Are They Happy?

[Azaezl]

I bought a second hand tank a while back which had a geophagus brasillies(sp?), a blue gourami and 2 little bronze corys, I moved the 2 corys into their own tank as they seemed really scared in the big tank with the others. They are in a 2ft tank(50L) on their own and have been like that since Jan. I wanted to get more but because I'd already told my husband he could have them and the tank(as he liked them so much) it was his decision to make but he didn't want to get anymore. I did tell him that they like to be kept in groups but he didn't listen, he said they are fine the way they are.

They swim around alot chasing each other and 'dance' in the bubbles coming off the airstone, they eat well and to me they seem very happy, but are they? Can corys really be happy in pairs? These 2 seem really happy and I couldn't imagine them being any happier.

My next query is I saw 2 baby panda corys in the lfs and they looked really frightned and were hiding as best they could from the numerous gouramis in the tank, again they were a pair. I practically begged my husband to let us buy them for our bronze cory tank but he was adamant that no more fish were going in with his corys. So I bought them anyway and at the mo they are in my 21L with my betta until I can finally convince him to let me put them in the bigger tank with his. Again this pair of pandas are really active, healthy, eating well and play around with each other alot.

So would the pandas & bronze corys get on together and be a group of 4 or would they totally blank each other? I can understand where my husband is coming from as I am worried that the bronze corys would be upset if someone new entered their little world.

What would you do for the best?

 

[Fishkeeper2004]

The general 'grouping' idea varies from one person to another.

In my opinion, it comes down entirely to your tanks tankmates and surroundings. For example, in the 50L tank on their own, as long as they have a few plants/ornaments to hide behind at times I believe they would be fine in pairs. Generally, Corys group when they are not familiar/or they do not feel safe being alone in their environment. If your Corys display these symptons then you should increase the group to a minimum of 4 - preferably 6. However, if like you described, the Corys seem to be doing fine, I wouldn't worry about it; especially due to the fact that they have no other tankmates!

 

[NEONCORY]

Azaezl, I hope you can convince your husband. In general, the most of the Corys would love live in the group of their own. You think the 2 bronze cories are happy and can't imagine they would be happier in the bigger group. Well. you better believe it. They can be HAPPIER!. They are better off with 2 in the tank on their own than kept with some aggressive tankmate, however they would be much better and happier if there are more of their own. You'll see the difference if the number increase to 4~6.
Also, keeping different species of Cories is better than keeping them in few number like 1~2 as long as their water ideal water parameter is similar.
Here is what happened to me. I bought 4 Pandas last Octorber and they grew and matured and start breeding. Now I have 100 probably. But I notice that I have 1 male and 3 females. Also most of the eggs are layed by 1 big female. And I also noticed some eggs had been eaten so I took the other females and moved to the other tank on their own. And they really become unhappy and inactive. They will not venture far from the other one and sit on the bottom most of the time. Compare to when they were kept with the other 2, it was a day and night. So I moved them back to the other 2 and they become happy and active once again. I just feed more often and more plants so less chance they will eat eggs.
So it would be best if you and your husband can get more Pandas and bronze so it will be 4~6 each. After all your husband tank is big enough 50L to support 12 Corys. With good filter and water maintanance. Although I personally never kept the bronze, I don't know their optimal water parameter. I hear they are one of the hardier Cory. And I know the fact that the Panda would be more delicate if not kept in the right condition. And I found them prefer cooler temperature with high oxygenated water with decent water movement. I have mine with powerhead with sponge. Yo can check all the date on my thread. And if I remember correctly, Betta is usually kept in higher temperature. So I do worry about them in your tank. They will survive but they will do much better in the range of 68~72F. 75F would be somewhat compromised community tank setting. Although the Pandas you get from the store is far from the original or wild but they are originated from the base of river in high ground/mountain. So their body evolved for the cooler river with current. They love to swim against the current and they are slimmer than many other Corys even the breeding female.
If you can't convince your husband which you really should, to get 4~6 of each. Next choice would be, put the Bonzes and Pandas together. I don't know what water parameter your husband keep the Bronze but it should adjust toward to the Pandas if you indeed convince him to put in the same tank. The Bronze can adjust better than Panda can. Hopefully somewhere less than 75F. 4 Cories would be happier than 2 even they are not same species. And you probably know this by now but Cories are peaceful fish. The Bronzes would be fine with Pandas. They may not hung around all the time but I bet they will spend some time together.
If you still can't convince him, you might look for some hobbist who keep 4 or more Bronze and go seethe tank. You would see the difference. Not shop/dealer tank since they are not always happy since they have been shipped and kept in not optimal condition. But still you would see most of the corys in there, hung around with their own. And fewer the number, they are less happy and inactive. In nature, I hear they travel in 100's or even 1000's I read. Unfortunately, I have only 2 Melanitus and they are so shy and hide all the time. I lost some during the move. And I need to find more but I haven't done that.
Any point is, the Corys will be more confident and feel secure when you keep them in bigger number. And will do better.
So good luck with your husband. You might need to get another tank and fish or divorce him.

