How Do I Know If I Have A "shoal"?

[greenmumma141]

Hello. I have 7 different cories (a peppered, green, gomezi, julii, panda, and 2 sterbai) most of them being recent purchases. I see everyone talking about their cories "shoaling" and was wondering if mine will still shoal together even though they're all different breeds, and how will i know if they have? This might be a silly question

 

[MrsM]

ive got 1 "fake" julli and 2 peppered(so far) they all shoal/swim,play,rest together...this is a shoal...all be it small...i have a small shoal, hoping to up each spicies to 3 each, as ive read they do prefer their own kind....

 

[greenmumma141]

ive got 1 "fake" julli and 2 peppered(so far) they all shoal/swim,play,rest together...this is a shoal...all be it small...i have a small shoal, hoping to up each spicies to 3 each, as ive read they do prefer their own kind....

Ive read they prefer their own too, but most of mine rest together, so maybe they are shoaling thanks!

 

[MrsM]

my 2 peppered cory dont "leave out" the other cory, i think they all get on...i want a panda cory

 

[Tuxyu3]

It depends, some they will and sometimes they won't. I really would never condone getting one cory of a different species and just hoping it will shoal knowing full well it will not be happy if it doesn't work out.

 

[Tizer]

poor corys

 

[fluttermoth]

If you have lots of different species of shoaling fish in inappropriate numbers, they will often shoal together, but only in a 'better than being on my own' sort of way.

These fish live in shoals of hundreds, if not thousands, of their own species in the wild; that's how they've evolved to live, and keeping them with other fish of different species is not ideal.

It's always a good idea to see if you can find clips of fish, in their natural environment; that way you know how set up your tanks for the fish's benefit

Here's some cories in the wild;


(sorry, can't seem to embed videos toady )

That's shoaling...

 

[dannybgoode]

Now that is an awesome and beautiful sight. I have 11 Sterbai which I love to death and get so distracted from my work (I work from home and the tank is set up by my desk) watching them.

Now they have sand substrate they have just gone mental...

Cheers

Danny B

 

[MrsM]

All 3 of mine swim together just fine, they all line up together after a spin around the tank, as im sure any other corys i get will, and to be honest, when i see offspring of cross bred corys.....you telling me they wont "get on."

 

[Tuxyu3]

It is a shame but it is simply a fact that cory's are frequently bought by people who assume all cory's will shoal together just the same but this is not necessarily true. It's like having danio's with rasbora's, they will shoal but like fluttermoth said it is only in a 'better than being on my own' kind of thing, it is a compromise.

It is our duty as keepers of these fish to make sure they are maintained in top notch conditions. Mixing and matching species to suit our own tastes over the fishes is not a fulfilment of this duty. Fish are much more intelligent than they are often given credit for and just because they have another fish they are related to that they can shoal with does not make them happy, they know the difference.

Edit: I have just seen a mention of cross-breeding. This is another good reason to refrain from mixing too many species. Crossbreeds do not benefit the hobby in any way, they only pollute the bloodline and any potential crossbred eggs should be immediately destroyed in my and many other peoples opinions.

 

[MrsM]

I know my fish are happy! They all shoal together and if you feel sorry or them thats fine, pls do so without dragging my fish keeping through the mud. As my sig says....im learning as i go...i had 1 cory for a long time alone, due to circumstances....the only "mates" i could get him were 2 peppered...so yeah....its better than nothing for him.....and i also intend on getting more of each species as ive said on here recently....but as the user asked....yes....my 3 different fish do shoal, are a shoal and are happy

 

[greenmumma141]

It is a shame but it is simply a fact that cory's are frequently bought by people who assume all cory's will shoal together just the same but this is not necessarily true. It's like having danio's with rasbora's, they will shoal but like fluttermoth said it is only in a 'better than being on my own' kind of thing, it is a compromise.

It is our duty as keepers of these fish to make sure they are maintained in top notch conditions. Mixing and matching species to suit our own tastes over the fishes is not a fulfilment of this duty. Fish are much more intelligent than they are often given credit for and just because they have another fish they are related to that they can shoal with does not make them happy, they know the difference.

Edit: I have just seen a mention of cross-breeding. This is another good reason to refrain from mixing too many species. Crossbreeds do not benefit the hobby in any way, they only pollute the bloodline and any potential crossbred eggs should be immediately destroyed in my and many other peoples opinions.

wow. I assure you that my having dif. species of cories in my tank has little to do with "my own taste" and simply bc when I'm at my lfs and I see the one left over cory in the tank on his own, I bring him home regardless of his species. I did not even know that cories were a "shoaling" fish until recently joining the forum and thus my bringing the question here. And I think that if ppl want their own cories to "cross-breed" then good for them and their tank. I think if we all take a deep breathe we'll be okay

 

[MrsM]

Its not me cross breeding either, mine are only babies my tank is relatively new! Ive seen a few threads on cross bred corys, they dont have an issue...so why should a anyone else, greenmumma,good luck, hope your tank is big enough to keep at least 6 of each species, they say thats the reccomended minimum amount, all the best

 

[MrsM]

If you have lots of different species of shoaling fish in inappropriate numbers, they will often shoal together, but only in a 'better than being on my own' sort of way.

These fish live in shoals of hundreds, if not thousands, of their own species in the wild; that's how they've evolved to live, and keeping them with other fish of different species is not ideal.

It's always a good idea to see if you can find clips of fish, in their natural environment; that way you know how set up your tanks for the fish's benefit

Here's some cories in the wild;


(sorry, can't seem to embed videos toady )

That's shoaling...

Just thought id also point out that fish shoal for "safty in numbers" right?? Maybe in my tank there are no major threats like youd get in a river, as i dont have a river in my living room they "shoal" differently anyway. Also anyone thinking that keeping different species is wrong..but...killing cory eggs is ok, just because theyre cross bred...maybe keeping fish in glass tanks for our ammusement is cruel full stop.....

 

[Tuxyu3]

Just to clarify, i don't think keeping different species is wrong, i think keeping them in inappropriate numbers is wrong.
Although i do admire the thought of taking a lonely cory home it would be better for the cory long-term if it ended up with someone with appropriate numbers of its own species.
Fish shoal partly for safety but it is also social, this is why they prefer their own kind.
Crossbred cory's do not occur in the wild and it may simply be personal feelings but nobody fully knows what possible defects they will have. If somebody can raise a batch of corys successfully they will most likely have spares which will be passed on to a friend or shop where they may breed and pollute bloodlines, this is bad for the trade.
Allow me to assure you i am not interested in dragging anybodies anything through the mud, i simply wish to share knowledge.
Destroying a freshly laid cory egg is not the same as destroying a fish, if a CNS has not begun to develop along with a heart, eyes etc. it will have never been alive.