Cories Are Piosonus?

[Truck]

ok, but barbels are very soft, not sharp as such. my sterbai crawl over my hands when im doing maintenence and the barbels tickle

 

[Jazzzz]

barbels and barbs are different things more like feelers and hooks respectivly.

They seem to have one under each eye and one on the tip of the dorsal fin

 

[Truck]

oh i must read things more carefully

 

[nosoup4you]

I have been stuck by Corydoras on more than one occasion. When I worked at a fish store, all that we had were standard nets to catch them. I was stuck many times trying to remove their barbs from nets that they had entangled themselves in. I eventually learned with most cats that it was easier on the fish if you caught them with your hand rather than having to cut their fins or barbs from the net. The comparison to a bee sting is accurate.

 

[joecoral]

I've been pricked by cory barbs numerous times and it does hurt a bit.
The toxin tends to be released only when stressed, which is why you sometimes get "cory suicide" when transporting them in a bag, as they get stressed and release the toxin, and because itss a small volume of water they can kill themselves, ive seen it happen on several occasions

 

[Truck]

that was what i was saying earlier and they told me i was wrong

 

[mike os]

all corydoras have pectoral and dorsal spines.... & if you get stabbed you will know about it

some, as mentioned have the ability to release a toxin into the water, the exact mechanism seems to be a bit vague at the moment, but looks to be from, or near the gills. It is definitely not a "sting" as there is no direct envenomation, only via contact in contaminated water.

 

[geezer2008]

THe "stinging" thing comes from people who do not handle their corys correctly. I have personally received a very very painful "sting" but this was not fromt he barbels.

I had bagged up 8 Albino sterbai i had bought from a friend and i went to pinch the bottom corner of the bag to flip it upside down so i could tape down the edges. Not thinking (or looking) between me moving my hands to pinch the corner, one of the corys had moved to that corner. This resulted in me not pinching the bag, but the pectoral fins ON BOTH SIDES!!! one in my thumb and one in my index finger.

Now, beleive me, i am no whimp, but i can assure you that the pain was intense!! there was no blood (which was quite strange) but the pectorals had piereced my thumb and finger and it throbbed like mad! it took a good 15 minutes for the pain to subside and i struggled to use either my thumb or my finger during that time.

Maybe thats where the confusion is arising from but as has been previously said, corys when stressed can release what i believe is a warning system to other corys, but unfortunately when in the confines of a bag, polloutes the water very quickly resulting in death for the contents of the bag.

 

[Repeat]

And amazing, im wondering if they do this to protect their school? Lets say something gulps it up for lunch, it releases toxins, the thing dies, the school survives

 

[geezer2008]

And amazing, im wondering if they do this to protect their school? Lets say something gulps it up for lunch, it releases toxins, the thing dies, the school survives

It could possibly use the toxin in those conditions due to it being stressed, however it is far more likely to fling out the pectoral fins to jam itself in the mouth before fully swallowed. Whilst this sounds like a plan it isnt really. Because its jamed them into the flesh, the fish can neither spit it out or take it fully in. I had a similar problem with a JD that had swallowed an adult cory. I had to carefully prise it out its mouth with a pair of tweasers, both fish survived

 

[badenmate]

i have never heard of this happening after you get them home but i dont know about the wild
i have heard the pharse never really understud it