If i get cories... What kind?

[Alyxx]

I will be getting a hex tank soon (it's paid for but I need to get it home - my car is in the shop) of unknown gallonage. My boyfriend found it and bought it but the people selling it aren't sure of the size and he wasn't able to measure. If it is big enough I would LOVE to include some cories in the stock. Judging by his rough measurements it is probably between 25-35 gallons. I just don't know which ones to pick! I know I don't really care for albinos, and I would prefer some that tolerate warmer temps ok. Not extreme heat, but my ac is broken and my tanks are running about 78-80 right now. It won't be permanent but I don't want to stress any fish out in the meantime. Most of my current fish are bettas, so they are fine - their tanks are set to those temps anyway and I am saving electricity because the heaters haven't kicked on in ages.

So suggest some cories!

 

[BBradbury]

Hello Aly...

Before you consider the Corydoras, you'll need to cycle your tank. You can do that with hardy fish that don't mind the higher levels of ammonia and nitrite that come from the wastes the fish produce.

I'd suggest setting up the tank with a polished pea-sized gravel substrate about 3 inches deep and adding some easy to care for plants like Anubias nana and nangi, Cryptocoryne, Java fern and some moss like Singapore. Include some floating plants like Anacharis (Elodea densa) and Pennywort.

A 150 watt heater and a hang on the back (HOB) filter with a minimum gallon per hour (gph) of 4 times the volume of your tank. Hagen has a good product.

You want to have all the pieces of the tank in place and running before you add any fish. Hardy fish would be Guppies and Platys if you like fish that give birth to live young or Zebra Danios and White Clouds if you prefer egg layers.

B

 

[smartybones]

Just to throw my 2c in....

Corrys, like most bottom feeders that sift through the substrate prefer sand....

And also using fish to cycle a tank these days is just wrong... It was the way it was done in times gone by when we knew know better... We also used to use ponies to work in mines and children in cotton mills and sweeping chimneys....

You can get your hands on pure ammonia easy enough these days so fishless cycling is in my opinion the only way to cycle a tank.

Just my 2c....

 

[Jev12]

Well for types of Corrys you could(my personal favorite) sterbai Corrys or, julis, or pandas, or Pygmies which is what I have at the moment such cute little fish...and then there is always the peppered and bronze and I want to say green ones as well

 

[Samzter]

Just to throw my 2c in....

Corrys, like most bottom feeders that sift through the substrate prefer sand....

And also using fish to cycle a tank these days is just wrong... It was the way it was done in times gone by when we knew know better... We also used to use ponies to work in mines and children in cotton mills and sweeping chimneys....

You can get your hands on pure ammonia easy enough these days so fishless cycling is in my opinion the only way to cycle a tank.

Just my 2c....

I agree completely. I think a Cory which tolerates warmer temperature would be a sterbai Cory. They are a bigger breed of Cory though so make sure there's enough space

 

[BBradbury]

Fish In Tank Cycling

Actually...

Cycling a tank with fish is very efficient. It gets a "bad rap" because people don't have a clue as to how to do it and use the wrong kind of fish. Then, half way into the cycle, they conveniently find other things to do than monitor the tank water. They cry all the way to the fish store to get more fish and put the blame on everyone and everything, but themselves.

It's just amazing.

B

 

[smartybones]

I agree that it can be done efficiently fish in and you could argue that someone who does not monitor the water correctly while cycling should not be keeping an aquarium in the first place.

You could also argue that you can train a dog to not pull on its lead while out walking by using a choker chain with spikes.... You can do it... But its not right.

Yeah.. You can get hardy fish that can withstand the poisons in the water, even if you keep toxins to a minimum level but its not a matter if you can... Its a matter of if you should.

Anyway... I am sure the debate of fish in or out cycleing will go on and on. Hijacking this thread to debate it out is the wrong place....

 

[bettaowner]

I would add Pygmy or panda corydoras

 

[Cactuspixie]

I'd go pygmies, as the tank is likely to have a relatively small footprint, which rules out many of the larger cories such as the sterbai. Pandas prefer cooler waters, although mine has never been sick and is an energetic little fellow, and the tank got to 86 in summer.

 

[BBradbury]

Hello Aly...

Sorry about getting sidetracked with the whole cycling thing, it's not what you asked. Corydoras are shoaling fish. They do best in groups of their own kind, but Corys of roughly the same size will form a rough group when they forage around the tank for food.

I keep several different species and they're all very peaceful. They need a bit larger tank and you don't want to crowd them. I stock no more than 1 for every 5 gallons of tank volume. 2 per 5 gallons is a stretch, but if you keep small species like Pygmies, Pandas or Orange Saddles, you could stock 8 or so in a 30 gallon tank.

Large, frequent water changes are a must. Once the tank is established, changing half the volume of the tank every two weeks at minimum, will keep your fish and plants healthy.

B

 

[Alyxx]

This tank will probably end up as a nearly instant cycle as I will be using seeded media from my other tanks. Just need to figure out what kind of filter I am going to use. Probably a HOB. And it will be a fishless cycle - still have plenty of ammonia on hand from the last time I cycled a tank the hard way. My last few tanks have been 10 gallons and I just popped a sponge filter in my main tank for a while then moved it into the new tank for a nice instant cycle. And yeah, I will probably be doing a smaller species in as big of a group as I feel the footprint will allow. I still haven't seen the tank in person so I'm not sure of how big of a group or even if cories will be part of the stock. Oh, and the substrate will be sand. I'm just not sure if I will be doing black or white - but I have plenty of each on hand.

So I know there are at least 3 Pygmy Cory varieties. Any pros or cons to each?

 

[Jev12]

I have the corydoras harborsas and they are energetic little guys and are pretty cute

 

[Alyxx]

Well, I won't be doing cories for this tank after all... I decided to suck it up and finally try a reef! Next community fresh tank is getting some, though!

 

[Bbush]

Wowsers!