Just Got My First Cory's

[saffholly]

Bought 3 albino corys this afternoon to go into my 75ltr tank, they have been in there a few hours but seem a little stressed, i thought they would stay at the bottom and be fairly quiet but they are dashing around and chasing their reflections in the glass. The tank doesnt have many fish in (as i sold my young guppies this morning), in the tank is 3 zebra danios, 1 female betta and 2 pregnant guppies, theres plenty of plants and a plant pot for them to hide in.

I'm not sure if they are stressed or if they are ment to be this active (these are my first corys so have no expereance).?

 

[snazy]

This is absolutely normal. Corys always race the glass in a new tank. It's not exactly stress. They'll "settle" in a couple of days but albinos are quite active in general so if your tank is planted and has places for them to explore up and down, they are not the quiet type staying on the substrate I've got mine for over a year and they are still nut jobs

 

[saffholly]

Thank you , i was worried that my danios might be spooking them as they can be a bit naughty but they dont seem to be taking much notice of each other. I'm quite pleased they are this active, makes them a lot more exciting to watch.

 

[snazy]

Just to add that if your corys ever stay on the substrate not moving much for a long period, such as a day or two, then you should worry about them. They are good indicators that something has gone wrong in the tank. If they are bonkers/hyper or active, they are fine

 

[greenmumma141]

Hehe, I thought the exact same thing when I brought home my first cory. I thought he was overstressed, then I just thought I had a loopy fish, and one after another I realized they're all silly. I love them, and now they're my favorite things in my tank, I'm up to 7

 

[dannybgoode]

@Saffholly - I'd get another 3 albinos, Corys really thrive in groups of 6+. 3 is ok-ish but they will not thrive as they would in a bigger group.

I have 11 Sterbai and they go mental together - great sight...

Cheers

Danny B

 

[greenmumma141]

@Saffholly - I'd get another 3 albinos, Corys really thrive in groups of 6+. 3 is ok-ish but they will not thrive as they would in a bigger group.

I have 11 Sterbai and they go mental together - great sight...

Cheers

Danny B

do you think it's bc its such a larger number or just the fact that they're all the same species? I have 7 different types, and I think they're "shoaling" but I can't be sure

 

[snazy]

Corys from different species are just what it says, different species It's like putting an orangutan and a human together in a small area such as a tank. They'll have no choice but get on with each other and in many ways are similar but certainly would prefer a big shoal of their own kind.
As for albinos, mine don't shoal really. I've got 7 of them and in the evenings after lights are off you can see them in singles or couples all around the tank "sleeping". I think it depends on the type of corys and also the tank setup and tank mates.

 

[greenmumma141]

Corys from different species are just what it says, different species It's like putting an orangutan and a human together in a small area such as a tank. They'll have no choice but get on with each other and in many ways are similar but certainly would prefer a big shoal of their own kind.
As for albinos, mine don't shoal really. I've got 7 of them and in the evenings after lights are off you can see them in singles or couples all around the tank "sleeping". I think it depends on the type of corys and also the tank setup and tank mates.

wow, I had no idea, that was really helpful. My lfs just doesn't advertise cories as being a shoaling or even a community type fish. I was told they were more for helping to keep your tank clean, so I bought a couple and after a couple days i was in love. Ive been reading up on them and have learned quite a bit. I'm looking to redo the substrate in my tank from a large pebble to something better for the cories (not quite sand though) I'm thinking of doing crushed quartz, that's what my lfs uses and it's a lot cheaper. And more recently I have started thinking about upgrading to a 55 gal too. Now I think I def. will have to so I can bulk up the numbers of cories

 

[snazy]

Corys from different species are just what it says, different species It's like putting an orangutan and a human together in a small area such as a tank. They'll have no choice but get on with each other and in many ways are similar but certainly would prefer a big shoal of their own kind.
As for albinos, mine don't shoal really. I've got 7 of them and in the evenings after lights are off you can see them in singles or couples all around the tank "sleeping". I think it depends on the type of corys and also the tank setup and tank mates.

wow, I had no idea, that was really helpful. My lfs just doesn't advertise cories as being a shoaling or even a community type fish. I was told they were more for helping to keep your tank clean, so I bought a couple and after a couple days i was in love. Ive been reading up on them and have learned quite a bit. I'm looking to redo the substrate in my tank from a large pebble to something better for the cories (not quite sand though) I'm thinking of doing crushed quartz, that's what my lfs uses and it's a lot cheaper. And more recently I have started thinking about upgrading to a 55 gal too. Now I think I def. will have to so I can bulk up the numbers of cories

Corys are shoaling species, but with their own kind. Albinos not so much, but as I said it depends on the species and they still need their own kind to feel secure. By not shoaling, I meant they don't swim in a group together around the tank like tetras would for example.
Crushed quartz sound a very rough thing to me and will probably be no good for corys. Whatever substrate you choose, it has to be made of round grains, with no sharp edges.

