Ok.. This Is Still In The Planning Stage..

[Fishkeeper2004]

I am going to purchase the Juwel 180 litre aqaurium and make it almost totally a cory tank. I am extremely interested in the aeneus, for breeding purposes especially. I am going to setup a breeding group of 6, consisting of 3 males, 3 females - is that ok? Secondly, what temperature would they thrive in for breeding purposes, and are weekly water changes recommended.

Sorry for all the questions, but before I start I want to make sure everything is right, I am going to make sure I have plenty of plants, especially java moss etc. Anyone with any tips and suggestions or answers to my questions please help me out! Thanks!

 

[osteoporoosi]

The ultimate trick with them is to lower the temperature rapidly by few degrees(25-22) during some weekly waterchange. Usually they start spawning right away! You might want to buy the corys from different places, as they usually are from the same spawn in most fish stores.

 

[Fishkeeper2004]

The ultimate trick with them is to lower the temperature rapidly by few degrees(25-22) during some weekly waterchange. Usually they start spawning right away! You might want to buy the corys from different places, as they usually are from the same spawn in most fish stores.

Ok thanks for that, so weekly water changes and drop the temperature suddenly by a few degrees? What kind of plants should I add to tank aswell as java moss, and what kind of bogwood etc should I add?

Also, can any other top dwelling fish be added to a corydoras species tank sized 180L?

 

[Barracuda518]

You really need more males then females to make sure the eggs get fertilized, maybe 4 males and 2 females. Cories love a sandy substrate to search for food. This is very important in that it will not damage thier barbels. Its very important to do weekly partial water changes all the time whether they are breeding or not. My C. Aeneus just spawned the other day and I did not do anything to get them to do it. Here is a tip for you that I learned from Inchworm, Get some of those metal thermometers that hang on the side of the tank. The cories like to get between the thermo. and glass and spawn. They lay the eggs right on the thermo. and you can take it out and put it in a new tank so that the eggs do not get eaten. Just make sure the eggs are not exposed to the air. They also like to lay eggs on the filter intake and on the glass. The ones on the glass are the hardest to get because they usually get eaten before you can move them.

 

[Fishkeeper2004]

You really need more males then females to make sure the eggs get fertilized, maybe 4 males and 2 females. Cories love a sandy substrate to search for food. This is very important in that it will not damage thier barbels. Its very important to do weekly partial water changes all the time whether they are breeding or not. My C. Aeneus just spawned the other day and I did not do anything to get them to do it. Here is a tip for you that I learned from Inchworm, Get some of those metal thermometers that hang on the side of the tank. The cories like to get between the thermo. and glass and spawn. They lay the eggs right on the thermo. and you can take it out and put it in a new tank so that the eggs do not get eaten. Just make sure the eggs are not exposed to the air. They also like to lay eggs on the filter intake and on the glass. The ones on the glass are the hardest to get because they usually get eaten before you can move them.

Ok thanks for the help. I have never used sand in any of my tanks yet so thats a new learning curve for me, is it just normal sand you can buy from DIY stores etc? Also, don't you have to be careful with toxic gas bubbles or something when using sand?

And finally, how do you make the sand stay on the bottom of the tank when you add water.. surely it would just mix in with the water and cause a big mess.???

 

[Barracuda518]

Ok thanks for the help. I have never used sand in any of my tanks yet so thats a new learning curve for me, is it just normal sand you can buy from DIY stores etc? Also, don't you have to be careful with toxic gas bubbles or something when using sand?

And finally, how do you make the sand stay on the bottom of the tank when you add water.. surely it would just mix in with the water and cause a big mess.???

Hopefully Inchworm will post and give you the best advice for getting them to spawn.

As for the sand, I bought mine at a LFS. You have to rinse it very well to get it clean before putting it in the tank. After I cleaned mine, I put a little bit of water in the bottom of the tank and this allowed the sand to settle and sand is also heavier when its wet. You have to add water very slowly at first to make sure you dont stir it up too bad, but some of it will get stirred as you add water. As for the gases, if you stir the sand up a little with your fingers every once in a while, then the gases wont build up. If you keep the sand at 1" or under, I dont think the gas thing is a problem. Here is a link that might help you, its a very good article:

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=71597

Good Luck B)

 

[Fishkeeper2004]

Ok thanks for the help. I have never used sand in any of my tanks yet so thats a new learning curve for me, is it just normal sand you can buy from DIY stores etc? Also, don't you have to be careful with toxic gas bubbles or something when using sand?

And finally, how do you make the sand stay on the bottom of the tank when you add water.. surely it would just mix in with the water and cause a big mess.???

Hopefully Inchworm will post and give you the best advice for getting them to spawn.

