Cory Cat Help!!!

[Aqualady40]

IMO...I would not put flakes in tank, I would only have container/tank, bubbler, maybe 1 tiny plant, and no subtrate at all...the reason for no subtrate is because the cory's are so tiny you may not see all of them once hatched and when you clean bottom the cory's will be hard to see....well good luck

 

[BettaGal]

I have it almost bare. Only the edges of the airstone have some gravel on them just to hold it down. How would I makes sure there's an ammonia source? If plecos didn't get so darn big, I would get one at Walmart for bio and to keep stuff clean. If this keeps up, something else will have to go into it. It would be a total pain to keep tearing down and setting up.

 

[BettaGal]

Does the lighting have to be a certain way? When Mina was ready to drop (yes, I named my guppy after a character in Dracula, I was reading it when I got her), I read that keeping it dark would help her.

 

[Aqualady40]

I added main tank water the day I saw my cory's spawning then turned lights and airstone on from that point and begin scavenging for the eggs to place in

 

[BettaGal]

So at spawn time, go dark?

 

[Aqualady40]

So at spawn time, go dark?

Are your cory's in the main tank or did you place them in the small tank you setup? If you have moved them, I would put them back in main tank and just watch for them to spawn then go behind them and get the eggs and place them in the newly setup fry tank...oh and my lights are always on when mine spawn...

 

[BettaGal]

The Cory cats are in the main tank. I did not move them. Was I supposed to, or are they fine in the main tank?

 

[Aqualady40]

The Cory cats are in the main tank. I did not move them. Was I supposed to, or are they fine in the main tank?

Yes leave them there....once you get eggs just place them in the fry tank keep the water clean as possible 3-7 days they will hatch depending on water temp

 

[BettaGal]

What is a good temp? Google answered 70-79. Is that wide really ok?

 

[Aqualady40]

I keep mine at about 76

 

[BettaGal]

That would be fine once my water returns to room temp. I filled it with water that's too cold. Lol. Nature of my sink. Where you think it should be - way too cold. Turn .001 degrees - way too hot. It will raise up in due time.

Lestat is getting fat. She's not real fat yet, but noticeably fatter than before. She needs renamed. Might have to make her Claudia now. That makes two that need renamed.

 

[BettaGal]

Do they normally spawn at night or sometime during the day?

 

[Mrs.h2012]

Do they normally spawn at night or sometime during the day?

I think it depends, but when it happened with my cories they were super active when I went in the living room at about 9am.. And by super active I mean they were all following the female around literally all over her (this was the most I've ever seen them stick together... Ever. They were literally all touching each other they were so close) and were going up and down the glass of one side of the tank mainly. I didn't notice her depositing any actual eggs until a little after 12pm, closer to 1pm. I think it was about a 3 hour period when she actually laid the eggs. I thought she was done and moved her back into the community tank, she laid a few more in the community tank (they got eaten of course). I tried counting the eggs, im sure I miss counted lol, but I'm pretty sure she laid atleast 100.

 

[BettaGal]

So last night, Dracula and Lestat were together a lot. It looked like they were "assuming the position" and then would separate. There were no eggs this morning when I looked, but I'll keep checking frequently. Lestat is the female. She's gotten fat on me. Probably this afternoon or this evening I will do a water change with colder water. I might do colder than normal, because my sink is very uncooperative. Turn it where you think it's right: too cold. Turn .001 degrees warmer: too hot.

 

[BettaGal]

I plan on getting some red cherry shrimp (RCS in other threads asking about this, please correct me if I misunderstood the abbreviation) sometime next week. Is there another way to keep the eggs clean if they come before the shrimp? Pristine water, other cleaning methods, etc.? When I remove the eggs, is it safe or ideal to use fingernails to get them off, or do you sort of roll them onto your fingers, or any better method? I do not have a razor blade or access to one unless I smash my razor.

 

[Teakwood]

I plan on getting some red cherry shrimp (RCS in other threads asking about this, please correct me if I misunderstood the abbreviation) sometime next week. Is there another way to keep the eggs clean if they come before the shrimp? Pristine water, other cleaning methods, etc.? When I remove the eggs, is it safe or ideal to use fingernails to get them off, or do you sort of roll them onto your fingers, or any better method? I do not have a razor blade or access to one unless I smash my razor.

Roll them with fingers worked for me. If they happen to spawn when your not around the eggs will most likely get eaten as cories eat there own eggs. If they lay them on glass and they get eaten you can tell because a transparent circle shaped residue is left behind. Once the eggs are laid keep them at slightly warmer temps and try not to let them hit air. As long as you have an aerator and keep the water clean you should have a good hatch rate. If you can keep the eggs separated(taking them off with a razor they can end up on clusters) and in the clusters if one egg gets fungus it could kill the whole clutch so if they get fungus individually you can just take out the one egg instead of the cluster.

 

[BettaGal]

I added about a gallon of colder, clean water to the tank, and have turned the light off. She is pushing gravid guppy fat now. I was hoping it doing this would encourage the spawning, but so far, they just keep chasing each other. Any day now, I'm sure we will have some eggs.

Ok. Now all three are after each other. Maybe it worked. Fingers crossed!

Do I need to shade the fry tank while the eggs are in there? Is there anything special I should do to ensure my eggs are good? Any pointers for while my eggs are waiting to hatch?

 

[Teakwood]

I added about a gallon of colder, clean water to the tank, and have turned the light off. She is pushing gravid guppy fat now. I was hoping it doing this would encourage the spawning, but so far, they just keep chasing each other. Any day now, I'm sure we will have some eggs.

Ok. Now all three are after each other. Maybe it worked. Fingers crossed!

Do I need to shade the fry tank while the eggs are in there? Is there anything special I should do to ensure my eggs are good? Any pointers for while my eggs are waiting to hatch?

If the eggs are white they usually aren't 'good' or not fertilized, or something that will inhibit them. Good ones usually have a light brown hue and will hatch in approximately 3 days. One day you will look and they won't be perfect round eggs and there will be tiny tiny fish. (Seriously tiny lol)

 

[Teakwood]

They form a T shape when... Mating. I think I've only actually witnessed the T shape once. The female will actually drop the eggs in between her anal fins and then rub onto plants walls filter... And attach them, but then she will basically go right behind herself not long after and start eating them, as will most other fish. Really interesting to watch. If you think some have been eaten look everywhere because female will lay them in several surfaces and some can be harder to see depending on the color of the surface. If this is her first time laying if may not be many, I think mine laid around 30 the first time, not sure what average is though.

 

[BettaGal]

Ok. So she's freaking huge, and they were all bundled together in the back chasing each other, and then just stopped. She has gotten close, but has never actually . . . latched on? IDK what to call it? The light is off. The only light entering my tank is from my dorm ceiling, which since the tank is on my desk under my bed, isn't much light. Enough that I can see what's going on, but not really all that much.

Is something wrong? Should I take out some water and add cold to it? I unplugged the heater for a while so it wouldn't make the water heat back up right away. I will definitely plug it back in before I go to bed or after they finally . . . get it on, unless someone tells me otherwise.

They went back to frantically sifting everything, walls, plants, the bottom of the filter, sand, it all. They are rather overly active still, but not going for it. What can I do?