Cory Mix?

[nlynton]

I have a panda cory alone in a 55.

I understand that they are social so that I should get at least two more. Would albino corys or other cory species, fit the "requirement"?

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Can you not get panda cories? I have never had them, but my albinos don't stay in one place, so it would be hard to school with them.

Since you have such a big tank, why not get a school of them? They add lots of activity to the bottom of the tank, you might get them to breed, and it's fun watching them hanging out in a school.

 

[nlynton]

Well, the problem is that I found out that my 20 gall was overstocked.

I have two bala sharks, two black sharks, two checker barbs, two dinosaur eels, an albino barb, one glasscat (the other jumped), a pair of chinese algae eaters, a bristlenose pleco, a pair of clown loaches, and a partridge in a pair tree.

They are all now in a 55 gal.

I understand that these fish grow to about a foot each (the ones in pairs) and I don't want to have another 'overstocked' tank again.

Besides, this was the first time I had ever seen a "panda" cory (they called it a painted cory) and I don't know if I can find another.

I guess the glasscat is lonely as well, eh?

 

[ketyana]

I would think so

The bala sharks and clown loaches should be in more of a group, probably the checker barbs too!

What is a black shark? I do hope its not a red finned or a red tailed shark they do not live at all well in pairs they are solo fish

Im not sure I understand what you was aiming for with your tank, mostly you have a tank full of bottom feeders so that area is over used and you have a tank over stocked hugely in one area and a ton to spare everywhere else.

Why on earth would you want to put a poor little cory into fight its share amongst that lot is completely beyond me

But in answer to your question I have heard and when sell fish often mention that cories tend to interact well with all other cory species fine

 

[Morrgan]

Different cory species may school as long as they have similar color markings. There are several species which look like the panda, keep an eye out for those. There is a risk for hybrids if they breed, though.

A cory may also school with completely different species, but that's because it's very lonely and it's not the best option as far as the fish itself is concerned. Still, better than keeping it all alone, I suppose.

I haven't kept glass catfish myself, but I've been told they're schoolers as well, maybe even more so than cories. Checker barbs, bala sharks and clown loaches should also be kept in groups. Oh, and clown loaches have been known to eat cories' eyes, it might be best to move the cory you have and get it more friends in another tank.

(As a word of warning, as the chinese algae eaters grow older, they will become increasingly intolerant towards each other and need a more meaty diet. They may also become aggressive towards other species.)

By the way, even if you don't add any more fish, your foot-long fish will still outgrow the 55 gal and in a way overstock it.