As for the sand, I bought mine at a LFS. You have to rinse it very well to get it clean before putting it in the tank. After I cleaned mine, I put a little bit of water in the bottom of the tank and this allowed the sand to settle and sand is also heavier when its wet. You have to add water very slowly at first to make sure you dont stir it up too bad, but some of it will get stirred as you add water. As for the gases, if you stir the sand up a little with your fingers every once in a while, then the gases wont build up. If you keep the sand at 1" or under, I dont think the gas thing is a problem. Here is a link that might help you, its a very good article:

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=71597

Good Luck B)

Ok thanks for all your help Barracuda518! I have now read the article.

Hopefully Inchworm will see this thread soon and give me a few tips on the best breeding conditions etc, and one final question about sand, is it a neccessity or would gravel be OK?

 

[Barracuda518]

one final question about sand, is it a neccessity or would gravel be OK?

I think it is, especially if its going to be set-up mainly for cories, but its up to you. You can use gravel, just make sure it is very smooth, small, and has no sharp edges. Cories love to dig in the sand. In my opinion its also easier to keep clean.

 

[Fishkeeper2004]

one final question about sand, is it a neccessity or would gravel be OK?

I think it is, especially if its going to be set-up mainly for cories, but its up to you. You can use gravel, just make sure it is very smooth, small, and has no sharp edges. Cories love to dig in the sand. In my opinion its also easier to keep clean.

Ok thanks, as it will be a brand new tank, apart from rinsing the sand out for a long time it shouldn't be a problem, just hope I get it right - and my tank doesn't end up being just a big dusty grey mess.

 

[Barracuda518]

one final question about sand, is it a neccessity or would gravel be OK?

I think it is, especially if its going to be set-up mainly for cories, but its up to you. You can use gravel, just make sure it is very smooth, small, and has no sharp edges. Cories love to dig in the sand. In my opinion its also easier to keep clean.

Ok thanks, as it will be a brand new tank, apart from rinsing the sand out for a long time it shouldn't be a problem, just hope I get it right - and my tank doesn't end up being just a big dusty grey mess.

Its not that hard. Just take your time and follow that article and let the tank cycle. The sand will settle.

 

[Fishkeeper2004]

one final question about sand, is it a neccessity or would gravel be OK?

I think it is, especially if its going to be set-up mainly for cories, but its up to you. You can use gravel, just make sure it is very smooth, small, and has no sharp edges. Cories love to dig in the sand. In my opinion its also easier to keep clean.

Ok thanks, as it will be a brand new tank, apart from rinsing the sand out for a long time it shouldn't be a problem, just hope I get it right - and my tank doesn't end up being just a big dusty grey mess.

Its not that hard. Just take your time and follow that article and let the tank cycle. The sand will settle.

Ok thanks for all your help. I just have another question which maybe you could answer, its nothing important im just intrigued. What exactly is the T Position? Just something so I can look out for it.

 

[dwarfgourami]

T-position is when the male stays still in the water and the female burrows into his side with her barbels (so together they form a T-shape) stimulating him to release sperm. Quite fun to watch. She then lays a few eggs at a time into a clutch formed by her ventral fins, and then swims about looking for a place to stick them, either a plant or the tank wall.

To get them to spawn you can try conditioning them with feeding them lots of live food (I find TetraDelica jellied bloodworm works just as well as live live food).

 

[Fishkeeper2004]

T-position is when the male stays still in the water and the female burrows into his side with her barbels (so together they form a T-shape) stimulating him to release sperm. Quite fun to watch. She then lays a few eggs at a time into a clutch formed by her ventral fins, and then swims about looking for a place to stick them, either a plant or the tank wall.

To get them to spawn you can try conditioning them with feeding them lots of live food (I find TetraDelica jellied bloodworm works just as well as live live food).

Thanks I have been doing alot of reading and they say once the corys spawn, leave the eggs for 24 hours as they can start to develop within the main tank, and if you take remove them too early you can damage them. I no about not exposing the eggs to air, but I am worried that once/if they spawn, if I leave the eggs in for 24 hours, will they be OK in a tank with 6 C.Aneues and a few top dwellers (maybe a few livebearers.)

 

[osteoporoosi]

The livebearers probably would damage or even eat the eggs, they are unbelievably curious. Livebearers also prefer alkaline and hard water, which is fine for bronze corys but isn't the ideal breeding circumstance(softer and slightly acidid water).

Versatile diet is also important. Live & frozen food and shrimp pellets ahve always worked for my corys!

 

[Fishkeeper2004]

The livebearers probably would damage or even eat the eggs, they are unbelievably curious. Livebearers also prefer alkaline and hard water, which is fine for bronze corys but isn't the ideal breeding circumstance(softer and slightly acidid water).

Versatile diet is also important. Live & frozen food and shrimp pellets ahve always worked for my corys!

Ok thanks, I am not going to keep my livebearers by the look of it then.. I have got the food and everything now planned, I now know what the tank is im getting, and where to buy the sand too.

I am not set on getting some top dwelling fish, but can you think of any that would be suitable in a 180L aquarium, with corys, I wouldn't want the top dwelling fish eating all the eggs either.. (I know all fish are likely to eat some, but are there any that wouldn't be overly interested?)

Thanks for all the help.