So about a week ago, I added three cories to a 29 gallon tank, home to my huge ancient pearl gourami and a few pond snails. I lost one after a couple days, but the other two seem to be doing fantastic except for the fact that they NEVER eat anything. They pick at silk plants and driftwood and rocks and such, but they ignore any actual food I give them. I tried feeding them freeze dried tubifex worms and they got really excited about it, but just swam around a lot without actually touching them. They pretty much ignore anything that sinks, because they don't really hang out at the bottom of the tank, preferring to either be swimming around in the airstone bubbles or both crammed on top of the magnetic algae cleaner which is stuck halfway up the side of the glass. Any ideas for what foods I could try next would be greatly appreciated!
Picky Cories..
- Thread starter hannah12
- Start date
This Old Spouse
TOTM Winner May 2013
Try some algae tabs, especially some Hikari. Shrimp pellets are good too. Yes, they sink, but that's where they should be feeding is on the bottom. What kind are they?
Also, any kind of cory should be kept in groups of 6 or more.
Also, any kind of cory should be kept in groups of 6 or more.
Not sure.. I just googled cory pictures and they look a lot like corydoras juli. And I can definitely add some more--I'm not planning on having anything else in the tank besides the gourami and the cories. Would they prefer ones of their same species or does it not matter?
I tried wardley shrimp pellets but they didn't like them. The algae wafers are a good idea though, and maybe I should try a different brand of shrimp pellets?
I tried wardley shrimp pellets but they didn't like them. The algae wafers are a good idea though, and maybe I should try a different brand of shrimp pellets?
This Old Spouse
TOTM Winner May 2013
Do they look like the one in my avatar? They're probably not c. julii, as they're very rare and c. trilineatus are labeled as julii more often than not. That's what mine were sold to me as, and they're just trilis. Very beautiful fish and I just love them. Unfortunately I've had a horrible run of luck with mine and only have one left.
You should get more of the same. Nearly all cories get along with each other, but they shoal best with their own species. And, if your LFS is trying to sell you trilis as juliis at a higher price, call them on it. Julii have actual spots (look at the head) and trilis look like the dots have been connected.
c. Julii:
c. trilineatus:
You should get more of the same. Nearly all cories get along with each other, but they shoal best with their own species. And, if your LFS is trying to sell you trilis as juliis at a higher price, call them on it. Julii have actual spots (look at the head) and trilis look like the dots have been connected.
c. Julii:
c. trilineatus:
Oh, thanks for the clarification. Yep, they're trilis, not julis. I'll try to get more of the same if they still have some in stock. Would one more trili and three of a different type be alright if I can't find four more trilis?
I strongly recommend more of the same species and that you keep at least 6 per species, preferably 10+, regardless of how many species you want. Different species usually won't school together very well.
This Old Spouse
TOTM Winner May 2013
+1
And your LFS should be able to order some for you, in whatever quantity you like.
And your LFS should be able to order some for you, in whatever quantity you like.
10+ sounds like quite a lot for me, especially when they get big. But four more is doable, and if I have time I'll try to pick them up today along with some algae wafers. Do your cories like any kinds of vegetables? I googled it but got very mixed opinions.
This Old Spouse
TOTM Winner May 2013
Mine don't seem to like veggies, but they sure love algae wafers ... Especially Hikari.
lilfishie
Its a kinda MAGIC!! ^_^
my cories love cucumber and they get carrot on Sundays 
It might sound like an awful lot to you, but you have to realise that schooling fish live in groups of 100s to 10000s in the wild, so 10 is not an awful lot to them. Also, keep in mind what Corys do not get that big and a 29 gallon with *any* filter which is rated for a 29 gallon will be able to take 1 gourami and 10 Corys (stocked slowly, of course). Bring kept in smaller groups does stress schooling fish, which can cause illnesses, death and so on. If you are not willing to provide a good environment for them, you probably shouldn't keep them, especially as you have the ability to care for them well. Plecos can be kept individually and in smaller groups.
Corys' natural diet is made up of various crustaceans; they're in the omnivorous to carnivorous range so vegetarian wafers would make a very poor diet. Vegeterian wafers are mostly intended for plecos, while Corys should have meaty (sinking) pellets, which are often also smaller.
Well mine don't seem interested in meaty foods at the moment, so I just thought I'd give the algae wafers a try. I don't plan on feeding them only algae wafers--I will definitely keep experimenting with carnivorous foods as well.
And as for the 10+ sounding like a lot, it was because I like keeping my tanks lightly stocked and was not anticipating that many fish. I'm a high school senior and know I'll have a crazy schedule this year with my sports, work, AP classes, college apps, clubs, football games, friends, etc., so I have limits on how many fish I can keep responsibly regardless of available tank space. That said, if keeping only six cories would be improperly caring for them, I'd be willing to get more and make it work. I clean the tanks regularly enough as it is that I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem, but having very few fish just makes it easier to keep an eye on every single one despite a hectic schedule.
Also, thanks everyone for your time!! This forum has been helping a ton so far and I've also learned a lot by going through old threads.
And as for the 10+ sounding like a lot, it was because I like keeping my tanks lightly stocked and was not anticipating that many fish. I'm a high school senior and know I'll have a crazy schedule this year with my sports, work, AP classes, college apps, clubs, football games, friends, etc., so I have limits on how many fish I can keep responsibly regardless of available tank space. That said, if keeping only six cories would be improperly caring for them, I'd be willing to get more and make it work. I clean the tanks regularly enough as it is that I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem, but having very few fish just makes it easier to keep an eye on every single one despite a hectic schedule.
Also, thanks everyone for your time!! This forum has been helping a ton so far and I've also learned a lot by going through old threads.
sarah40011
Fish Crazy
just to say my corys love flake, king british catfish pellets and de shelled blanched peas (mushed up a bit) but i only give the peas about once a month. it is a bit odd that yours dont like being on the bottom! maybe a few more friends will get them back to normal
Are they on sand? If yes, then try squirting a tiny bit of live foods (frozen) just under the surface, I've had some respond very well to that.
Well, 6 in total of one species would be a good start, then you can see how the behaviour changes and decide if you think it's worth trying more based on that. I too keep tanks lightly stocked, but I prefer to have decent numbers per species, so often end up with only 1-3 species per tank regardless of size.. I used to have a very "low tech" 30 gallon tank that I had a breeding colony of C. trilineatus in, I had it heavily planted and left the mulm in. Over time, various small animals decided to make the mulm into a home, so the Corys had a permanent food supply which was so rich that they rarely or almost never needed any extra feeding and spawned on a regular basis. If you already have plants, you might want to investigate this option.. and plants will also use up nitrates, of course, which will ease your water change burden
Harlequins
***Corydora Crazy***
Try some defrosted bloodworm,mine go crazy over it
If unable to have time to look after 10,then 6 will be ok,although its no less hassle having 10 has opposed to 6
The corys are probably getting left overs from what you feed the gouramis,so i wouldn't worry to much.
Try feeding them at night with the lights off,corys are more active then and will go a-hunting for food
If unable to have time to look after 10,then 6 will be ok,although its no less hassle having 10 has opposed to 6
The corys are probably getting left overs from what you feed the gouramis,so i wouldn't worry to much.
Try feeding them at night with the lights off,corys are more active then and will go a-hunting for food
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