Thinking Of Getting A Cory, Advice Please?

[xamy_valox]

Hi there,
I've never really been interested in Corys or Catfish so I know very little about them. However, I saw one in my local fish shop that took my eye as it was a blueish colour with black stripes. I also like the look of the striped black and White ones? I have no idea what the different kinds are though!
Anyway, I'm considering maybe getting one for my tank as I think it may help with the cleaning but I am limited with space as I have a fluval edge tank with a fighter, rasboras, neons and cherry barbs in. Would a Cory be ok with these fish?
Also, I am only intending to get one (if at all) and was wondering if this would be ok as I know other fish like to be in groups, but didn't know if this applied to catfish?
Any advice about them in general is appreciated.
Thanks, Amy xx

 

[Carlovel1]

A fluval edge is:
1. Too small
2. Not suitable for Corys, since Corys are air breathers and the 'edge' does not allow them to do this.

If you ever keep Corys, never get less than 4. If you cannot meet the fish's demands then don't bother getting them

 

[Inchworm]

2. Not suitable for Corys, since Corys are air breathers ...

Corys are not air breathers. They are, however, capable of swallowing gulps of air and absorbing the oxygen through their intestines as the air passes through them. This is helpful during the rainy season when their habitat becomes stirred up and muddy. The corys will occasionally dart to the surface to do this but if yours gulp air frequently, you might have a water quality problem that needs attention.

 

[xamy_valox]

The fluval does have an opening for air breathers, as I have a betta in there as mentioned and he gets on fine.
However if corys arent air breathers that wont be a problem.
Is the fluval going to be too small then? I thought pygmy corys stayed quite small?

 

[Carlovel1]

2. Not suitable for Corys, since Corys are air breathers ...

Corys are not air breathers. They are, however, capable of swallowing gulps of air and absorbing the oxygen through their intestines as the air passes through them. This is helpful during the rainy season when their habitat becomes stirred up and muddy. The corys will occasionally dart to the surface to do this but if yours gulp air frequently, you might have a water quality problem that needs attention.

I knew...but I didn't know what else to call them. Air gulpers?

 

[redbug]

I think the key here is a numbers game, corys seem to do better in groups with 4 being a common number for the minimum.
I have 3 pandas that get along very well and are never far from each other. I also have a group of 7 albino corys that spend most of the time together but will go out on their own but return to the group at night

 

[xamy_valox]

I think the key here is a numbers game, corys seem to do better in groups with 4 being a common number for the minimum.
I have 3 pandas that get along very well and are never far from each other. I also have a group of 7 albino corys that spend most of the time together but will go out on their own but return to the group at night

Hmm, see I dont have the room for more than one really, as I dont want to overstock the tank and give less room to my other fish.
If having one on its own will make it unhappy I would rather wait until I move out and can get a bigger tank haha!!

 

[Carlovel1]

The fluval does have an opening for air breathers, as I have a betta in there as mentioned and he gets on fine.
However if corys arent air breathers that wont be a problem.
Is the fluval going to be too small then? I thought pygmy corys stayed quite small?

1.The air opening on the Fluval is simply too small. Corys will find it hard to surface.
2.Just because the Betta is just about coping, doesn't mean everything is OK. Most of the time, people will recommend you to stay away from Anabantoids if you have a Fluval Edge. If I were you, I would move him somewhere where could breathe air properly.
3.It's not that the Fluval is too small, its more that Pygmy Corys are way too active for a small square tank.
4.Don't bother adding 'a cory'. They are shoaling fish. Your tank is both too small and fully stocked so I would not add a shoal of corys, not even a single Cory (which I would never recommend)

 

[xamy_valox]

The fluval does have an opening for air breathers, as I have a betta in there as mentioned and he gets on fine.
However if corys arent air breathers that wont be a problem.
Is the fluval going to be too small then? I thought pygmy corys stayed quite small?

