Black cory’s cold water tank

[Byron]

I would suggest that 18C (64F) is much too cold for any Corydoras. I will consult Ian directly if I can, but I can find no references for this low a temperature. C. aeneus range in every source I have is 21-27C/70-80F, optimum around 24C/75F. C. panda is 20-26C/70-79F, with wild-caught fish requiring temperatures at the lower end of this range.

 

[DoubleDutch]

Always kept my Corys (Aeneus, Venezuelanus, Panda, Schultzei, etc..) unheated and in winter temps dropped to about 17C. Never had any casualties.
The casualties I had always happened in summer at 28C and higher.
I seriously think we keep a lot of fish at too high temps (About every year allmost degree raise I noticed hahahah).

 

[LCPete]

Thanks again for the help and advice everyone
I did look into keeping cory’s in unheated tanks and found that the temperature ranges suggested varied a lot
I guess that most people just keep them in heated tanks

 

[LCPete]

the tank is a Rio 400 litre with lighting and two eheim external filters
the tank was an established heated tank I’ve moved the barbs and Panaque that was in there to another tank
the temperature is stable at 18c
at the moment the fish are active and feeding well 7 black cory’s 3 endlers guppies and 4 amano shrimp as well as Java fern and Java moss
I am going to add sand as well as that will be better for the cory’s than gravel

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Different places suggest different temps, but you always have to consider the source. I trust Seriously Fish, as do many here, because it's written by scientists and experts in the field. They list a minimum of 21 degrees for corydoras aeneus, and considering the temps in their place of origin, I can't imagine why you'd want to keep them in cold water.

Corydoras aeneus – Bronze Cory (Corydoras schultzei, Corydoras venezuelanus) — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

It's as simple as adding a heater. Not expensive nor difficult. Whenever people want to play home scientist and ignore all fishkeeping advice, I'd urge them to remember that these are living creatures they're playing with.

 

[itiwhetu]

I personally wouldn't keep Cory's below about 22 degrees, I feel long term 18 degrees is too cold

 

[mbsqw1d]

Peppered (palaetus) are good down to 18c
Id keep a heater in there to make sure it doesn't drop any lower though.

Climate/Range
From Froese and Pauly (2017):
“Subtropical; 18°C - 23°C [Schliewen 1992]”

https://www.fws.gov/fisheries/ANS/erss/uncertainrisk/ERSS-Corydoras-paleatus-Nov-2017-FINAL.pdf

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Peppered (palaetus) are good down to 18c
Id keep a heater in there to make sure it doesn't drop any lower though.

Climate/Range
From Froese and Pauly (2017):
“Subtropical; 18°C - 23°C [Schliewen 1992]”

https://www.fws.gov/fisheries/ANS/erss/uncertainrisk/ERSS-Corydoras-paleatus-Nov-2017-FINAL.pdf

Hey, Mb! These aren't paleatus though, they're aeneus

 

[mbsqw1d]

Hey, Mb! These aren't paleatus though, they're aeneus

Hey Ab! Ah right, thought they were just asking which corys are ok in temperate waters. My bad!

 

[Byron]

I mentioned earlier that I would discuss this with Ian, and I did. These two species should be maintained at 23-24C, though they will tolerate cooler and warmer, but 23-24C is best.

For those who may not know, Ian Fuller is an authority on the Corydoradinae, the author of books and articles, with a new species named in his honour. Like going to my oncologist about my terminal cancer, I listen to such people and learn.

 

[LCPete]

Thanks a lot to think about maybe I should get pepper cory’s instead but will let the tank settle first anyway

 

[DoubleDutch]

I mentioned earlier that I would discuss this with Ian, and I did. These two species should be maintained at 23-24C, though they will tolerate cooler and warmer, but 23-24C is best.

For those who may not know, Ian Fuller is an authority on the Corydoradinae, the author of books and articles, with a new species named in his honour. Like going to my oncologist about my terminal cancer, I listen to such people and learn.

But still Byron. 18C is minimum here and not the longterm temperature or did I misunderstand ?

 

[LCPete]

18C is the minimum temperature that I measured for winter here in the UK the long term will be higher
I checked this morning the temperature was 19.2 C
l have set the lights on a timer for the plants and think that has raised the temperature a bit , will continue monitoring it
If I have understood correctly experts arrive at figures for suitable water parameters by long term study in the wild of the range of temperatures etc that the fish will live in their natural habitat and the what’s happening is that some hobbyists are finding that some Cory species are able to be kept successfully long term at lower temperatures than was previously thought
forgive me if I have misunderstood and am not saying that any of the experts are wrong just trying to understand it all
I will watch and monitor the temperature in the tank
To be honest the idea for a temperate tank came about because of rising electricity costs here in the UK and we are on a fixed income, we have 2 Juwel rio 400 tanks one will stay tropical and one temperate cold water
the idea of cory’s came when the Pets at home shop were selling black corys as cold water fish I ussumed that they were from a cold water area but now know that they are a tank bred strain of bronze cory’s

 

[Deleted member 149562]

Unfortunately many fish are missold or have poor guidance by the stores that sell them, so you're not alone there by any means. This is why the photo of the fish was so essential since Cories are one fish that frequently get misidentified and that usually impacts the living conditions required for that fish.

It is very difficult sometimes not to get caught in the trap of misinformation where fishkeeping is concerned. I understand the dilemma of the heating costs but if you use a heater in the temperate aquarium, set at 20 or 21 degrees that will enable the Cories to thrive without costing the earth to run in electricity....lower temperature and a well insulated home will mean the heater needing to come on will be less but it will be there should the temperature drop for any reason, it would be a backstop rather than an essential for keeping things tropical enabling the fish to stay healthy and as reassurance for you that they are not getting too cold.

When I had temperate fish I always had a heater set at around the 20 degrees just incase of problems such as a cold snap...the heater was always there should it be needed

 

[DoubleDutch]

18C is the minimum temperature that I measured for winter here in the UK the long term will be higher
I checked this morning the temperature was 19.2 C
l have set the lights on a timer for the plants and think that has raised the temperature a bit , will continue monitoring it
If I have understood correctly experts arrive at figures for suitable water parameters by long term study in the wild of the range of temperatures etc that the fish will live in their natural habitat and the what’s happening is that some hobbyists are finding that some Cory species are able to be kept successfully long term at lower temperatures than was previously thought
forgive me if I have misunderstood and am not saying that any of the experts are wrong just trying to understand it all
I will watch and monitor the temperature in the tank
To be honest the idea for a temperate tank came about because of rising electricity costs here in the UK and we are on a fixed income, we have 2 Juwel rio 400 tanks one will stay tropical and one temperate cold water
the idea of cory’s came when the Pets at home shop were selling black corys as cold water fish I ussumed that they were from a cold water area but now know that they are a tank bred strain of bronze cory’s

They defintely aren't coldwaterfish hahaha and any LFS selling them alike should be closed I'd say.

They are a tankbred variaty of C.schultzei.
As said I doubt yours are black Corys

Ian Fuller definitely knows his stuff. Not an expert but a Guru.