Our Neoncory Has An Auction On Ab

[jollysue]

NEONCORY's AB auction!

We have a new 5 star seller on AB from TFF!!!!

 

[Inchworm]

Thanks for pointing that out, jollysue, I was wondering if that was him.

I like the looks of his fish and thought about getting them. C. melanotaenia is a fish that is often available at my lfs, but no matter how good they look, they don't seem to thrive in my tanks. No matter how much they eat, they just seem to stay thin and eventually die off. I was thinking it's something to do with being wild caught and that tank raised fish might do much better for me. They are very nice fish for anyone who likes corys to keep.

Unfortunately, I can never seem to get next day delivery from the west coast.

 

[jollysue]

I had a little trouble with the C. melanotaenia at first, and they have been a little more easily stress and hide more than the rest of their tank mates, but some have survived the first shipment and of the last shipment some months back, I lost one. The rest seem to be doing good. I had one spawn from them after the second bunch was introduced, but I didn't get the eggs to hatch or the fry to survive or whatever. Sometimes I am too busy to be able to take good time with them.

I have a fat lady, but I really haven't looked into what conditions they are best at.

But NC is doing a great job with his. And it is odd because his experience is so different fom ours. I think he may have purchased his locally from his local Cory group.

I need a Cory local group!

 

[NEONCORY]

Hehe, Thanks for the advertisement Jollysue,

Let me see if I can answer all the questions here.

I did get my 5 adults from fellow local aquarium member. I gave her 10 small Pandas for it. And according to her that she got from some breeder. That was this March and got about 500+ eggs from 2 females and 3 males in June. Now I rehome some at the aquarium society meeting and sold some to store and I still have 100+ I think in my tank. I also got some spawn in end of August. I think I have 100 or so small frys from this batch. And after that I actually try to feed less than used to.

And month ago I sent a batch to NY with priority and took 2 days to get there. And recently I ask the person how they are doing. And he told me they are doing fine.

And this morning I actually mailed another batch to IL. And suppose to send another batch to TX next week. And I am hoping that they will make it safely. Hopefully Thursday maybe Friday. I will be much concern if I were to send my little Panda but I have much less concern about the C.Melanotaenia. Since they seem much hardier than other frys I have. It seems those Melanotaenia frys come out of the egg shell dark and already pretty good swimmer. It seems as if they skip the stage of wigglying. Although their eggs are about same size as the Sterbai eggs, and my sterbai wigglers is almost have no color. And they still give me such a tough time raising them.

Maybe because this is first year for Sterbai but I don't know how old is exactly the C.Melanotaenia adults are.

I know it is not right and sad to think and feel that. But more fish you have, less valuable they become. In a way, it is same as supply and demand. And unfortunately for the C.Melanotaenia, they are not the most colorful nor interesting. And most of the time, people can't even tell the difference between them and C.Aenues. And I cannot get much from the local store also I would never know how long they have to stay in the store tank with not so great care. So I figure I rather offer to other corynut who know what they are and will take care of them better. Even they have to take longer trip in the mail than when I take them to the store. I figure in a long run, they would be better off going straight to the new loving home than stay at the fish store.
And I have to spend more time to get ready to ship than take to the store. And Ilist as about same price as I would get from the store. And I get cash instead of store credit some of the store like to give me.
So I figure everyone win even the USPS as long as the fish make the trip in good condition. Not to mention, they need more space as they grow. And I need to thin them out so the one left have space to grow properly.
I don't have 20 years of fish shipping experience or nothing but so far I have no DOA and hope I can continue to be able to claim that. We'll see how these 2 shipments go.

That is my story and I am sticking to it.

 

[jollysue]

After I move, NC, I might pm you for some melanotaneia. They might help my wc. I am finding that mixing the aquarium bred breeders and wc works well so far. Well, I am experimenting with it and so far it is good. It depends on whether I decide to be simi serious about breeding and raising these guys. Mine have spawned, but I have not successfully raised them. The temps might be too high. I have to rearrainge my stock more to match their wc conditions.

 

[NEONCORY]

Yeah, you can catch me with excess C.Melanotaenia for a while. Since I still have the frys from first batch and I have some smaller 2nd batch which start to show the adult coloration. And like I said, I rather send them to other hobbyist than sell/trade to the local store.
Although they are still far from the adult size. I saw the some of the bigger sons chasing the Mom and Aunt already. So as far as I am concern, these guy is ready to multiply and take over the world.
So it might be possible that those guy could perform in 5~6 months. Although I can't be sure since I never raised Melanotaenia to the adult from the eggs.