1.The air opening on the Fluval is simply too small. Corys will find it hard to surface.
2.Just because the Betta is just about coping, doesn't mean everything is OK. Most of the time, people will recommend you to stay away from Anabantoids if you have a Fluval Edge. If I were you, I would move him somewhere where could breathe air properly.
3.It's not that the Fluval is too small, its more that Pygmy Corys are way too active for a small square tank.
4.Don't bother adding 'a cory'. They are shoaling fish. Your tank is both too small and fully stocked so I would not add a shoal of corys, not even a single Cory (which I would never recommend)

My betta isn't 'just about coping' he is fine and healthy, I have nowhere else to put him anyway, even if he wasn't doing well. I don't understand why people assume you have another tank all the time?!
As mentioned in the first post, I don't know anything about Corys which is why I came on this forum, for advice...not for a lecture or a 'telling off' as it would seem you are trying to do.
If I can't add a cory, that's fine, I just thought I would ask on here before I went ahead with it.

 

[Carlovel1]

My betta isn't 'just about coping' he is fine and healthy, I have nowhere else to put him anyway, even if he wasn't doing well. I don't understand why people assume you have another tank all the time?!
As mentioned in the first post, I don't know anything about Corys which is why I came on this forum, for advice...not for a lecture or a 'telling off' as it would seem you are trying to do.
If I can't add a cory, that's fine, I just thought I would ask on here before I went ahead with it.

I'm sorry you feel that way.
My advise is above, you can take it or leave it.

...which is why I came on this forum, for advice...not for a lecture or a 'telling off' as it would seem you are trying to do.

If you say so...its your opinion, I'm just trying to help you

 

[xamy_valox]

My betta isn't 'just about coping' he is fine and healthy, I have nowhere else to put him anyway, even if he wasn't doing well. I don't understand why people assume you have another tank all the time?!
As mentioned in the first post, I don't know anything about Corys which is why I came on this forum, for advice...not for a lecture or a 'telling off' as it would seem you are trying to do.
If I can't add a cory, that's fine, I just thought I would ask on here before I went ahead with it.

I'm sorry you feel that way.
My advise is above, you can take it or leave it.

...which is why I came on this forum, for advice...not for a lecture or a 'telling off' as it would seem you are trying to do.

If you say so...its your opinion, I'm just trying to help you

Which is fine, I just didn't appreciate your tone. Or the fact you assume my betta is 'coping' just because it's in a Fluval Edge.
Either way I wont be getting a cory which is the main reason for this topic, so I guess we can leave it there.
Thanks for the advice.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

If I recall rightly, Fluval Edge tanks hold a mere 25 litres, or just over 5 imperial gallons.

"A fighter, rasboras, neons and cherry barbs" sounds a really busy/overstocked tank, as the latter three are all social fish (like cory catfish) which should be stocked in groups of at least 6+. Taking this into account, your current fish stocking sounds much more appropriate for a tank of at the very least 2-foot in length (~54l), if not closer to ~75l (2.5-footer).

Not only are Fluval Egdes expensive bits of modern looking furniture, they are far too cramped for many fish in the hobby, not to mention they have a small surface area for their size (making sufficient aeration difficult).

 

[xamy_valox]

If I recall rightly, Fluval Edge tanks hold a mere 25 litres, or just over 5 imperial gallons.

"A fighter, rasboras, neons and cherry barbs" sounds a really busy/overstocked tank, as the latter three are all social fish (like cory catfish) which should be stocked in groups of at least 6+. Taking this into account, your current fish stocking sounds much more appropriate for a tank of at the very least 2-foot in length (~54l), if not closer to ~75l (2.5-footer).

Not only are Fluval Egdes expensive bits of modern looking furniture, they are far too cramped for many fish in the hobby, not to mention they have a small surface area for their size (making sufficient aeration difficult).

I have stocked my tank with advice given to me by my LFS. I do regular water changes and tests and have had no problems so far.
The fish are in groups of 4 (other than the betta obviously) and are all active/healthy.

 

[Harlequins]

IMO i wouldn't put corys into a 25 litre tank,they're far to active to keep them in a small tank long term...

I have a 55 gal tank and they all use the space and love zooming around especially pandas.

Has mentioned corys do better in groups

Ungrading to a bigger tank would be the best way to go if you would like to keep corys.

 

[xamy_valox]

Ok, thats fine.
I'll just stay as I am for now until I can get a bigger tank eventually.
Thanks for the adv ice.