Schooling Cories of different species?

[Kylefight11]

Will cories of different species school together? I want to get a school of cories for my new tank but none of the LFS near me have enough of one species, so would they be okay if I bought a couple different species or does the school need to be only one species?

 

[james77]

In my experience you need all the same species. They kind of hang around each other but the 2 separate schools will do their own thing.

 

[BBradbury]

Keeping Different Cory Species

Will cories of different species school together? I want to get a school of cories for my new tank but none of the LFS near me have enough of one species, so would they be okay if I bought a couple different species or does the school need to be only one species?

Hello Kyle...

You can definitely keep different species in the same tank, they're all very peaceful fish from my observation. I keep a couple of different species together in my tanks, but they don't group together like a group of the same species.

Corydoras don't school, because they aren't schooling fish like, say Tetras. Corys are shoaling fish. Corys' movements in the water are individual, they don't mimic the movements at roughly the same time like schooling fish. Watch a group of Tetras sometime. Those are schooling fish.

B

 

[absolutangel04]

I agree that they will tend to do their own thing. That said, I have kept a handful cory species together and ime, they will hang out with other cories who look similar enough. At one point, I had a mixed group of about a dozen with 1-3 of any given species. They seemed to hang out with each other only slightly less than with their own species (including when I have had 5 or more of the same species)m, but they still hang out some and never seem stressed and fed together and everything. So, it won't be as tight of a group, but you have a little flexibility as long as you avoid shy species.

 

[Coyne]

Could you purchase all of one type of Cory, and then go back after they've restocked... Say a few weeks... And purchase more?

 

[Try-na]

Will cories of different species school together? I want to get a school of cories for my new tank but none of the LFS near me have enough of one species, so would they be okay if I bought a couple different species or does the school need to be only one species?

I have 10 different types of corydoras in my planted 55gal. They all seem to interact with each other without issue. The only ones I've found to be happier with their own kind are the Pygmy species habrosus & pygmaeus. Probably because they're so much smaller. I keep these in schools of 5 or so. I do try to keep at least a pair of each of the larger species just in case tho.

 

[Ewokbuns]

I have two albinos and they school..if anyone tells you otherwise don't listen to them.. I put a different species of cory in with them and he wouldn't school with them.!

 

[Try-na]

Well mine all seem to mix just fine. They could be the exception I guess...but then maybe yours are the exception? Just sayin

 

[Canary bird]

I have 5 peppered and 2 panda corys in my 55g and the pandas were added in October and just mingled with the peppered like they had been with them forever
In my 22g I have 4 bronze and 1 peppered (he was one of my babies ) and they all eat and sleep together like the others ...they are all going in my 125 when it's built

 

[Rodeo one]

I ve purchased 11 Dwarf Cories but have only 3 now. They hide most of the time so I bought 3 Violet Cories yesterday & the shy Dwarf s came right out & were following them all around the tank. Hoping they gain confidence with these slightly bigger guys to hang out with.

 

[GodFan]

If they look similar enough especially size wise shouldnt be an issue. Ottos have been known to school with some cories. Oh and maybe they dont school maybe the shoal but pygmy cories (pygmaes sp?) School. They need larger groups as well.

 

[The Trooper]

I tried mixing 2 varieties and they didn't really hang out together, i have now got 2 tanks with only the same type in each, the albinos seem alot more outgoing than the bronze though

 

[Canary bird]

Yes I find the bronze are quite shy and tend to hide in the galleon in their tank, whereas the peppered and pandas are always out and about in their tank ..I can't wait for them to all be together in the same big tank

 

[Try-na]

Maybe I'm just lucky. Here's a few group shots, sorry bad camera

 

[Canary bird]

Nice group photo my ottos hang out with the corys too what kind of corys are they ?

 

[Try-na]

Sterbai, green Lazar, Caudimaculatus, Habrosus, Pepper, Julii, & here's a shot with the sterbai with an albino



I also have Bronze (both long & short fin), orange Venezuelan, pygmaeus, panda, similis.... I think that's all. I guess that's more than 10 types, I lose track sometimes

 

[Canary bird]

Sterbai, green Lazar, Caudimaculatus, Habrosus, Pepper, Julii, & here's a shot with the sterbai with an albino

View attachment 214295

I also have Bronze (both long & short fin), orange Venezuelan, pygmaeus, panda, similis.... I think that's all. I guess that's more than 10 types, I lose track sometimes

Cool.. I wish there was more choice here they are great little fish over here I've seen albino,peppered,bronze and panda ... And that's out of 6 pet stores ! It took me weeks to find ottos here !

 

[Try-na]

I feel your pain. That's the way it was here when I 1st started up. Now I'm friends with all the important people that have control over the orders. Mondays I go in & go over the lists with them & pick what I want. The 3 stores here also finally realized that "weird" sells & bettas, guppies, & goldfish aren't the only fish out there.

Oh & I picked up 3 Rabauti corys yesterday to add to my list. I also found 2 Dwarf Anchor Catfish for my 15gal affectionately named The Swamp. They are so cool but tiny.

 

[threnjen]

Try-na I am in love with your photos! It's so cute to see all of those different cory types hanging out together!

 

[Try-na]

Thanks. This was this morning at feeding time. 6 corys & 4 different types