Which Cory For Me?

[Joanna69]

Hallo everyone

I'm in the process of doing a fishless cycle on my first ever tank (63l) and thinking about what fish I would like. I love the look of Cory's. They have bags of personality I think. But my dilemma is, which one?

My tank is 60cm x 30cm x 35cm. My PH is 8 and my water is fairly hard. I'm having a few tetras and a few barbs too so am thinking about 3 corys.

I've read lots here about the different ones (panda's look great!) but I'm not sure if they will all like my PH/hardness? Also they have to be small, even when mature given the modest size of my tank.

What do you recommend? How much should I expect to pay per fish (I am in the UK).

Thanks all

Jo

ps, already thinking "need a bigger tank" so will start saving my pennies!

 

[Captain Retardo]

well for your tank size I would recommend the Dwarf Corydoras : C.Hastasus,Habrosus,Pygmaeus, they are small and hardy, but your pH is a little high, you could probably acclimate corys to that though...

Pandas are very sensitive, not a good choice for your tank.

It might be hard to find dwarf corys though.

And I don't think you should be keeping tetras in a pH of 8

You could get some of the smaller ones that are not dwarfs, just do some research before.

Good Luck

 

[The-Lion]

Take your pick but captain retardo is right about the ph most Corydoras as far as ican see like ph in the late sixes early sevens. i have Pygmaeus & Habrosus super little fish once settledCorydoras

 

[Joanna69]

Hmmm, I'm thinking it will be fairer on the fish if I don't get a cory then as my PH won't be nice for them. Would be like asking me to sit in a room full of smoke continuously. Yep, I could adapt but I wouldn't like it. What a shame. They look wonderful!. My PH is a real bind.

Back to the drawing board...

Many thanks for replies though.

 

[Rez]

Hmmm, I'm thinking it will be fairer on the fish if I don't get a cory then as my PH won't be nice for them. Would be like asking me to sit in a room full of smoke continuously. Yep, I could adapt but I wouldn't like it. What a shame. They look wonderful!. My PH is a real bind.

Back to the drawing board...

Many thanks for replies though.

You can lower your Ph if you add some Fluval peat granules or fluval peat fibers. just put them in a filter bag and hang them in your tank or put them in your filter. This will give the water a yellow/tea coloration, but that is what the water looks like where cories live in the wild.



This is just a suggestion if you would like to keep cories and tetras in your water.




Rez B)

 

[flumpit2]

i kept 4 peppered cory for a year in my 54L tank at a ph of 7.8,no probs (there now in my 106L).they lay eggs every other week and have never had any illness or anything (touch wood).dont forget that if you buy them from your LFS then there ph will be similar to yours anyway so the corys will be use to it.it might be worth you going to your LFS & asking them what there ph is.just a suggestion. shaz

 

[Qays]

You can keep cories in up to 8.5 ph'ed water.

 

[garraty]

You can keep cories in up to 8.5 ph'ed water.

Absolutly correct. C. panda will be fine with pH of 8 as well most Corys. Temperature is more important for pandas, they do like it cool. Also, if you ever plan on breeding pandas the fry may have a hard time hatching if water is too high pH and/or too hard. That is if they can even be fertilized at those parameters.

 

[samyboy]

bronze corys, not had my tank running long and they've settled in just fine

 

[ocean_baby]

peppered is a good choice

 

[daspricey]

i think 2 bronze and an albino(as they will shoal).
IMO
peppered corys are a little on the big side(of corys) and the like lower temp.

david