if we could make this as close to their natural environment as a 60 gallon tank can be.
And what about other tank mates? shrimp? other fish? As you can see I'm a bit clueless. My brain feels like it is on over-drive and sometimes this can be so hard. I mostly feel horrible that it was my lack of knowledge that caused these little guys pain:(

Thank you for reading and for your help!

[Bartman]

I have not been keeping cory cats for very long, but they are doing well, as are other catfish in my 55 with my current substrate. I have a layer of peat covered by a layer of sand, covered by a layer of cheap rounded gravel. I looked at the Eco-complete when setting up my tank and the Eco they had in the plant tanks at the store looked really sharp to me as well. You could cover your Eco-complete with some smooth gravel and not have to move the fish. If you rinse the gravel, this may be the easiest fix for you, if it is your substrate that is the problem. The gravel will stay on the top if you don't disturb your substrate (there is no need to clean your gravel with a tank planted heavily with rooted plants).

[jar]

This is a tough situation! I would not move the cories into the hospital tank, it will become a poisonous ammonia pool. If you think you can delay a bit longer do this:

1) Run the filter for the new tank on the old tank (so the old tank has two filters running at once)
2) Leave it on this tank for at least 2 weeks minimum, a month would be better
3) Transfer half of the water from one tank to the new tank.
4) Transfer the filter to the new tank at the same time.

This way you can move the cories from one tank to the other without shocking them due to the fresh water change. The new filter should be able to cope with the transition from one tank to the other (being identical in water parameters) and support a small number of cories. (Until of course later you buy more cories, its inevitable, resistance is futile!)

[fishtales81]

Bartman, thanks for the advice and such a quick response! Yes, the eco complete, though pretty, is too sharp for our little guys:(

Jar, great idea!! That thought hadn't even crossed my mind.

I will keep you all updated as we do the change. Does anyone have any good suggestions on how to take nice underwater pics? Mine always seem blurry.

Also,..I think I am getting addicted to corys. Seriously.

[OldMan]

For in-tank pictures of your fish you will probably be fairly close. Use the macro setting on the camera, the little picture of a flower. If you can take manual control of the focus it will keep the camera from focusing on the glass instead of the fish. Use a fairly high shutter speed, since the fish will not hold still you need a short exposure of at least 1/125 or faster, I prefer over 1/250. To go that fast you will need to raise the ISO setting somewhat but that should not cause much degradation and will give you a chance to get the picture at all.