Keeping Corys

[squatmye]

I have issues keeping cory cat fish. I mainly get sterbai and julii, and after a couple weeks (month max) they die. I had a 36L and moved up to a 55l, and have the same issue. In the 55l, I have sailfin mollies, their fry and 2 plecos (chocolate and emperor). Also, a few live plants. I tried the cory's in my 90l, but that is a more agressive tank and they were eaten. Well, bullied and then eaten. So I went back to the smaller tank. I like cory's cause they are fun to watch, but they continue to die on me. Finally, I am considering to add barbs to the 55l with the mollies and fry. But, I know they torture other fish. if i get 6 of them, will the other fish be OK?

Curious, what do you think about putting a few live bearers in the 90l to feed my black ghost fish. Stock in 90l is:

10 variety rainbow fish
2 peacocks (male/female couple)
1 rainbow shark
2 plecos (spotted, golden nugget)
1 dwarf guarami (want to move him to the other tank, but keep forgetting to catch him. The others were eaten)
2 unknown catfish (stay hidden, small, but aggressive, eat live food) they cleaned out my fry in other tank, so I moved them)
6 clown loaches
2 batia loaches
1 Bichir
4 Black Ghost fish

Plenty of fake plants, caves, logs, drift wood (2). In other words lots of hidding spaces. That's the only way the 1 gourami is making it.

 

[Man of fish]

You have all those fish in 90 liters! (Approximately 23 gallons) what is your water changing method because unless you do large amounts I'm afraid that tank is far too overstocked. 1 clown loach cannot live in smaller than a 75 gallon tank. Even if you had 6 in a 75 gallon that would still be overstocked. The other fish I don't know much about I just know that tank is overstocked.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Is this a joke? I don't think all these fish would be okay together in a 90G tank, let alone a 90L.


You shouldn't buy any more fish until you get your current stocking sorted out.

 

[squatmye]

Ok newbie mistake on 90l, but yes it is a 90 gallon. They are doing fine and no diseses. The other tank is a 55 gallon. Therefore, no joke, believe it or not. I guess, I need to stop adding.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Well, there is a huge difference between liters and gallons. Even at 90G, that's a TON of fish, and not really a great group.


First, you need to get the dwarf gourami out of there. Someone with more experience with the other fish you have can go through that with you.


I love corys too, and have 7 of them. In general, they are push overs, so they need to be kept with fish that are on the exact opposite end of the spectrum from the fish you have in the 90 gallon tank. The 36G tank would be plenty of space for a proper shoal of cories. Besides the lack of information regarding what tankmates you had the cories with in the 36G tank, we also have no information regarding your water parameters. Please advise regarding your pH, hardness and while you are at it, why not throw in ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.

 

[squatmye]

Well, there is a huge difference between liters and gallons. Even at 90G, that's a TON of fish, and not really a great group.


First, you need to get the dwarf gourami out of there. Someone with more experience with the other fish you have can go through that with you.


I love corys too, and have 7 of them. In general, they are push overs, so they need to be kept with fish that are on the exact opposite end of the spectrum from the fish you have in the 90 gallon tank. The 36G tank would be plenty of space for a proper shoal of cories. Besides the lack of information regarding what tankmates you had the cories with in the 36G tank, we also have no information regarding your water parameters. Please advise regarding your pH, hardness and while you are at it, why not throw in ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.

It's a 55g with 4 adult mollies and several fry. Ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are all 0. pH is 7.6. hardness, I am not sure, but more than likely pretty hard cause of salt addition. Was told mollies like salt. I personally don't want the mollies, but wife and daughter likes the babies. Family trumps my wants.

The 90g, I know is not a good mix, but they are making it. The gourami, I just keep forgetting to get him out. Again, that was a wife want.

 

[mishmash]

Just a thought, what are the dimensions of the tank ? We know the volume, but if its a TALL tank rather than a WIDE one it might mean that the water column is too high for the Corys? I know they like to dart to the surface for air, could it be that they are unable to do this if the tank is too tall ? I recall being told not to keep them in a tank taller than 18" Or is it one of those tanks where the water hits the top lid ?

Another observation is that you have a mix of some pretty aggressive fish with some wonderfully peaceful ones !! Thats not fair to the quiet ones and may be the root of your problems. Cory's are tough little mites but only a small size. Personally I dont see the appeal of keeping small fish with anything that is larger and more agressive. Its a bit like keeping kittens in a cage with a Panther.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

It's a 55g with 4 adult mollies and several fry. Ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are all 0. pH is 7.6. hardness, I am not sure, but more than likely pretty hard cause of salt addition. Was told mollies like salt. I personally don't want the mollies, but wife and daughter likes the babies. Family trumps my wants.

The 90g, I know is not a good mix, but they are making it. The gourami, I just keep forgetting to get him out. Again, that was a wife want.

Well, THERE is your problem with cories!!!



First, it is a myth that mollies require salt, they require minerals (aka hard water). Second, cories require SOFT water and are HIGHLY sensitive to salt (as are all scaleless fish).


Mollies and cories really can't be kept together, because of the difference in hardness preference. One will die as a result. The addition of salt selected the cories to meet their maker.


If you really want cories, they need to be kept separate from all these other fish you have. They are great community fish, if the water conditions are proper for them. Tankmates for cories are extensive, but they all have to be peaceful fish. The dwarf gourami would go great with the cories. Others would be any rasboras, some small tetras (some of these guys can get nippy though). Rummynose, bloodfin, neon, cardinal, red eye, etc. are good choices. Serpae, black skirt, white skirt, red phantom, black phantom can get a bit nippy. Cherry barbs would be another good choice as would five banded barbs. Tiger barbs on the other hand would be a terrible choice, VERY nippy.


Finally, how in the world is the nitrate zero?

 

[This Old Spouse]

+1 to all of that. Here's another case of a keeper wanting a bunch of different species of fish and not researching which fish should go together. I have to admit that I started out that way as well, but joining this forum was the best thing I did, plus doing lots of other research to find out which fish did well together and which conditions I needed for each fish.

How long have your tanks been set up?

Please, please don't get any corydoras (or any other fish) just yet. They will not fare well in either tank you have.

 

[Man of fish]

+1 to most stuff that's been said. I had a similar problem. A few months back the lady told me all my fish needed salt. Figured that out in a matter of 2-3 weeks with 3 dead tetras and a dead pleco.