Picking A Cory

[RobynR]

Hey everyone! Newbie here trying to reacclimate myself to fish after not having any for a few years. I haven't yet found the ammonia to cycle my tank, so I have plenty of time to do research and make decisions before I but anything, but I'm trying to pick one breed of cory to put in a 30g hex aquarium and would love any feedback on which ones tend to have the most personality. Planned tankmates at this point are an angelfish, a blue ram, and a half-dozen or so hatchetfish. Still flexible, but I think that means my tank temperature will be around 78F.

I've done some research on which corys will do well at that temperature, and will be sure not to buy one that won't be comfortable. However, do any of them have particularly stand-out personalities or do they tend to be pretty similar? Or, if anything would look especially attractive with the mix I have planned, I'd also be happy to consider on that basis.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions or feedback!

 

[Inchworm]

Hi RobynR

I looked through your other thread to find more information about your tank.

It's 2 feet tall, 18" from side to side, and each panel is 10" wide.

IMHO, this is not a tank that corys will thrive in, especially with big cichlids and a planted substrate.

 

[RobynR]

Glad I asked, then! I'm being told I may need to reconsider on the angelfish I was hoping to put in there. How much of a difference would that make? Or is it mostly the size/shape of the tank that's the problem? I had worried that it might be a little tall for them, but believed the fish store guy when he said they'd be fine.

The substrate is a very fine gravel, but definitely larger than course sand. It doesn't seem to be rough or sharp-edged, and I dug around in it with my bare hands quite a bit while rinsing it. It packs pretty firmly. I'm sorry to say that it's much nicer than the stuff I had in my tank in college, which was the standard petstore type gravel. I don't think it will be very heavily planted, as I don't have the kind of money or expertise to do anything really fancy. I've ready that some plants like java moss, anacharis, najas, water sprite and java fern will grow without too much special help. I'm planning to pick out two or three of those to keep the tank from looking bare, but leave some open swimming space.

If corys won't do well, could you point me in another direction as far as something that would like the lower levels of the tank and do well in that sort of setup?

 

[Inchworm]

Hi RobynR

I don't like a bare tank either, so I have java moss, java fern, and anubias in my tanks. They don't need a great deal of light or attention to survive. Corys are surprisingly strong swimmers and can move fast when they want to. The height of the tank is not going to be a problem, but if the plants take up too much room, the width might not be ideal, especially for the larger corys.

Cichlids can be aggressive toward corys, and even if they don't actually attack them, the stress can be harmful. I don't like to recommend having corys with them, although I know some people do it.

As long as the gravel is fine and smooth, the corys will be OK with it, provided you don't overfeed and let the excess accumulate in the gravel.

Another type of fish you might want to consider is a Bristlenose Pleco. They are relatively small and are becoming more and more popular.

 

[RobynR]

I'll do some reading on the bristlenose pleco -- thanks for the suggestion!

So, to make sure I'm translating correctly and not just hearing what I want to hear... If I want to stick with corys, I could choose one of the smaller types, drop the cichlids, plant lightly to keep open space, and keep the gravel clean.

I'll do some thinking and reading and possibly come back with more questions.