Hi newfishaddict
I was wondering if the medicine was still in there. I would try to get as much of it out as possible. The one thing you don't want to happen though is to let the eggs get exposed to air for more than just a few seconds. They are quite fragile.
When I think my corys will spawn, I drop the level of the water an inch or so, so that I will have room to work when I am cleaning it out. That way I can add some water and remove some sand, add more water, take out some more sand, etc. until I'm finished. It can be done with just a little room, but the more there is, the easier it is for you.
The eggs and new fry don't have to be in a cycled tank, so it won't matter if all the beneficial bacteria is gone. I remove the filter and use airstones, run by an air pump, instead. Once they hatch, I only leave one airstone (placed just under the waterline) to aerate the tank. Wastes and uneaten food can easily be cleaned from a bare bottom tank through daily water changes. Eventually I will change the airstone to a sponge filter and start cultivating beneficial bacteria on it. Still later, I'll add a box filter to increase the filtration further.
Right now you will want to be sure that the airstone is placed directly under the eggs or as close as possible. It won't be to rough for them and is the best way to prevent fungus.
Now, you have to think about what to do about your pH. It's very high for corys, but I think they might adjust to it. It will be easier (I think) for the fry since they will hatch and grow up in it. Whenever you have to change pH for fish it should be very gradual. Change just a little bit of water every 15 minutes for 5 hours or even longer, if possible. If you can set up a drip it will work even better.
I suggest that you post in the Planted Tank section about this. Lateral Line and gf225 are very knowledgeable about this (much more than I am) and since it is a question about how to take a fish from a planted CO2 environment and get them adjusted back to your regular tap water, I don't think it would be inappropriate. This way, if you lose these eggs, or just want to get another batch, it will be easier next time. When it comes to pH and CO2, go with whatever they suggest, even if it conflicts with my advice.
You will also want to begin thinking about what to feed them. I like to start mine on LiquiFry or similar liquid fry food for the first few days. The first day they will be absorbing their yolk sacs and don't need to eat. After that, I feed microworms. These can be bought on AquaBid or other place online, but rarely at the lfs. If you get some, it will take a few weeks for them to be growing well, so get started right away.
Above all, as much as you are hoping for these eggs to do well, remember that they are at a disadvantage due to their circumstances. The most important thing now is to take good care of the adult fish. Feed them lots of nutritious food and if they are well, they will be likely to spawn again for you in a few weeks.
Good luck with them!