And they are the toughest among my frys. And they did out compete Panda and Sterbai frys for food. Since then I had to raise them in different tanks.

Although they are recommended for lower temperature at the one of the web site. And I do keep most in the tank with room temperature. I have to confess that I do have some in the tank with Angels. Which means, I have some in the higher temperature(the range of ~80F~)tank also. And I do not know the long term effect of this but they seem doing just fine.
I am hoping that eventually I can replace them with Sterbai(the more warmer temperature Corys) but unfortunately I have not have enough of them yet.

They have been quiet since the end of August but I must say I am not unhappy about that. Since there are more than enough of them in my home.
I hope I can say same thing about some of the other corys.

Anyway, you can catch me if you are ready and like to get some of these guys.

 

[NEONCORY]

So far, I sent one batch to NY and it took them 2 days to get there but last time I heard they are doing fine which was month after they were received.
And I sent another batch to IL and it took 3 days(well it was more like 2 and half) but it got there 3rd day. And I think they did fine judging by the feedback I received.
And today I sent one batch to TX and another to MD. And hoping that they will get there on Wednesday and safely. But it could be Thursday. I just have to wait and see. And check and track the number on their web site regularly. And hopefully hear from the people on the other end soon with good news.

And the batch I sent to MD was trading deal. And I sent C.Melanotaenia and he send me F1 Pandas. And he told me that he would toss in some Angels, I offered some Cherry Shrimps.

So I am also waiting the box as well as waiting for the good news.

Now I don't know if I should keep these Pandas separate from my group or mix them together. I guess I'll think about while they are in the quarantine tank. And probably easier to decide when I see the size also.

Anyway, it is still a risk to send the fish in the mail and always make me worry until I hear the good news from the recepiant. But I think I prefer the fish go to the home where they should be treated better than the local store. And I know the possibility of lost or miss handled box on each box I send and will send. But I just knock the wood and hope for best. That is all I can do after make the fish ready for the journey and pack as best as I can and take it to the post office.

Hopefully I can hear the good news in few days. Cross my fingers and toes.

 

[jollysue]

How do you add oxygen?

 

[NEONCORY]

The Oxygen. I just fill the bag with air pump.
And I hear some conflict info about using pure oxygen for shipping Corydoras anyway.
I now use water mixed with weak "bag buddies". Since it is suppose to calm the fish and add oxygen.

And I am really looking forward to see how he packed those Pandas to ship to me. Since I would worry sending Pandas much more than Melanotaenias.

Anyhow, I am looking forward the box. And hopefully we both get what we want in good shape in few days. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[NEONCORY]

So I sent out 2 box out on Monday. One to TX and the other to MD. Both got there today.
Unfortunately, it wasn't perfect but reasonable result.

According to her, all Melanotaenia I sent to TX made it safely. After the 3 days trip and she e-mailed me that they are doing fine out of the box and eating. I knew they will be eating. After the 2~3 days without food.

But unfortunately the box I sent to the MD. He told me there are one bag lost all the water so 3 of them didn't make it. RIP those unlucky 3 Melanotaenia. I am sorry.
And I sent 16 although our deal was for 12. So he got 13. So I am covered. And I know for some people it is just a number and all business but they are the living creatures I raised. And it is still upsetting that one of the bag didn't have water left although I double bagged them all. And I don't know what happened. Either the bag leaked or bag busted from the package pressure or I didn't tie the bag tight enough, I don't know. But I am trying to get the details from him so it is less likely to happen again.

But over all, I think this is better than selling/trading them to the local store even with the casuality. Except to my heart, longer they are in the mail, more I worry about them and check the web for the update several times a day. My God, they delivered Today.
Since both person who received them in the mail did wanted the Melanotaenia. And I am sure they will take care of them much better than the store would. And both told me that they are actively swimming and eating soon after they are out of the box.
Compare to the one store I sold, they are just sitting there for a month and some weren't as happy or active as they used to be.

So even this had the first casuality in the mail, I will keep selling them online.

 

[NEONCORY]

So I had been shipping out these guys for a while. And spreading to the resy of the Country. Let see, I sent to NY, IL, TX, MD, IN, CA and WI(which got there Today. and they told me that they like them and got them in good shape) I'm always glad to hear that they get to the destination safely and no DOA. And all were shipped with cheap USPS Priority.
Anyway, I still have some frys from the first big batch and I just collected more eggs in last 2 days. I will post 1 or 2 more auctions and will ship out on next Monday or Tuesday to beat the Holiday mail rush.
So if you are interested in these guys, check it on AB(auction). It is either Corydoras or mixed section. I use same name there.