Some....news?

[HoldenOn]

Technically no freshwater fish species, or very few, "school" in the sense of remaining in a pack and hunting together. Shoaling as I tend to use it refers to fish that must be in a group of their own species, no matter how they interact; they may swim together at times, or they may remain apart much of the time. The important factor is that there are several of them in the tank to provide for their sense of security by living in groups of dozens if not hundreds naturally.

All species in Corydoras are docile and peaceful and get along with each other. Variance in temperature is not that great, but Corydoras panda do prefer it cooler than some other species, but there is not a substantial difference. Cooler being 23-24 C rather than 25C.

When combining species, it is best to have a few of each species if possible. C. panda seems particularly sensitive to this, whereas other species don't seem to care much. My seven C. duplicareus do spend more time in groups of two, three, sometimes four, than other species.

The "emerald" may be C. splendens, initially in the genus Brochis and still seen there, and this is a slightly larger fish but much like any Corydoradinae in terms of behaviour and temperament.

You're a gosh darn genius! Thanks for the info, I'll start using the correct term! Do you have any recommendations? My tank temp. is around 77 fahrenheit and the additional stocking will (hopefully) be 2 bolivian rams.
Edit: spelling

 

[Byron]

You're a gosh darn genius! Thanks for the info, I'll start using the correct term! Do you have any recommendations? My tank temp. is around 77 fahrenheit and the additional stocking will (hopefully) be 2 bolivian rams.
Edit: spelling

The GH and pH should allow for most any of the species. Keep the temperature around 24.5-25C (75-77F) and no higher. The Bolivian is fine with this; my last male lived into his ninth year and the tank was always 25C.

"Two Bolivians" will mean a bonded mated pair (male/female). They must select each other from the group, or they are not likely to bond and that means a dead female before long. Males do very well as solitary in a community tank of peaceful tankmates.

 

[HoldenOn]

The GH and pH should allow for most any of the species. Keep the temperature around 24.5-25C (75-77F) and no higher. The Bolivian is fine with this; my last male lived into his ninth year and the tank was always 25C.

"Two Bolivians" will mean a bonded mated pair (male/female). They must select each other from the group, or they are not likely to bond and that means a dead female before long. Males do very well as solitary in a community tank of peaceful tankmates.

Yes, I was advised to get a pair (one male one female) by Crispii. I didn't know that the female had to be "selected". What does this mean in terms of purchasing? Obviously I can't just walk in, sex two rams and walk out. Is there a way to tell if they're bonded?

 

[vanalisa]

GH is 170 ppm and pH is 7.6

Welcome to Texas!

 

[Essjay]

Is there a way to tell if they're bonded?

There is a way to tell if two fish have probably bonded, though it's not 100% guaranteed.

Take some one with when you go to the fish store. Stand in front of the tank, back far enough so you can still see them, then wait, motionless. Eventually the fish fish will forget you are there and start behaving normally. It is almost impossible to tell the gender of Bolivian rams unless they are in the process of breeding, but their behaviour can guide you. Males will be the ones making little gestures towards each other, challenging but not making contact. Females will be the ones pootling round ignoring the other fish. If one of the males allows one of the females to remain near him, they are likely, but not guaranteed, to be a pair. Send your companion to get a store worker and keep your eyes on your chosen fish until they have been netted.
You will need to wait at least 15 minutes, or even 30 before the fish ignore you.

 

[HoldenOn]

There is a way to tell if two fish have probably bonded, though it's not 100% guaranteed.

Take some one with when you go to the fish store. Stand in front of the tank, back far enough so you can still see them, then wait, motionless. Eventually the fish fish will forget you are there and start behaving normally. It is almost impossible to tell the gender of Bolivian rams unless they are in the process of breeding, but their behaviour can guide you. Males will be the ones making little gestures towards each other, challenging but not making contact. Females will be the ones pootling round ignoring the other fish. If one of the males allows one of the females to remain near him, they are likely, but not guaranteed, to be a pair. Send your companion to get a store worker and keep your eyes on your chosen fish until they have been netted.
You will need to wait at least 15 minutes, or even 30 before the fish ignore you.

