Hoping For Better Luck With San Juans

[cs091]

After losing 3 out of 5 julii (sold as such but, from reading here probably not), I went back to the LFS and asked what I could be doing wrong. I've got them in a 180 litre tank at 75F with danios, WCMM, ottos and amano shrimp. The tank has sand substrate and is partly planted, water stats have been stable for some 6 months at 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 20-40 nitrate.

The poor little things just sat in a corner and died one by one. Just faded away over about a month, hardly eating, not playing, just little bundles of depression.

I tried flake, tree types of sinking cat pellets, delica bloodworms and frozen blood worms. They ate next to nothing.

Well.... the guy at the LFS says "Oh I can't keep them either. I've always put it down to the water." We're both South Staffs water - hard with fairly high nitrates. He seems very knowledgable about cories and has beautiful photos of his fish from home.

So I asked what he can keep and he points out the San Juan Cories. Very pretty. So I got 5 to go with the 2 remaining Julii.

So far (only a few hours yet though) the San Juan seem to be a good influence. All 7 are playing about together and the bloodworms offered have been eaten by everyone.

Has anyone had any experience with these? I'm just hoping I haven't bought the hell hounds of the cory world! LFS man says they'll get to about 2". Is this about right? And with they be okay in my tank?

CS

 

[jollysue]

I have San Juans that I got about a year ago--wild caught. I have moderate water in the 75 ph range, so I cannot address your hard water problem, other than to suggest peat in the filter to soften the water. Your lps fishman may well be correct about the water. Cories are a soft water fish and many species do not adjust to hard water at all, I understand.

I am quite fond of my San Juans and delighted that I got them last year. They started spawning for me after a year, and I now have some 2nd generation and more coming. I just collected a harvest tonight. If you look for my recent post there is a link to pictures of them spawning.

They are indeed a smallish Cory, about two inches, although the fat mama in the picture got as wide as long.

As I say I cannot address the ph issue for the San Juans, but they are a nice fish. They do a lovely sexy dance when they spawn. they should be fine at 76 degrees. I keep all but my regular peppers in Cory only tanks so I also cannot address the tank mate questions, but if there are no agressive fish, they will be fine. They shoal nicely with pandas and with other small Cories. Mine are with arcuatus, melini, and pandas. But I would beware of getting sensitive Cories with hard water until you are able to sort that.

If they continue to do well in the water they will be a lovely fish.

 

[cs091]

Thanks for your input. They all seem to be doing okay together at the moment but it's early days. The two remaining Julii seem more active with the San Juans than they were in a group of 5 of their own kind. I hope this continues.

I don't intend getting any more cories unless I lose any more. And thats just because I don't like groups smaller than the recomended numbers. Any tank-mates are likey to be smaller - rasboras and maybe some small tetras or cherry barbs.

Breeding sounds like fun - I just hope they feel happy enough for that.

CS

 

[jollysue]

I'm glad they are doing well. I hope they are happy too. Cories are amiable little fellows--quite personable when they feel safe and cared for. Many species are very easy fish to breed, usually hardy, and marketable.