Alternative to Pygmy cories

[ogelthorpe]

Hello all,

Looking for an alternative to Pygmy cories for my 9G fluval flex. Spoke with my LFS peeps and apparently they are very hard to come by where I live. I have 10 ember tetra and looking for something (other than shrimp or snails) to pair with them. Any thoughts?

 

[Naughts]

Hi, can we get more info please.

What is the temperature, GH, KH and pH?
Do you have the filter that came with the tank and/ or something different?
What is the substrate?
Is the tank planted?

 

[ogelthorpe]

Hi, can we get more info please.

What is the temperature, GH, KH and pH?
Do you have the filter that came with the tank and/ or something different?
What is the substrate?
Is the tank planted?

Sure thing. Temperature is about 78 degrees and pH is 7. Do t know GH and KH offhand but water in our city is considered very soft if that helps. Using same filter that came with the tank - Fluval flex 9 gallon tank. Substrate is fine black sand and tank has artificial plants and a piece of driftwood.

 

[GaryE]

Honestly, I would stand pat. A 9 g is a small tank, and that many embers is about it.

 

[Byron]

We went through the discussion on fish stocking for this tank in an earlier thread, and I stand by what I suggested therein. But, it contained provisos, especially floating plants. Gary is correct, but I would say the plants make all the difference. My 10g ran for over a year with no filter, just a heater, and a group of 12 Boraras brigittae and nine or ten Corydoras pygmaeus. And some snails.

To the question here, it is going to be likely that any store in your area will not have any of the suitable fish we might suggest, if they don't have pygmy cories. This species is relatively common, at least by comparison to anything else of the same nature. I might have some suggestions for places if you would be amenable to giving me your location in Canada. I am in the Vancouver area, which has very soft water, but also one or two stores that do have pygmy cories at least periodically, and they will be wild caught which means more robust and healthy. If you don't want to post your location publicly, you can send me a PM, I promise not to reveal it!

Byron.

 

[Kyshiara]

They might have Panda cories?

 

[ogelthorpe]

We went through the discussion on fish stocking for this tank in an earlier thread, and I stand by what I suggested therein. But, it contained provisos, especially floating plants. Gary is correct, but I would say the plants make all the difference. My 10g ran for over a year with no filter, just a heater, and a group of 12 Boraras brigittae and nine or ten Corydoras pygmaeus. And some snails.

To the question here, it is going to be likely that any store in your area will not have any of the suitable fish we might suggest, if they don't have pygmy cories. This species is relatively common, at least by comparison to anything else of the same nature. I might have some suggestions for places if you would be amenable to giving me your location in Canada. I am in the Vancouver area, which has very soft water, but also one or two stores that do have pygmy cories at least periodically, and they will be wild caught which means more robust and healthy. If you don't want to post your location publicly, you can send me a PM, I promise not to reveal it!

Byron.

Thanks man and appreciate all the advice so far. I don’t mind saying that I live in Halifax so if you have any suggestions where to find Pygmy cories that would be great

 

[Byron]

Thanks man and appreciate all the advice so far. I don’t mind saying that I live in Halifax so if you have any suggestions where to find Pygmy cories that would be great

Opposite end of Canada some 2000+ miles, so I've no ideas unfortunately. There was a thread from a a member in Newfoundland a couple weeks back, and a few suggestions for online fish were provided by others. I can suggest Below Water in Montreal, owned by Oliver Lucanus who is well known in the hobby for his research and collecting of Amazon fish, and he carries some species one will never see anywhere else. Was wholesale originally, not sure now, I have not spoken with him in some time.

 

[Hiraethog]

Have you considered these delightful little things? https://www.fishkeeper.co.uk/help-and-advice/freshwater/cyprinids/rosy-loach

 

[Essjay]

The only thing is these are medium hard to hard water fish and the OP has soft water

 

[ogelthorpe]

They might

Opposite end of Canada some 2000+ miles, so I've no ideas unfortunately. There was a thread from a a member in Newfoundland a couple weeks back, and a few suggestions for online fish were provided by others. I can suggest Below Water in Montreal, owned by Oliver Lucanus who is well known in the hobby for his research and collecting of Amazon fish, and he carries some species one will never see anywhere else. Was wholesale originally, not sure now, I have not spoken with him in some time.

Thanks again for the guidance! Will look him up

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

They might have Panda cories?

Minimum of six members really needed for a panda school, and even though they're smaller than say, bronzes, they still really need more space than a 9g can provide. I have 15.5 tanks, and still think those are too small for pandas (I tried once when I first started in the hobby and was told they'd be fine, but regretted it immediately, and they weren't even full size yet). I'd suggest a 20g minimum for pandas, and that being in length, not a tall tank. Footprint is essential for cories more than volume alone.

 

[GaryE]

There's a good place in Bedford. I've only been there once, but they were a quality store you might want to talk to.

From what I can see, the regional stores tend to order from a distributor in Montreal. At least that's the case for me in NB. I have often seen pygmy Corys on their lists. Below Water won't carry pygmys - they tend to deal in high end rarities (plus I was talking with them yesterday and their Corys are all things I have never seen before). But I'm pretty sure the stores here would be able to get pygmies easily.

 

[Acorno]

Hello all,

Looking for an alternative to Pygmy cories for my 9G fluval flex. Spoke with my LFS peeps and apparently they are very hard to come by where I live. I have 10 ember tetra and looking for something (other than shrimp or snails) to pair with them. Any thoughts?

Maybe try some kuhli loaches?

 

[anewbie]

Minimum of six members really needed for a panda school, and even though they're smaller than say, bronzes, they still really need more space than a 9g can provide. I have 15.5 tanks, and still think those are too small for pandas (I tried once when I first started in the hobby and was told they'd be fine, but regretted it immediately, and they weren't even full size yet). I'd suggest a 20g minimum for pandas, and that being in length, not a tall tank. Footprint is essential for cories more than volume alone.

I find a 20 long/29 too small for bronze/sterbai/aenus/eques; though for panda that might work. Yea a 9 is too small for any cory even pygmy. The only interesting ground fish i would suggest are Pangio shelfordii; these are like mini kuhli. They are around 2.5-3 inches long as adults but very small diameter. Most lit suggest a 15 for them but i have them in my 10 for years. They are a little shy but an interesting fish - a bit difficult to find as most places have kuhli which are way too big and active for a 9.

A small school of green neon or ember tetra can work in a 9 and some of the less active rasbora. A 9 is just not a great size - i have a pair of a. pucallpaensis with 6 ember in my 10 but a. pucallpaensis require a well scaped tank and you have to be really nice to them or they get pissy.