Strange Cory Behaviour

[AlexAndCarmen]

In my community tank, I have a group of 5 Sterbai, 5 Panda (and a few good size fry) and 5 Trilineatus. They share the tank with 3 Red whiptails, 1 BN, 2 L260's and a few mid - top swimmers, SAE's and otos.

Over the last 4 days, I have witnessed 2 of my Trilineatus (both seem to be my females) sucking on a few of my Red whiptails. If they're stuck themselves to the glass, these two come over and start pecking at them! Obviously it would be a sucking more than biting motion, and there is no blood, but the whiptails are getting annoyed and can't really do much.

Does anyone know why they would do this to the whiptails??? They don't do it to each other or any of the other bottom feeders, and it's only the Trilineatus doing it.

Should I be concerned or is it just normal??

Thanks
Carmen

 

[Kuhni]

hrmm, well my baby cories (gold shoulders i think) swim up to the rabauti and search for food on them, Using the barbels and everything. I think it comes down to corydoras being curious and very hungry all the time. Funny Little Buggers

 

[richchappy]

they just think its a fish shaped rock probs lol

 

[jollysue]

Very odd. Keep us updated. I know there is a species of oto that sucks the slime coat of other fish.

 

[AlexAndCarmen]

Thanks all

It is very strange. I have a tank full of oto's and only ever once seen one of them accidentally latch onto one of the angels. It got a fright and I never saw them doing it again. So no too sure what's up with the cories. From what I could see (they were right by the glass) there was no food on any of my whiptails. They have no visible damage from the cory "kisses", so maybe the cories are just bored and these whiptails are a bit of entertainment!!

 

[jollysue]

This a bit off topic. I saw a new batch of otos in the lps attatched to other fish while they swam along. I asked and got an "it's nothing" answer. Now recently I saw a comment that their is one variety that will feed on the slime coat. If I had not seen it, I would have thought they were talking about flying foxes.