Improving inherited nightmare tank - Ongoing

[CassCats]

Improvements to tank ongoing! Removed 26 young mollies and platies and took them to LFS. Also took five blue platy fry and added them to my own tank for now, want to see how they grow, and might keep a couple myself. Love the blue platies

And since I'd reduced the bioload a lot, I also picked up four locally bred young bronze cories @NCaquatics! He had imported ones in one tank, and locally bred in another, was happy to point them out to me and volunteered which were which before I even asked. I know how lucky I am to have a good LFS!

Just added them to my quarantine tank (12 gallon) after acclimating them, will drop some catfish pellets and an algae wafer in, see if they go for them.

I have not told my dad yet that I got some cories for his tank... LOL. They look healthy and well, going to quarantine them for a while, then might just add them to his tank after he's gone to bed and wait and see how long it takes for him to notice them... It's pretty densely planted, it might be a while! But I don't know how closely he watches when he feeds the tank, and these guys are quite a bit smaller than his two, so he might spot them right away.

@NCaquatics, you don't medicate any cories while quarantining them, do you? Any diseases or behaviours specific to cories I should be looking out for beyond the usual ich, injuries, unusual behaviour type things?

I wouldnt deworm or anything just to be safe. Local raised are less likely to have issues.

Just watch their barbels when first acclimated. Usually its an issue with wild caughts, but sometimes they're a little more prone to infection if they have any damage to their barbels from the store when newly added to a tank

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

I wouldnt deworm or anything just to be safe. Local raised are less likely to have issues.

Just watch their barbels when first acclimated. Usually its an issue with wild caughts, but sometimes they're a little more prone to infection if they have any damage to their barbels from the store when newly added to a tank

Awesome, thank you! They were on sand in the store luckily, but could always have been damaged while being netted and things, so I'll give their faces a good look and keep an eye. Thank you so much!

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Yes, their barbles can be damaged very easily while netting. Luckily when I got mine, the worker was very gentle.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Not the best pics, sorry, I'd jacked up my camera settings and had to fix them, and worse - this tank is a 12 gallon cube-ish shape with curved glass front and sides. People like those right? No trim. But the curve distorts the view so much in a small tank like this, and it's even worse through a camera lens.

Anyway, enough excuses for my lack of photography skills. Taken yesterday right after adding them to quarantine tank. They didn't hesitate to explore and eat! Wish I'd got a photo of the four of them gathered around the algae wafer, it was adorable.

Taken earlier tonight after fixing camera settings;

Smallest baby face!

Round cory belly;

Two are a bit larger (but still tiny compared to an adult bronze) and two are teeny babies.

 

[mbsqw1d]

Little dudes! Love corys. Are you smitten with em then?

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Little dudes! Love corys. Are you smitten with em then?

I love them more than life itself

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

@NCaquatics baby cories!

 

[CassCats]

Itty bitty babies! They look good and colorful though

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Itty bitty babies! They look good and colorful though

You think so? That's a sign that they seem healthy? They look good to me, have sat and watched and looked for any signs of damage on their barbels or anywhere, and they look perfect to my inexperienced eye They're so wee compared to the two in dad's tank, I almost can't take it.

I can't believe how quickly they settled into the quarantine tank. They didn't seem fazed in the slightest, settled down to eat so fast! It takes my guppies longer than to calm down just after a water change...

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

@NCaquatics is it possible to tell the sex of cories when they're this small? This rounded belly body shape on the one in the back makes me think female, but I don't know if you need to wait until they're more mature to be able to tell?

 

[CassCats]

possibly could be female, but could be chunky male too. Smaller are harder.

If chunkier in the belly, rounded pelvic fins, more likely female. Slim and pointed pelvic fins then probably male

 

[vanalisa]

Theyd make great planted shrimp tanks though. I never thought I'd have any interest in shrimps until i got some. They're fun to watch and its cool to observe their life cycle too. Swimming space doesn't work the same for them so odd shaped tanks work fine!

My sentiments exactly. Cool little shrimp colony would work. I also felt the same about shrimp until I got an Amano.
That little creature came right over to my face on the glass, waved it's waving things, and I was hypnotized.
Such personalities. I got another about a week later. Frick and Frack are best buds.

My RCS are the same. Curious and fearless. I have several generations.
Too bad the Amano don't breed like that, what a funhouse that would be!

I don't think round is a good shape for fish. Maybe I'm projecting, but seems disorienting. I read somewhere that they were bad for bettas.

 

[vanalisa]

Theyd make great planted shrimp tanks though. I never thought I'd have any interest in shrimps until i got some. They're fun to watch and its cool to observe their life cycle too. Swimming space doesn't work the same for them so odd shaped tanks work fine!

Pictures, please?

 

[mbsqw1d]

Pictures, please?

Of my shrimp? I could've taken plenty a couple of weeks ago, before adding the Odessa barb. The RCS have been in hiding since and their number has dwindled severely I found this dude the other day

 

[vanalisa]

Of my shrimp? I could've taken plenty a couple of weeks ago, before adding the Odessa barb. The RCS have been in hiding since and their number has dwindled severely I found this dude the other day
View attachment 115120

Better find him a lady in a red dress!