Anorexic Pygmy Corys

[CKutz]

I got pygmy cories about two weeks ago.
then brought them to school and stated my planted tank.

I haven't seen these little buggers eat a thing since i've had them. i feed shrimp pellets, bottom feeder wafers, algae wafers..and this frozen variety, i think they were blood worms..maybe tubiflex or something..but i've never seen them even nibble on the wafers. and didn't notice them eat any worms..
they are constantly going around the gravel though. they seem to be doing alright..i just feel bad the little guys don't seem to enjoy my food!

should i do something different? are they probably doing just fine and shouldnt worry.
i would think they were getting little bits out of the substrate, but the substrate was just put in when i set up the tank, so there can't be that much food bits in it.

 

[skippy_49nz]

I don't know about pygmy corys but I have baby peppers from time to time and I haven't ever seen them eat anything, yet they grow and are healthy so they must do some time.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi CKutz

Are the corys healthy and is the tank cycled already?

These are very small corys and they won't need too much to eat. Don't feed them too much and risk polluting the water. If the classroom is very bright or the students are noisy and/or move quickly around the tank, this might disturb them too. If they are picking at the substrate perhaps there are leftover bits in there that they can find.

If possible, feed them as late in the day as you can so they can eat at their leisure when everyone has gone home.

 

[CKutz]

thanks for the input skippy, sounds about like mine.

inchworm, it's in my dorm room not a class room . but i know what you mean, if i come up to the tank and look at them they swim away sometimes.

i read its best to feed them right after the lights go out, so maybe i'll do that.
i just put in one pellet..there's a krib fry, 6 khuli's and the 6 pygmys so not many real big eaters.

 

[matchstickman47]

i feed mine tabimin!

er one question... do you sit and watch them ... mine wont let me watch them eat, try putting the food in at night and leave the room with the tank lights off..... i have seen mine rush back into thier caves from the point the food is, they dont like being watched.
also, are there any other bottom feeders in the tank? pygmy cories arnt very bold and will take starvation over a beating any day

 

[iSnail]

My pygmaeus are the shyest of the three dwarf cory species (hasbrosus, hastatus & pygmaeus). I only see them go mental when I feed them newly hatched brine shrimps. I'm sure yours are feeding secretly. Try some live food

 

[CKutz]

i do have my tank right next to my desk.
they are also in with 6 khuli loaches, and 1 krib fry (about 1/2").

i'm going to try feeding them when i turn the lights out.

hopefully i can get some live stuff sometime, i love to treat my fish haha

thanks guys

 

[Inchworm]

Hi CKutz

There is one other thing you might want to consider. The little corys do tend to be shy, but the presence of a potentially aggressive fish among them might be putting them off too. While it might be young yet, they could sense that it will be a danger to them in the future.

 

[CKutz]

alright thanks for that tip inchworm.

based on how boisterous his parents are. i wasn't too sure how he'd be with the corys. but right now they are about the same size..once he gets bigger i'll probably be rehoming him..he's the only fry i saved because i don't have the room to grow them all out..and my stupid lfs won't give me anything for them, even if i gave them a lot of kribs. so i thought i'd just grow one up, see how he looks and then donate him to the lfs.

i'm planning on stocking with a dwarf gourami..or those "dwarf paradise fish..the red ones, i forget their exact name now..or maybe sparkling gourami or something..i like having a centerpiece fish..but it's tough in smaller tanks. before i had one lone female betta..that was kinda nice but she was a !$#&@ haha, i wouldn't trust her really with the little corys, so maybe a male betta wouldn't be a good idea either.