Cory Feeding Strategies

[BryceHockey]

I have a group of 6 three-lined corydoras in a 46 gallon community tank. There is plenty of information online concerning their diet but I haven't found good advice on how to ensure that the cories are getting fed enough, and how much to feed.

The cories have only been in the tank since last Wednesday, up until this point I have fed two Hikari sinking wafers per day in addition to extra flakes that fall to the gravel. The problem is that other fish (specifically my Bolivian Rams) like to pick up the wafers, carry them around, and eat to some degree. The cories obviously are very peaceful so they don't do anything to get their food back until the Rams lose interest.

I tried putting in the wafers at night so that maybe the cories would find them but in hopes of the Rams not seeing them. I just didn't feel confident that the cories got them, the wafers were gone the next morning but how would I know if they got them? I also tried feeding them while the Rams were busy with cichlid pellets, but as soon as the Rams would finish their dinner they would steal the corys' food.

The problem is not that the cories aren't eating, when food is put in they all flock around that area in the tank and eat. I just don't think they are getting full tablets. So my questions are how much food should the cories get per day, and do you have any strategies in a community tank to prevent other fish from stealing their food?

 

[stoneagedinosaur]

Hey BryceHockey

I have 3 pepper cories and am figuring this one out too. I have some sinking pellets and give them two each every other day. The problem is I now have a couple of baby plecs and a cheeky assassin snail that snag any food they miss. The cories are pretty dumb and take their time to get over to it. Also, now my Harlequin Rasboras are getting bigger, they'll nick the food as it's falling!

 

[Joe97]

Hi,
My fish go for the pellets but my corie must get enought to eat because I've had her for two or three years and she's healthy.
I hope yours get something to eat. Cories are great aren't they? I love my Bronzeater
Joe

 

[Harlequins]

I feed my leopards and skunks tetra prima granules and micro pellets and flakes,also have kingfisher pellets which the platies seem to ignore,so cories have a chance of them first.
The micro pellets are quite handy has the others ignore these has they go down,hence cories find them
Also bloodworm/daphnia/brinestrimp etc,a varied diet over the week i don't feed it all at the same time

I alternate which foods they have daily,they're getting better now,they use to ignore all food when first put in now,the gather around together for meals

 

[Inchworm]

You might try feeding more of a good quality flake food instead of both Hikari wafers. Since it scatters when it drops, the corys will get their share. To get it to sink, hold a pinch between your index finger and thumb, put your hand down into the water, and flick it downward. Some will float up for the other fish but if you're putting enough in, the corys will get plenty.

Defrosted blood worms or live blackworms can be picked up with a cocktail fork and fed the same way. If you want to feed freeze dried tubifex worms, hold all or part of the cube underwater until it is saturated. Then squeeze, rub, and shake it until it comes apart and starts to drift down.

 

[BryceHockey]

Excellent, that's exactly what I needed to know. Thanks Inchworm.

My male Ram was being pretty silly, I would put in the wafers for the cories while the Rams were busy with their cichlid pellets. He would rush through his food and quickly grab the wafer. The sweet cories would just follow behind him and clean up the many crumbs that fell. Then along with that, the Apple Snail likes to quickly find the wafers and sit on top of them so nobody can steal it (he gets fresh veggies!). And the dwarf gourami likes to pick at the food too. Needless to say the last ones who were getting food were the cories, so I'll be sure they get flakes daily and maybe try the wafers at night.

 

[kiriyama]

Micro pellets are a good option. Or what I do is tetra pro vegetable or colour (small mix sometimes) , when the other fish are hitting the falling flakes bung in a few catfish sinkers, they go down faster than fishing weights, also the odd frozen bloodworm cube , the corys are usually first there and don't move for anything , I think the're just daft rather than brave.. Think the sinkers are made by UNDERWORLD , they cost me £2.70 for 140g, had them ages and barely dented the surface.... hope this helps a bit.....

 

[StrontiumDog]

Other good foods are "King British Catfish pellets" and for some unkown reason mine like "Hikari Crab Cuisine pellets".

As mentioned above I find "TetraPrima Mini Granules" very handy and well recieved as they sink fairly fast, but not if you have a large
group of tetras as I have in my 130lt tank.