Peppered Cories

[bex1]

Hi every1, im new!!
I have the following:
190 ltr corner tank, set up for about 3 weeks, i think ive just finished the water cyle, unfortunatly i had to do it with fish due to poor information by a fish shop.
Anyway my stats are:
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0-5
pH 6.8
Temp 24

I have the following fish:
4 peppered cory
2 golden zebra loaches
6 black skirt tetra
2 dwarf froggies

Just a quick enquiry really about the behaviour of my corys, i have 4 there quite young i think as 3 of them are approx 3 cm and a little one thats about 2cm.
the littlest cory often goes to the top of the tank and blows bubbles for about a min quite often and then returns to swimming around, the other corys also do this but they just swim to the top and down again really quickly,they dont stay there! the little cory seems to enjoy blowing the bubbles? Also it only has whiskers on one side of its mouth, it was like it when i bought it. any ideas??

Another quick question, the corys seem every so often seem to sit on the bottom and breathe really slowly not moving even when other fish bump into them! sometimes going onto there side, i keep getting really worried that theyre ill and then after about 5mins they swim off again normally anyone know what theyre doing? are they ok? they seem fine theyre eating and swim around and enjoy playing in the bubbles from the air stone i have,

Anyway sorry for such a long first post, any replys would be greatly appreciated, thanks
bex x x x

 

[vivh]

hi

as far as i know the dashing up to the top of the water is fine, i was told ( or read ) that corys can take in air also from above the tank surface and this is why they do that behaviour, you can usually hear them too!
mine also do sit still for some time, and then become active again, so i dont think you need worry too much (i am not expert of course).
they are very interesting to watch don't you think. My peppered corys have been hiding away in a cave for a while & i began to worry that they had died but apparently this is okay behaviour too. i have seen them out and about, i've recently bought a couple of other corys, so i'll have to see how they all get on in their group!

good luck.

 

[peesa]

Hi Bex

I have to peppered cory's and they are my fav fish in my tank I love the little guys!

I havent noticed my going to the surface for air so cant comment on that.

But my guys also lie at the bottom very still from time to time can be a little worrying when you look in tank and see them like this but in no time they are back to normal it must be some sort of chill out/re-energise trance!

we have a large divers helmet in our tank and the corys often hide in their for long periods of time but always seem fine when they come out again

 

[Inchworm]

Hi bex1

Welcome to the forum!

It's normal for corys to shoot up to the surface and grab a mouthful of air. The rivers and streams they come from sometimes become muddy and this adaptation lets them get additional oxygen when they need it. They pass the air through their intestines and absorb the oxygen that way.

It's only when they spend too much time at the surface or go up continuously that you must suspect a problem. Your little cory sounds like it either has or had a bacterial infection, sometimes called finrot. It also eats away at its barbels.

Please keep an eye on him and the others too to be certain he's not getting worse. If he does, or if the others begin to act in any unusual way, please post back and let me know. If you put your location in your profile I will probably be able to suggest a medication that will help him.

As for the corys just sitting, that is also normal behavior. They are normally most active in the early morning and evening hours.

 

[bex1]

Hey,
Thanks for all the advice,
the little cory i was talking about before seems fine and acts like the others, he does spend more time at the top of the tank blowing little bubbles and catching them though, but its not all the time just every so often.

Another quick question about the corys is do they eat bloodworm?
And i have 4 peppered corys and theyre all quite a dark colour apart from 1 which is a kind of light grey, seems fine just pale? any ideas?

Thanks again
Bex x x

 

[ladrian]

My Cories love bloodworms, I purchase the little red tablets from my local fishing shop, these work out alot cheaper from them.

I drop one little tablet (2mm*3mm) into the tank and within a minute all 5 cats are at the food, they just love it.

I find it better to give them a mixed diet and not one type of food.

 

[Inchworm]

Another quick question about the corys is do they eat bloodworm?
And i have 4 peppered corys and theyre all quite a dark colour apart from 1 which is a kind of light grey, seems fine just pale? any ideas?

Hi bex1,

If your light colored cory is the same one that spends a lot of time at the top of the tank, then you might have cause for concern. If not, it's most likely fine. Peppered corys have been farm and tank raised for many years and there is sometimes a little variation in their coloring. If one of your fish suddenly turns pale, that's a different story, and is an indication that he might be getting sick.

 

[bex1]

Another quick question about the corys is do they eat bloodworm?
And i have 4 peppered corys and theyre all quite a dark colour apart from 1 which is a kind of light grey, seems fine just pale? any ideas?

Hi bex1,

If your light colored cory is the same one that spends a lot of time at the top of the tank, then you might have cause for concern. If not, it's most likely fine. Peppered corys have been farm and tank raised for many years and there is sometimes a little variation in their coloring. If one of your fish suddenly turns pale, that's a different story, and is an indication that he might be getting sick.

Hi
No its a different one that is a pale colour and its always been like that, so it must be ok i guess.
thanks for the advice
x x