Slowing bronze cory reproduction

[aseradyn]

I'm looking for ideas for slowing cory reproduction.

I have a 120 gallon planted tank. About two years ago, I bought 6 bronze corys. About a year ago, I gave away 20, keeping about 10 - the smallest, quickest ones I couldn't catch. My latest count indicates I'm back up to about 15 adults and another five or so half-grown, and with every water change they get all excited and start dancing again. (Counts are unreliable; they never just line up in the open and sit still for me, of course!)

Now, I love the corys (my fave fish in the tank), but there is a limit to how many I can keep, and I really don't want to tear the tank apart every year trying to catch them (the tank is deep, I'm short, and there's a bar across the middle that complicates everything). If I can get the tank to where only a couple new fry survive to adulthood every year, that'll be manageable.

For tank-mates, we have 3 old giant danios (5+ years old, not as quick as they used to be), 3 large female swordtails, 7 flame tetras, and a fluctuating population of ramshorn snails (currently at low ebb, as I recently replaced the substrate).

I think half the problem is that I have these massive old clumps of anubias that provide way too much hiding space for eggs and food for fry, so I'm going to take those out and plant crypts or something that won't get as dense. (So if anyone in the Houston area wants free anubias, assorted varieties, just ask)

I'm not yet to the point where I want to try to figure out sexes and separate them (I did that with the swordtails), just trying to decrease the egg/fry survival rate.

Do you have any suggestions for additional measures I can take to slow down the corys?

 

[J.Mcpeak]

I used to keep a big shoal of Cory with my clown loach, there were Cory eggs on a regular basis but the clowns had that for breakfast, there were no new fry from the original shoal. I'm not suggesting clown loach but a similar feeding habit (bottom/forager) could work out in your favour.

 

[J.Mcpeak]

I used to keep a big shoal of Cory with my clown loach, there were Cory eggs on a regular basis but the clowns had that for breakfast, there were no new fry from the original shoal. I'm not suggesting clown loach but a similar feeding habit (bottom/forager) could work out in your favour.

 

[aseradyn]

Thanks! I'll look into that.

 

[sinibotia]

You could use a smaller loach like zebra loaches or angelicus loaches

 

[coralbandit]

sini is the loach guy ,although I and JMcp have 22 clowns in total I believe...
I think you could have clowns in your 120....
And I have orange laser with my clowns so the mixing of bottom fish,,,not so hard.

 

[aseradyn]

Oh, very cool fish. Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[sinibotia]

sini is the loach guy ,although I and JMcp have 22 clowns in total I believe...
I think you could have clowns in your 120....
And I have orange laser with my clowns so the mixing of bottom fish,,,not so hard.

Clowns would definitely be an option in that size, but they're huge, messy fish, so if that's not the way you want to go then I recommend zebra or angelicus loaches. Histrionica too, if you can find them!

 

[aseradyn]

Clowns would definitely be an option in that size, but they're huge, messy fish, so if that's not the way you want to go then I recommend zebra or angelicus loaches. Histrionica too, if you can find them!

I love the idea of smaller loaches. When I think "loach", I think about this enormous old clown loach my dad had for years when this tank was his. I've been out of the hobby too long, clearly, as I'd forgotten smaller loaches existed! (Kinda like the day I thought, "Hey, barbs are fun little schooling fish" and almost walked out with a bag of a dozen tinfoil barbs. I feel like I'm starting over sometimes!)

Thanks for your suggestions. I'll have to keep an eye on the stock in my LFS and see what comes in.

 

[sinibotia]

Zebra loaches max out at around 4 inches so that's probably exactly what you're looking for Angelicus typically get around 5 inches and are probably the most chill loaches (still very active!) Both might wipe out your snails though, so that's something to consider. And make sure to get a group of at least 5

 

[aseradyn]

Just like clockwork, did a water change last night and found several patches of cory eggs in the morning.

For the first time since I've had them, though, the corys actually deposited their eggs on the glass where I - and my hungry, hungry swordtails - can easily see them. I've got my fingers crossed that thinning the plants will do the job!

Though some of those loaches look really cool and might need to follow me home anyway

 

[Brookster123]

What temp do you add back in during wc's? Colder?

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[aseradyn]

Usually colder, yeah. For the longest time, the only way I've had to refill the tank is either hauling buckets from the sink or hooking up the python to the spigot outside. Because I'm lazy, the python usually wins So water coming into the tank was whatever temp it came out of the underground pipes. In summer it's actually pretty close, in winter it's way colder and I usually go back to schlepping buckets from the kitchen.

On this water change, though, I finally got the python hooked up to the shower where I could control the water temp. I used an instant-read thermometer to check the tank temp, then adjusted the water coming out of the tap until it was close to the tank temp (not an exact science with this mixer). So, it was still a couple degrees cooler, but nothing like as far off as it usually is.

Think I should err on the warm side instead?

 

[Brookster123]

Thing is... with some sa fish, colder water changes will simile rainfall which can trigger spawning. Warmer may cut it down a touch?

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