What Are They Doing?!

[mic8310]

I got 4 corys, 2 of them never part. The other 2 go do their own thing as individuals then all meet up to play etc etc. But its the 2 that always stick together that catch my eyes the most, what's going on? Always swim together and they often stay very close together, one of them looks to swim ontop of the other and earlier when I put some pellets in I saw one of em actually gettin in the way of the 2nd from getting food, just wouldn't let it past!
Is it romance or is it bullying?!

 

[Truck]

it could be mating behavior

 

[JustKia]

Sounds just like mine - most likely mating behaviour, as truck says =)

 

[mic8310]

Great! So when will I expect babies?!

 

[JustKia]

Well.....
If you're lucky the female will take the sperm from the male (it looks like she is tickling his belly with her barbels).
Then she'll lay eggs (about 2mm dia) and she'll stick them to the glass, maybe plants or anywhere that takes her fancy (usually somewhere with good water flow).
Next, providing she doesn't eat them, or they don't get eaten by other tank inhabitants, and they don't get all fungusy, they should hatch after about 5 days.

For care of the fry - if you're lucky enough to get that far, I'm sure someone else can help you with that. I don't yet have personal experience or raising Cory fry, although I'm ever hopeful as I've 1 albino and 1 peppered that are spawning.

 

[Piltdownpaul]

You want to get lots of cories-its like watching millwall supporters after losing an FA cup match!

 

[Johnlenham]

Oh bloody hell ive noticed my smaller albino doing this to the larger Bronze just now! Thought he/she was being a pain as hes quite hyper active but I guess not!

 

[Inchworm]

When corys are getting ready to spawn the male (often several of them at once) will swim in front of the female as if to say, "pick me, pick me."

Other times they might just be swimming together and playing the way corys often do. If this is happening while they are eating, it's probably just that the one is hungrier than the other.