Oh, I saw a video where the guy showed the vents on Bolivian Rams. The males have a more tube like vent whereas the females have a square one. I will definitely use this method to try and get a pair though!

 

[Essjay]

The fish in the video would have been mature adults. The problem is that the fish in stores are juveniles and their vents won't be visible unless you can find a store with mature fish. With juveniles, you have to go by behaviour alone.
If human children wear identical clothes with identical haircuts it is difficult to say which are boys and girls. Give them a few years and it's obvious. It's the same with fish.

I kept Bolivian rams several years ago and their vents were only visible when they spawned.

 

[HoldenOn]

The fish in the video would have been mature adults. The problem is that the fish in stores are juveniles and their vents won't be visible unless you can find a store with mature fish. With juveniles, you have to go by behaviour alone.
If human children wear identical clothes with identical haircuts it is difficult to say which are boys and girls. Give them a few years and it's obvious. It's the same with fish.

I kept Bolivian rams several years ago and their vents were only visible when they spawned.

Great analogy, makes it much clearer. If I were to get some rams that weren't paired what would happen?

 

[Byron]

@essjay has explained the issue very well indeed. I can only reinforce the absolute need to allow the fish to pair up, if you want a pair and not just one male. My male Bolivian was in a 5-foot 115g Amazon riverscape tank and after a couple years a local store received a shipment of the species that was in particularly good condition, and larger than just juveniles so male/female was more obvious, sort of. That was before I understood the bonding issue. I introduced a lovely female, and observed. There was some interaction, but not tearing into each other, and they spawned four times in succession (the cories ate the eggs every time, but that is not the point here). After the fourth spawn, the male obviously decided he had put up with this interfering female long enough, and he killed her. Note, this was in a very large tank, well and thickly planted, but he hounded her to death. Looking back now with the benefit of more research, I can see the signs were there all along in their unique back-and-forth behaviours. Of course, even a bonded pair can decide on divorce; fish do not read the scientific literature and sometimes have their own ideas. My male lived into his ninth year, pretty good for a fish with a normal lifespan of 4-5 years.

We are being the best aquarist we can be--humane--when we thoroughly research a species and then assume the fish will be normal and provide according to its expectations and not our experiments.

 

[HoldenOn]

@essjay has explained the issue very well indeed. I can only reinforce the absolute need to allow the fish to pair up, if you want a pair and not just one male. My male Bolivian was in a 5-foot 115g Amazon riverscape tank and after a couple years a local store received a shipment of the species that was in particularly good condition, and larger than just juveniles so male/female was more obvious, sort of. That was before I understood the bonding issue. I introduced a lovely female, and observed. There was some interaction, but not tearing into each other, and they spawned four times in succession (the cories ate the eggs every time, but that is not the point here). After the fourth spawn, the male obviously decided he had put up with this interfering female long enough, and he killed her. Note, this was in a very large tank, well and thickly planted, but he hounded her to death. Looking back now with the benefit of more research, I can see the signs were there all along in their unique back-and-forth behaviours. Of course, even a bonded pair can decide on divorce; fish do not read the scientific literature and sometimes have their own ideas. My male lived into his ninth year, pretty good for a fish with a normal lifespan of 4-5 years.

We are being the best aquarist we can be--humane--when we thoroughly research a species and then assume the fish will be normal and provide according to its expectations and not our experiments.

Alright, thank you. I will do what essjay suggested but if I can't seem to find a pair I'll just get one.

 

[HoldenOn]

The cories really perk up after feeding. They were kind of inactive yesterday, but after feeding this morning they were zooming around. Still struggling with nitrite

 

[HoldenOn]

I just tested nitrite after not doing a change (was super busy). It tested the lowest it has ever been. Does someone know why?

 

[HoldenOn]

I'm tempted to dose the whole tank with prime and then wait another day to see if it goes down to 0. I'm also going to test my tap water right now.

 

[HoldenOn]

bump

 

[Essjay]

Nitrite is going down because the bacteria are growing.

Just for once you can dose the tank with Prime, but don't make a habit of it. It is a chemical cocktail and the fewer chemicals we add the better.