silica sand

[NutMeg]

Is silica sand bad for cory cats and apistogrammas? Corys have to sift their little nose tendrals through the sand and apistos sift sand through their gills looking for food. Will the sand cut them at all?

[discuspaul]

It's absolutely one of the best soft substrates for Cories. Better than any gravels, that's for sure.
Don't know about the apistos - but I can't imagine it hurting them in any way.
My Cories, from what I can see, love the white silica pool filter sand.

[chiligum]

Have to agree, a lot of different types of gravel can wear the Cory's barbels right down and then they die...Sand is the best option for them, mine all love digging in it and it keeps it fresh and turned over all the while so nothing nasty gets to lurk underneath!

[TNT77]

Silica sand is a prefered substrate for apistos. If you wish to read more about it there are a couple threads on apistogramma.com.

[NutMeg]

Hooray! Thanks guys, that makes me feel much better. In fact, one of my cory's lost his barbels awhile ago! :( Im not sure if it was from the gravel/fluorite or if he got picked on. He's also only has half of one fin. Still sifting though!