Is This Normal Behaviour?

[BezsMaracas]

I have three peppered cory's in a new(ish) tank, when first introduced one of them seemed very active all the time, hardly stopping still, constantly buzzing around the tank. They now all stop quite regularly, just sitting on the gravel at the bottom of the tank. Is this normal for cory's?

 

[sheldon]

I have three peppered cory's in a new(ish) tank, when first introduced one of them seemed very active all the time, hardly stopping still, constantly buzzing around the tank. They now all stop quite regularly, just sitting on the gravel at the bottom of the tank. Is this normal for cory's?

I have had 2 bronze cory's for 2-1/2 years now and they buzz around tank when they're hungry. mostly they hide under shelter on bottom for the day/eve. An occaision climb to the surface but they prefer to hang out somewhere in a sheltered area.

 

[BezsMaracas]

I have three peppered cory's in a new(ish) tank, when first introduced one of them seemed very active all the time, hardly stopping still, constantly buzzing around the tank. They now all stop quite regularly, just sitting on the gravel at the bottom of the tank. Is this normal for cory's?

I have had 2 bronze cory's for 2-1/2 years now and they buzz around tank when they're hungry. mostly they hide under shelter on bottom for the day/eve. An occaision climb to the surface but they prefer to hang out somewhere in a sheltered area.

Thanks. I imagine the one who was buzzing around non-stop was maybe a bit nervous, but has now settled down.

 

[jollysue]

It seems frequently when fish are introduced to new surroundings or the old ones are rearranged, there will be an increase in activity. It's easy to speculate why that might be. I have found some Corys to be especially active in new tanks. Reasons why we love them so with their courious little behaviors.

 

[Orodreth]

Hey,

I was about to post a topic and then noticed this one which is so similar I thought I might get told to read around before posting so I thought I'd bring it up here I guess it might help being here anyway, expanding on the topic.

A couple of days ago I purchased some Corydoras Schwartzi which are now living with my new Betta. Unlike my Corydoras Sterbai (in another tank) they have been VERY active ever since I put them in. They just keep swimming up and down the side of the tank, not always the same side, and generally sticking in a shoal. They are almost constantly doing it, resting very rarely, although they have been eating. They're doing it behind me as I type and I'm just concerned that this isn't normal. My other Cories, which I have had for...erm...about six months, are so laid back and calm that its just so strikingly different. Am I being paranoid and they're just settling in to new surroundings? They seem to get on well with my Betta and occasionally he joins in too but that seems to be more just following them than anything.

Oh, and they're not going for air every time either, when they swim upwards they don't generally go all the way to the surface.

Thanks.

 

[jollysue]

The Cory Dance. Generally I take it to mean they are happy. I have some tanks that are laid back and some that dance all the time. The dancing tanks are the ones I expect will spawn sooner or later. The Cory Dance often turns into the Sexy Dance. I have lots of pics posted on this forum of my corys dancing. Fresh water and good high protien food along with a sense of security are requirements.

BTW, in my experience, Bettas often change their behavior as they mature. Many get more territorial and take exception to fish that know no boundaries. Corys do not have a clue about territories. So keep an eye on the relationship with these guys. Sometimes it takes a long while for this part of the Betta personality to come out, but Bettas are terrirorial by nature.

If you start feeding the sterbai with high protien snacks such as bloodworms and live black worms and do frequent cool water changes, you may find your sterbai start dancing too. Are the sterbai in a community tank?

My new Corys have often gone into a celebration after being introduced to a fresh tank out of an old tank or a plastic bag.

Sterbai are dancers.

 

[Luketendo]

Yes they are actually quite like gerbils if you think of it.

Play for a while, then rest, exactly what gerbils do.

 

[jollysue]

Here's a link to threads which include pics of Corys dancing

Cory pics

More Cory pics

I hope to do some more Cory pics soon.

 

[Orodreth]

Thanks for answering my questions. I will keep a close eye on the behaviour of my Betta and make sure he doesn't start getting annoyed by the Corys - if this does happen I do have somewhere I can move them to so that shouldn't be a problem.

Yes, the Sterbai Corys are in a community tank. Maybe because of this they are not getting the best pick of the bloodworms etc. that I give them, I will try and make sure they get some and see if they become more active

Thank you.

 

[Elaine2]

I have bronze corydoras, adolphis, sterbai, simlis and ones that I am still trying to identify (labelled incorrectly). All of them are in small shoal and vary greatly in their behaviour. The bronze corys and the unidentified hang out together and hide during daylight hours under plants and wood caves - they spend the night zooming about the bottom of the tank. The other three varieties are out at all hours of the day. As the sterbai and the simlis are in the same tank (the same one as the bronze and unidentified) they shoal together and vary between sitting still, dancing up and down the glass and zipping around the bottom of the tank. The adophis are in a separe tank and behave in much the same way.

I just came to the conclusion that different species behave in different ways and provided they look well, they are feeding and their fins are up then they are healthy and happy. This is totally unscientific deduction and based purely on experience of my own fish.

I must try and photograph the unidentified fish and see if someone can give me an ID.

 

[jollysue]

Hi Elaine2, I really agree with you. Different species behave differently. In addition, they behave differently in different tanks. Nature or nurture? Environment or genetics? A fish in a community tank may easily behave differently than a fish in a species only tank. The temperature of the tank, the food offered, the number of the species group and the genders, the ph, the tank decore, the environment outside the tank, the lighting, the substrate--almost everything influences behavior. Add that different species will react differently to the same conditions and our hobby takes on a true depth of factors to investigate.

I just moved all my tanks into a fishroom. The I have seen behavioral changes in almost all the fish in all the tanks. I see some of my fish that I hardly ever saw before.

Corys in a community tank will positively act differently than Corys in a large Cory only tank with a large tribe of their own species. Most likely this is true of all fish. Nevertheless, the community tank of peaceful fish is really my favorite.

 

[Elaine2]

Hi Jollysue

Yes, I've noticed changes wheever I move fish aswell. They also sem to change over time - for example, I hardly see my bristlenoses these days, just the odd waving tail and piles of gravel. When they were youg they were out all of the time.