Are these fish ok for my tank

[Fish4dawin]

Have you decided for/against the dwarf chain loaches yet? If you definitely want them, then nothing else for the bottom. If you don't get them then cories would be OK - provided you have sand on the bottom of the tank.

I would work on reducing the GH first. Once you are happy with using RO then you can think about fish that need softer than your tap water.

Ok I’m really torn between the dwarf chain loaches and corys. Whilst I have the idea of two separate schools of 6 corys 1 that might be too many and 2 I don’t know if I want to go with one big school of one type? I can always move the corys to a different tank. I do want dwarf chain loaches and whilst they are expensive they are worth it. I do have sand as a substrate so they wouldn’t damage their barbels. What should I go with??

 

[Essjay]

It's really down to personal preference.

When I had my loaches I didn't have any problems with them, but other members do report then injuring other fish. I think @seangee had this problem but I can't remember which fish were in the same tank.
Cories are usually one of the least offensive fish in the hobby.

 

[Fish4dawin]

It's really down to personal preference.

When I had my loaches I didn't have any problems with them, but other members do report then injuring other fish. I think @seangee had this problem but I can't remember which fish were in the same tank.
Cories are usually one of the least offensive fish in the hobby.

Ok whilst I prefer the loaches I think they require a bit more experience and I'm only an amateur. What corys would you suggest? I've heard @NCaquatics is good with corys so maybe they can help out?

 

[Essjay]

I've only ever had pygmy cories, so yes someone like NCaquatics would be more help than me

 

[CassCats]

Given your GH is 200, id opt for a cory better suited to wider ranges of GH.

Corydoras elegans
Corydoras sterbai
Corydoras Aeneus
Corydoras Ambiacus

These are a small selection of cories that would be suitable for your GH easily.

Of those, sterbai would be good if you choose warmer water fish for your tankmates (water over 75F)

If cooler, can choose any of them

 

[seangee]

When I had my loaches I didn't have any problems with them, but other members do report then injuring other fish. I think @seangee had this problem but I can't remember which fish were in the same tank.

Mine appeared fine until they reached sexual maturity. Then they went after my glowlight tetras with a vengeance. I did not think they were a problem with my cories, but they obviously were. My cories had become quite withdrawn and prone to hiding. Once I removed the loaches the cories came back out and were all over the tank again. If you do get them I suggest a group of at least 10.

 

[Fish4dawin]

Ok.@NCaquatics, I’m going to go with the sterbais Cory as I had my eyes set on them from the beginning and like there pattern and orange fins

 

[Fish4dawin]

How am I able to get my corys to spawn? Do I need soft water or something

 

[CassCats]

Mature adults, Fed well, large colder water changes (especially daily), and usually good success during weather changes. Increasing the flow in the tank helps too.

Sterbais are fairly easy to spawn from what I know.

 

[Fish4dawin]

Mature adults, Fed well, large colder water changes (especially daily), and usually good success during weather changes. Increasing the flow in the tank helps too.

Sterbais are fairly easy to spawn from what I know.

How do I tell the difference between male and female sterbai and panda corys. What temperature should I aim for and should I buy a new tank to set up for just them?

 

[CassCats]

How do I tell the difference between male and female sterbai and panda corys. What temperature should I aim for and should I buy a new tank to set up for just them?

Skip the pandas. They need cooler temps than the sterbai do, and theyre not hardy cories. Not a joke.

As for sterbai, tank temperature 75-82F.

Females will be larger and fatter when mature, and pelvic fins will be rounded.

Males will be slimmer and smaller, pointed pelvic fins.


Most corydoras can all be sexed this way, some are more obvious than others, some are trickier. A couple species the males and females have different colour patterns as well, but sterbai isn't one of those.

 

[Fish4dawin]

Skip the pandas. They need cooler temps than the sterbai do, and theyre not hardy cories. Not a joke.

As for sterbai, tank temperature 75-82F.

Females will be larger and fatter when mature, and pelvic fins will be rounded.

Males will be slimmer and smaller, pointed pelvic fins.


Most corydoras can all be sexed this way, some are more obvious than others, some are trickier. A couple species the males and females have different colour patterns as well, but sterbai isn't one of those.
View attachment 124515View attachment 124516View attachment 124517

What should I do with my panda corys then? Move them to my other tank? I have a 52 litre (12 gallon) or I can see if my sis will put them in her 20.

 

[CassCats]

What should I do with my panda corys then? Move them to my other tank? I have a 52 litre (12 gallon) or I can see if my sis will put them in her 20.

Oooh then you already have them. Okay, I didn't read that lol

Well, best I could suggest is either pick another species instead of sterbai that will do better with the cooler temps, or keep the temp very strictly at 76F

Could do corydoras elegans, theyre a nice corydoras

 

[Fish4dawin]

Oooh then you already have them. Okay, I didn't read that lol

Well, best I could suggest is either pick another species instead of sterbai that will do better with the cooler temps, or keep the temp very strictly at 76F

Could do corydoras elegans, theyre a nice corydoras

I don't usually see elegans . What should I do then? I like the sterbais enough that I want to get 6 of them but if you are saying that I need to remove the panda's if I am to get the sterbai's then I'm happy to move them to my 12 gallon. If I do that what could I pair up with the sterbai's? I'm not very good at choosing what I want as seen in this entire thread as I go from one fish to another constantly. I really need to crack down on this but I also would like the communitys help when it comes to choosing the right fish. What do you say @NCaquatics about sterbai and some other cory?

 

[CassCats]

If you have a tank to move the pandas to, id opt for that then. Then for sterbai have a warmer water fish in with them.
Cardinal tetras would be a good choice