Some ?'s

[Justkeepswimming]

Hello

I have a few questions about corys...

Can you keep different kinds together in the same tank? will they get along or school together? or ignore eachother?

Will different kinds breed or to they stick to the same kind?

Do they prefer more of a current or not?

=] thanks

 

[lilfishie]

they prefer there own kind although youcan have 2 different cories in 1 tank they will not shoal together, best to get at least 6

 

[OldMan47]

Welcome to the forum Justkeepswimming. It is best to have one kind because they will move around the tank better in a larger group. They will not confront another type but just won't usually swim together with them. For a typical cory setup, I make sure that I have parts of the tank with good flows for the cories to play in and other parts that are quieter so they have a place to rest. Check the particular type that you are looking to get because many of them prefer temperatures that are a bit cooler than our other tropicals. Some even would be best at typical goldfish temperatures.

 

[jollysue]

Some species get on very well together and will "hang" together. They should though be kept in 6 + fish same species shoals. Then those shoals may hang together. In most cases as long as there are a male and a female of the same species they will not breed outside of their species. But it is not guaranteed if they are close relatives. Many many Corys are loosely related, especially to the C. aeneus.

Except for a very few species which you would be unlikely to find in an lps, they will not be bothered by aggression toward each other. Some Corys are cooler water species and some are warmer water species. Usually all of the species can tolerate a 75 F tank, but they may not be very "happy" or breed.

A tank with mixed shoals is called a Cory community tank. Those with only one species are called species only. Most of my tanks are Cory communities and many have mid and top level dither fish.

At this moment I have a C. Wietzmanni that escaped to the 100 usg Tetra et al community tank through a python water change. He thinks he is a Pepper now and is smitten with a pepper lass that he hangs with. He shoals with the Pepper clan. On the other hand I have a Pulcher v3 that also got to that tank the same way. He is a loner and seldom mixes with the peppers. In another tank there is a lone C118 and a lone S. prionotos. I think they have babies. Very cute though! I am waiting for Frank to send me their families so I can separate them.

Often when fish are caught wild there are found fish from another species swimming in a large shoal. I have C053 and C. pastazensis that were caught that way.

 

[OldMan47]

Do you find the dithers are needed to get the cories to come out and play JollySue? I have just set up my first ever species tank with some hastatus but they seem very nervous and hide all the time. My habrosus that are in with endlers are everywhere in the tank and don't seem to notice that I am in the room.

 

[jollysue]

I recently added hastatus to a Cory community (duplicareus, julii (?), areio, the C118 and prionotos survivors and a lone suessi--I think that's it.) I added 25 hastatus. They are all over the tank in primarily a bunch. They do not seem to be hiding.

I call the fish dithers, but in reality that is not why I added them. I found small attractive more unusual easy care fish that will breed and not over run the tank or make the Corys anxious. They are like dithers in the respect that they are not a threat to the bottom fish. But I got them for themselves. One requirement for most of my tanks is to not inhibit breeding of the Corys.

I have pygmeus ad hastatus. Both are in Cory Community tanks and neither are shy. Both are in a 25 member shoal. One tank is heavily planted and one is more sparse as it was just recently renovated. I find that these little guys really appreciate lots of cover. All the Corys love moss and lay around in it, breed in it and hide in it. Since your hastatus are hiding I assume they have cover. Mine have a well planted tank with many tall bushy like plants. One end is hornwort which they seem to like.

But both tanks already had a good sized community before I added the little guys. So I assume the dithering was done by the Corys in residence when they were added.

 

[OldMan47]

Mine have lots of hiding places but I don't have much moss to spare at the moment. The tank was recently set up just for my new hastatus. There are only 13 of them in a 20H but it seemed like enough to me. There are jave ferns and driftwood along with some moss but not enough for them I guess. I will be at a club auction on Sunday so maybe I can score some mosses there, or even some more hastatus. to fil out their ranks. Mine do use the whole tank when they can't see anyone in the room.

 

[jollysue]

If you can find some tall background plants they might like that. I sometimes find ways to hang moss from the top of the tank or wrap it around a tall something. Mine must be rinsed occasionally because it gets very dirty--like filter floss. lol

I think I saw some courting behavior the other day from them. My first attempt at dwarfs, I killed them all. So I was gun shy, but I am pleased to say that both groups seem to be doing well. I should put more cover in the pygmy tank though.

If you see hornwort, it seems to be ok in low light, is a floating plant but can be grounded, is bushy, and the small fish seem to like it. I would put it in a net with light to bush up before putting it in the tank. It can fall apart if not healthy.

 

[aquababy]

I have 2 bronze corys and a panda cory and they love each others company. They swim around together, feed together and play. The panda is a bit too fast for the bronze guys but he his a lot smaller yet. They look really cute when the huddle up together to go to sleep.

 

[Nick16]

corries do better in larger groups m8

 

[jollysue]

Yes, large groups and same species when possible. Nevertheless they can and will be ok in a non threatening tank with just a few. Just not prefered.