 

[jollysue]

I would keep the pandas in a tank of their own. They like cooler temps than the Betta and the bronze.

The bronze like temps in the upper 70f. If one of them is fat and the other slim they will spawn and increase their group on their own.

The pandas are one of the more sensitive Cories and will stress easily. Being with any of the three tanks that you have is not ideal.

 

[Bozza]

Neon u said you could put 12 corys in a 50L?? Does anybody else think thats ok? Just that i got about a 55L and have 5 corys and want to get more but seems abit crowded already. Tank mates 2 female rams, betta. Sorry to hijack the thread Azaezl

 

[jollysue]

Neon u said you could put 12 corys in a 50L??

Pandas are really small. Mine are less than 1.5 inches. Cories can tolerate higher numbers than many fish as long as there is good filtration. I don't know how big 50 L is?

 

[Bozza]

Oh ok you were talking about panda's. I thought they meant it as a general rule for all corys My bad. Sue 50L (litres) = 13 US gallons

 

[K.J.]

I wish I could fit 12 cories in a 13G. Alas, there are platies.. and I have peppered, which are huge. If only I had enough electrical outlits to set up the other 10G.

 

[jollysue]

NEON also is increasing his panda population slowly with fry. That kind of slow increase with a fairly clean fish like Cories increases the nitrifying bacteria I think so that the tank can handle a higher bio load. At least that is what has happened to my bronze. They just keep adding volunteers and I am too busy to chase them down and take them to market. They have more than reached their limit though.

To handle larger loads the fish need to be added to the tanks over a very long time.

 

[Azaezl]

I thought the corys would be ok together because I looked up on planet catfish and it says bronze like temp between 69.8-80.6°F and pandas like 71.6-77°F so surely having the temp around 72 / 73 f would be fine? I'm going to ask the lfs if I can take them back, if I can't I'll have to try and find a space for another tank. I really don't see why they can't be with the bronze corys if the temp is around 72/73, the tanks big enough and both pairs appear very happy and active, I just want whats best for them, if it means taking the pandas back for their own good I will but tbh the conditions they were living in there were awful, they were terrified and hiding from the dozen gouramis in their tank, that's one of the reasons I ended up getting them.

 

[ICEEGRL]

My bronze are in 73 to 75. They are doing fine. I have never had the panda. If it said 71 to 77 then I would think 73 should be fine. The others know a lot more than me, but I would try it. That's just me though. Once I get a fish I just can't take it back. That is why we have 4 tanks and hunting more. lol
What temp is the tank they are in now?

 

[jollysue]

Well, try them together. Pandas can be sensitive to their tank mates. Checking the stats on Planet Catfish, you are right about their info. I have been going by the information common to this board and advice given me.

I would still watch to make sure that the pandas aren't stressed by the bronze. Also the pandas like currents and high aeration, but the bronze like quieter water. Mainly the issue would be their comfort with a larger cory like the bronze.

As far as the Betta goes, they do like high temps--near 80f--and little to no water movement.

Still I would keep the pandas and try to make them comfortable.

 

[NEONCORY]

Azaezl, although I never kept bronze 72~73 F you mentioned should be fine with both. Since that is the temperature overlap for both Corys.
And like you mentioned about the store you got them. They would be much better with you than the store. They shouldn't keep small Panda with bigger fish. Especially when there are only few of them. But like Jollysue said, the Betta temperature is not suitable for the Panda for a long run. They probably survive for a while but that is too hot for them. So it really better that you can convince your hubby that you need to move the Panda to his tank otherwise they will die soon. He should listen to you. Best would be get another tank but I know we cannot always do that. And once you convince your husband for the moving Pandas you can buy 2 more Pandas and 2 more Bronze every few weeks. Then, they would be much happier. I would buy Pandas first if I were you since they are smaller. They need the security from the other. Also adding many hiding place like thick plants, bogwood and some decorations would make them feel more secure. If the tank doesn't have enough yet. Also that would create the area with less water movement if any of the fish need to rest. Just keep the front middle as open area.
So bottom line is if you can convince your husband or get another tank, I don't see any reason to return Pandas. But it is not good keeping Pandas with Betta since their temperature preference is so far apart.
I hope you can work thing out. Good luck.

 

[Azaezl]

Well I finally convinced him that they'd be better off together, the main thing that swayed him was the fact the pandas would die in the warm betta tank. So once I've had some lunch I shall be placing them in the bronze cory tank. Here's the setup(The pics are a little blurry as I took them on my phone);

I've got a few more plants to add so there's more cover but they can hide behind / inbetween the plants already in there the pagoda on the left is where the bronze corys normally hide under so the pandas could have the bridge or behind the pagoda on the right as that corner is secluded. I'm hoping the bronze corys will breed as they have shown signs of it but nothing yet, I also hope the pandas will breed but if not then I'll have to track down some more. I do 40/50% weekly water changes and the filter is one designed for up to 75L but the tank is only 50L so it's slightly overfiltered, so how many more pandas / bronze could I get away with?

Thanks everyone for your advice

 

[Bozza]

Nice themed tank you have there. Im sure they will all love living and playing in there