HELP! CORYDORAS EGGS!

[Sean_Buckley]

OK, in my 10 galon community I have guppies, white clouds, hatchetfish, and 2 turquoise rainbows, as well as 3 peppered corydoras. I looked on the glass a few minutes ago, and there is eggs all over it, in different areas too! In total there are upwards of 80+ eggs, in about 6-8 groups, all on the glass. They are about the size of, err, hard to describe, how big are corydoras eggs? These are quite large. I guess I won't have to buy or breed any more bronze cories, if these are Peppered Corydoras eggs, Ill be overrun with them! Is there anything I should do to keep them from being eaten? So far nothing but the snails seem to bother them, they cant get them in their mouth! AHHH!!
Sean

 

[Sean_Buckley]

I guess I wont be breeding my little Bronze Cories, because the only fish or other organisms in that tank that can even fit the eggs in their mouth are my snails and the mother and father(s) corydoras, and there is WAY to many for the snails to eat. How long does it take for them to hatch? And should I prepare food now? I dont have a seperate tank to put them in, and I have a Penguin Mini, as well as a Whisper Micro 2-5 filter. HELP ME PLEASE INCHWORM!
Sean

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Sean_Buckley

Congratulations! Peppered corys can be very cooperative little fellows, can't they?

The thing you really need to do is get the eggs into another tank. On another thread I know you said you can't get one but perhaps with the eggs a done deal, your parents will help you out.

Right now, before you do anything else, make sure that the eggs have good water circulation over them to prevent them from getting fungus on them. If you have an air pump and airstone use it. If not, move the filter around so that there is water movement around the eggs. They are sticky so they will not get knocked off the glass easily.

The problem with raising them in a community tank is that, even if the eggs are not eaten, the fry will be since they are tiny and helpless. Moving eggs is not the easiest thing to do either, but it can be done and will result in many of them being saved.

Perhaps you can shift your other fish around to make room for raising these babies?

I would suggest you get Liqui-fry to feed them for the first few weeks until they can begin eating flakes and other food. If there was more time I'd say get a microworm culture started, but there's not enough time now.

Above all stay calm. You now know that you have a mature pair or trio of Peppered corys and they can be very prolific. Once they start laying their eggs, there will always be another opportunity to get more.

Please let me know if this answers your questions and tell me what you decide to do.

Good luck with them!

 

[Sean_Buckley]

Hi Inchworm,
You can always tell when Ive been reading an Inchworm post, because my head is swollen with knowledge! Also, we dont live close to a pet store or anything, the closest one is 30 mins away, and we dont go very often, but my birthday is coming up soon, so maybe I can talk them into lending me some money or something and driving me in. Also, what should I do if I cant find any Liquifry food? Should I get the tank now and if this batch gets eaten be ready for the next batch? Also, you said I should use a sponge filter? And, if they do hatch in this tank, and some dont get eaten, what do I feed them if I cant get liquifry in time?
Sean

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Sean_Buckley

Liqui-fry is a brand of liquid food for fry. There are others too, and your lfs might carry one of them. Any one would do fine. As a second choice, get the finest powdered fry food they have, especially if they have something for egg-layers. It will sink if you get it wet before putting it in the tank. In a pinch, you could also feed a tiny amount of hard boiled egg yolk mixed with water and dropped in. I don't recommend this since it spoils quickly and is a big nuisance, but as a last resort, it works. This special food is needed for only a short time and the sooner you can get them eating a good quality flake and other foods, the easier it will be for you.

For the next time, look into microworms. I can give you a link that you can order from if you would like. Newly hatched brine shrimp are excellent food too, but a lot of work.

Cory fry are small, but not the smallest of the egglaying fish. In an established tank they will find microorganisms to eat until they are big enough to eat regular foods, so if they are not eaten by bigger fish, they will survive without additional feeding by you.

If you can get another tank and do not move the eggs into it, set it up and move your corys in while they are being conditioned. In a few weeks they will be ready to go again and this time, after they have spawned you can move them out and leave the eggs. It's much easier that way.

 

[Sean_Buckley]

Thanks again Inchworm!
If I put the Java Moss from my 33 gallon into my 10 gallon (with the eggs) will that give them some shelter and food?
Sean

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Sean_Buckley

Yes, java moss is a very good thing, you are lucky to have some. It will shelter them, if the find their way to it, and it usually has lots of tiny organisms cling to it for them to eat.

Unless you have an entirely separate tank to put them in, this is the best thing you could do, IMHO.

 

[Sean_Buckley]

OK, since I couldnt get a new tank, I found you dont need cash, just a bit of imagination. I collected the eggs that hadnt been eaten by the snails (about 80), and put them in a large net. I put the net under the output of the HOB filter, which creates a sufficient amount of current, and then, just in case, I put an airstone underneath. I took the moss from my 33 gallon, rinsed it, and put it in the 10 gallon. When I let the babies out of the net (I dont think they can fit through the holes), Ill let them go right near the Java moss. Ill have to let them find their own food by way of the Java moss, until they are ready for pelleted food. When will that be? Also, I have some pulverised flakes that are labelled as 'fry food', if I soak that until it sinks, would that be OK for them?
Sean

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Sean_Buckley

I think you are doing the very best you can do for them under the circumstances. With luck you may find that some survive to adulthood, even though them might seem to disappear once you let them go into the tank.

Perhaps by the time you are ready to have another batch you will have a regular breeding tank set up for them. BTW, here's the like to the site where they sell microworms in case you want to prepare for them ahead of time:

http/www.livefoodcultures.com/microworms.html

 

[Sean_Buckley]

Inchworm, I swear, this forum would crash if it wasn't for you! Lets all have a big round of applause for INCHWORM!
Sean

 

[Sean_Buckley]

Sorry, overdid it with the clappy dudes there... )
Sean

 

[Sean_Buckley]

LITTLE BEGGARS! They laid eggs again! The first batch hasn't even hatched yet! O well, this time its only 20 or so, so it's not so bad.
Sean

 

[kevin007]

congrats!!

well getting another tank is very cheap, think of it this way:

$10 for a 10 gallon tank (no hood)

5 bucks for sponge filter and maybe $20-30 for the heater (christmas is commin up so things will be on discount soon!)

that is a total of $45 which you can have a tank to raise your fry in, have a great time and even sell some to the pet shop, you can get s few $$$ from that too, good luck

 

[Sean_Buckley]

In regards to the corydoras eggs, its been about 3 days, and about half are kind of browny, and the rest are white. Are either of these signs good?
Sean