New Tank To Be Basic Set Up

[retro mjm]

hello im new to this forum and have been keeping fish for a couple of months

at the mo i have a clearseal tall tank about 25 gallon i think. It currently has 5 prestelle tetras and 1 ruby/rosy tetra about 4 female guppys one is adult and has an oddly small fin and is orange the others are between 1 month and about 2 1/2 months old. I also have a young crowntail fighter added nearly 3 weeks ago.

I have recently treated myself to a new 48"x15"x18" tank with an aquapro nr4 and hydor inline heater 300w.

4fter isnt running yet still waiting for delivery on filter and heater.

i would like to be able to breed a few corydoras for when i fully set up the 4ft tank (heavily planted co2 and all that jazz) now a 4ft tank i think is a bit overkill for a breeding tank lol even half full so was thinking bout turning that into main tank and using the tall tank as a breeder. However this tank is planted and has just smaller than pea sized gravel on the bottom which isnt ideal.

Im thinking of breeding albinos leapards or pandas or all 3 if i can.

would like a bit of advice regarding tank set up o btw tall tank has a fluval u2 fully cycled and is a low light planted

 

[lilacamy931]

Hello I can help give basic advice but may want verification from the experts. Ideally sand is the best substrate (recommended to me also) as substrate for them to help keep their barbels in good condition and stop any bacterial infections setting in. But then again is the gravel small and smooth? I have some larger cories on pea gravel and they thrive and breed on it, their barbels are perfect and not had problems (touchwood) since September/October.

I agree the smaller out of the two tanks is much better than the large one (that really would make a nice community). The 25 gallon sounds ideal, live plants will help their natural settings and it sounds like you are good to go. There are some decisions to be made in terms of fry etc.

Do you plan to raise the fry in the 25g because if so, you will need to breed the adults and move them when their spawning has stopped to stop temptation on feeding on the eggs or fry. If you do raise in this tank will need to perhaps adapt the filter to stop them being sucked in or blown about. Alternatively get a smaller 5-10g that can raise in the first stages of fryhood and then add to parents tank if room as they grow. Alternatively again always use breeder traps for reasonable numbers while they grow..there are varying methods and techiniques are down to trial and error (I have had many but continue to perfect). hope that has helped a little bit!

In terms of feeding, liquifry or first bites are ideal first foods though be careful (especially with liquifry) as it can foul the water easily. This should be used in first couple of days and then move on to things like microworms etc. A live culture really does boost your frys chances and also their growth rates. Also I have read being live foods, they are more instinctive to eat it.

Lastly, plenty of water changes, keep the water as clean as possible, if transfer the fry away from the parent tank, use water from parent tank so as not to shock them. They release a growth hormone into the water as they grow and with water changes this gets rid of the hormone and apparently helps them to grow more steadily and quicker.

Oh and when you get the eggs you may wish to transfer them away from the parents either into a net or tub. It is essential to have them in somesort of air flow whether it is the filter or airstone to keep them aerated to get them hatching. If the eggs go fuzzy or opaque white these are a no go and need to be transferred to help keep the other eggs healthy. Eggs usually take 4-5 days to hatch though this varies from species to species as to egg and fry sizes.!

Now that I have blabbed really hope that helps and feel free to ask more questions!

EDIT: p.s. WELCOME!!!

 

[retro mjm]

thanks big help.

Yer its smooth gravel. i will see if i can get hold of some breeder traps. Are nets of boxes better? what about baby brine shrimp for first food. Also how quickly generally do they grow i know some will be different but a general estimate will be great

thanks

mitch

 

[lilacamy931]

Some breeder traps may be helpful if havent the space but different techniques are best in different situations, also be awarer of the extra bioload in the tank etc Baby brine shrimp I havent tried myself but depending on the species of cory should be an excellent first food (I say depending as to the mouth size of fry, my pygmy cories babies were super tiny compared to others).

Growth rates really does depend on what temp they are being raised at, food sources, water changes and generally the species itself. I have only managed to raise one of my own fry to about 9 weeks old but it is shocking how quickly he has developed into a tiny developed fish. Mine is possibly ready to put in with his parents if it was just them but as there are bigger fish I am not risking it currently. Cories grow slower than some species like say livebearers. Hopefully some of our experts on here that have bred many species will be able to help.

Oh for a size reference, my pygmy fry (all died at 6-7 weeks - epidemic!)seemed to grow alot slower than my caudimaculatus fry but then this could just be the fact the fry are tiny to start with. Have a read through the posts on here to see pics of different aged fry to give an idea

 

[retro mjm]

i thought of using the breeder traps in the tall tank (would only be the fry anyway) just so they all get fed but would it be necessary because the fry would be the only ones in the tank. every other fish would move to the 4 ft tank.

Ive got time to get this sorted as my new eternal hasnt arrived yet and unsure when due to stocking problems plus its going to take about 2 months for the filter to seed and mature in my currently set up tall tank

thanks for your help

 

[lilacamy931]

Do take the time if you have the patience for it as a cycled tank will be important and help immensely with the survival of your fry and happiness of your cories. If the fry are in with the adults give them lots of hiding places, if you try this method you may see eggs, eggs disappear and then weeks later juvis emerge (seen it done on another forum) as cories will eat own eggs and fry if given the chance (again depends on the species, for instance found my pygmies never ever ate the eggs but would fry, my caudis unsure though think the golds do). To help them grow alongside the parents I would suggest bogwood, java moss, piles of pebbles/marbles etc just a suggestion. The other thing you have to consider with fry growing alongside parents is that they are getting a food source suitable for them as they wont be able to compete against the adults for this (also not going the other way and jeopardising the tank by over feeding and fouling the water). It is all in the balance of things!

 

[retro mjm]

i would definatly seperate the adults as soon as the eggs are laid to prevent them getting the munchies.

I will cycle new filter when it arrives for 2months the buy a couple of species of Corys and put them in the tall tank then move all other fishes into the 4 ft tank and take large cuttings of plants and remove as much decor as possible to put in the 4ft tank so its not to bare (for the betta) then once the corys lay their eggs put them in the 4 ft tank and raise the cory fry i cant see why this wouldnt work i will probably lower the water level in the tall tank so that feeding fry will become easier but we will see what happens.

Cant wait ive loved corys ever since i even started looking at starting a tank many years ago and no i have a tank with sufficient floor space i can

 

[lilacamy931]

That sounds really excellent plan hon, taking it slow also good Now the hard part, the waiting and also which cories?

 

[retro mjm]

yer waiting its killing me already lmfao. Not sure yet albinos are a basic but nice fish but pandas are kwl we will see what the shop has and i may end up with a mix of different types who knows

 

[lilacamy931]

Aw Im very impatient when it comes to fish, Im waiting for two species at the moment (longest ever two weeks!) and it is killing me I would recommend one species for best chances of breeding etc. Albinos are more prolific from what I have heard but pandas are cuter (in my opinion)