 

[greenmumma141]

Corys from different species are just what it says, different species It's like putting an orangutan and a human together in a small area such as a tank. They'll have no choice but get on with each other and in many ways are similar but certainly would prefer a big shoal of their own kind.
As for albinos, mine don't shoal really. I've got 7 of them and in the evenings after lights are off you can see them in singles or couples all around the tank "sleeping". I think it depends on the type of corys and also the tank setup and tank mates.

wow, I had no idea, that was really helpful. My lfs just doesn't advertise cories as being a shoaling or even a community type fish. I was told they were more for helping to keep your tank clean, so I bought a couple and after a couple days i was in love. Ive been reading up on them and have learned quite a bit. I'm looking to redo the substrate in my tank from a large pebble to something better for the cories (not quite sand though) I'm thinking of doing crushed quartz, that's what my lfs uses and it's a lot cheaper. And more recently I have started thinking about upgrading to a 55 gal too. Now I think I def. will have to so I can bulk up the numbers of cories

Corys are shoaling species, but with their own kind. Albinos not so much, but as I said it depends on the species and they still need their own kind to feel secure. By not shoaling, I meant they don't swim in a group together around the tank like tetras would for example.
Crushed quartz sound a very rough thing to me and will probably be no good for corys. Whatever substrate you choose, it has to be made of round grains, with no sharp edges.

I thought it would be rough too, but they use it in their tanks and you wouldnt even know its quartz. I think it might be tumbled and thats why its smoother. I'm not sure, but Ive been inspecting it every time I go in for the past couple months and I think it will work great.

 

[dannybgoode]

Corys do not keep your tank clean really. They certainly do not eat the waste produced by other fish although unfortunately this is how, as you have found out, they are sometimes advertised. In fact, if they are exposed to too much fish waste they can damage their barbels which are very very sensitive.

They may clear up the uneaten food that is fed to your other fish but they usually do not get sufficient food this way and they need to be fed suitable sinking food also (not too much mind!).

Argos play sand (see other recent threads kicking around) is cheap and Corys love it. Seeing them delving around in the sand is a great sight.

Good to see you have caught the Cory bug and are asking loads of questions and, more importantly, listening to the answers.

Cheers

Danny B

 

[greenmumma141]

Corys do not keep your tank clean really. They certainly do not eat the waste produced by other fish although unfortunately this is how, as you have found out, they are sometimes advertised. In fact, if they are exposed to too much fish waste they can damage their barbels which are very very sensitive.

They may clear up the uneaten food that is fed to your other fish but they usually do not get sufficient food this way and they need to be fed suitable sinking food also (not too much mind!).

Argos play sand (see other recent threads kicking around) is cheap and Corys love it. Seeing them delving around in the sand is a great sight.

Good to see you have caught the Cory bug and are asking loads of questions and, more importantly, listening to the answers.

Cheers

Danny B

It is sad that they're advertised that way bc they're a great fish, so fun to have and watch. I'm kind of wary about using sand, I vacuum the gravel a lot and I don't know how people keep the sand clean? Another question... what do you feed your cories? I see mine do clean up the leftover flake food, but I also give them API's bottom feeder shrimp pellets, but since I've started using them my barbs are all extremely bloated from eating them too, so I might have to find something else. I also give them Aqueon's bottom feeder tablets but some of my cories don't even bother with them, maybe if i break them up? I feel like there's got to be something better for them out there and I just don't know it

 

[dannybgoode]

Keeping sand clean is exactly the same as keeping gravel clean. I've modified an Eheim vac and that sucks the s**t off the sand just nicely.

Yeah sure, you sometimes get a bit of sand in the bucket but when I empty the buck as the detritus is lighter than the sand that pours out the the sand stays in the bucket and I can then just put it back in the tank.

Actually, its easier to keep clean than gravel as you can see the muck so much better. It motivates me to do it more often as well to keep everything looking spick and span.

I feed mine http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/225g-PLECO-PLEC-FISH-FOOD-better-than-algae-wafers-/160497640775?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item255e67a547 - they disolve quite quickly into a mound of food and the little mites go crazy for it. I also have some standard small sinking pellet things and they hoover up any blood worms that actually make it to the bottom of the tank before the rest of my fish get to them!

Cheers

Danny B

 

[greenmumma141]

Keeping sand clean is exactly the same as keeping gravel clean. I've modified an Eheim vac and that sucks the s**t off the sand just nicely.

Yeah sure, you sometimes get a bit of sand in the bucket but when I empty the buck as the detritus is lighter than the sand that pours out the the sand stays in the bucket and I can then just put it back in the tank.

Actually, its easier to keep clean than gravel as you can see the muck so much better. It motivates me to do it more often as well to keep everything looking spick and span.

I feed mine http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/225g-PLECO-PLEC-FISH-FOOD-better-than-algae-wafers-/160497640775?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item255e67a547 - they disolve quite quickly into a mound of food and the little mites go crazy for it. I also have some standard small sinking pellet things and they hoover up any blood worms that actually make it to the bottom of the tank before the rest of my fish get to them!

Cheers

Danny B

I was going to take a good amount of my pebbles out and leave a thin layer so I still have all of the biological goodness of it
and then put the sand right on top of it i guess? thanks for all the help!