What's the craze about corys?

[Asher]

Hey All!

I have a couple of freshwater tanks (see my sig) and have been doing this for years, but I have yet to purchase a cory. Almost every other post suggests them and raves about them, so I am curious if I should get one (or more than one) because they seem to be loved. If you think I should get one, which type would you reccomend?

 

[Fishyfanatic]

If you are talking about your 55 gal tank, I think you are already stocked to the max. You already have 31 fish. Even the 10 gal is stocked. If you were to remove some of your current inhabitants, then you could possibly have a school of cories.

Cories are great because they eat the leftover food in the tank. They are bottom dwellers and keep the bottom clean.

 

[fish 'n' fries]

They're also just fun to watch. They're very playful and active (in groups at least). Mine are currently riding up the bubblewall (again and again and again...they're like toddlers!) They help make a bottom busy cause unlike a lot of bottom feeders they're out during the day.

 

[Alshain]

They are the only fish I know that don't run when you stick your hand in the tank. In fact they usually come to see what you are doing.

 

[Asher]

If you are talking about your 55 gal tank, I think you are already stocked to the max. You already have 31 fish. Even the 10 gal is stocked.

Yeah, I know I am pretty packed in both. The 55 gal has been stable w/o death for a couple months, so I am scared to add anything new anyway...haha...

The stock in the 10 gal is actually the old stock from a 29 gal and it has been slowly narrowing down the population. I have a 30 gal filter on it, but have lost a dwarf gourami and a couple zebras. Maybe I'll get rid of the danios in the 10 gal and get a couple/three small corys.

 

[hc8719]

everyone does seem to love corys, i dont see anything special about them. but then again, some people love mollies, platies, and guppies, all of which i dont care for at all.

im a tetra/gourami person, but you'll notice there are some barb lovers, pleco lovers, snail lovers... and cory lovers, just their preference

 

[talloulou]

Cories are most fun when you get a school. They like to "hang" with each other. Also they are extremely active for a catfish type and while they will spend most of their time on the bottem they will swim all over and even surface for air. They're extremely hardy and easy to care for. Basically they're "cute."

See:


http://talloulou.smugmug.com/gallery/1980977

That's one of my albino cories. Cute huh?

 

[Asher]

"cute" as a button

 

[EXM]

My father is currently keeping over 6 sp. of cories and I am keeping 2. If I had to recommend a sp. or 2, I would go with Corydoras aeneus and/or Corydoras paleatus. Bothe are easy to keep and breed as well as coming in albino variaties. I am keeping both and have bred both, but the fry are very intolerent of high water levels, and must have almost rain water like qualities. If you are not intent on breeding them just yet than I would even recommend Corydoras panda. This is one of the most beautiful cories in my opion. They are also very, very cute. Just keep in mind that cories are usually only capable of reaching 3" max but are armored and have pectoral spines so don't put them with anything even nearly capable and/or willing to eat them as this will kill the predator and the cories.

 

[joannde]

I'm go to second the posts above - they are active, cute, and playful. They bring activity to the bottom of the tank and a "puppy pile" of panda cories is one of the most adorable things you'll ever see.

They're immediately out and about, travellng primarily as a group, at feeding time. And they eat anything the fish miss. I also give them their own food (sinking wafers or sinking algae wafers) which they gather around - that's another adorable sight - a pinwheel of cories.

They also stay small, so most people can fit a fairly large group in their tank.

And yes, they LOVE riding the bubble wall - its a favorite game of theirs.

 

[EXM]

Also, corys are one of the very, very few diurnal catfish. I have also heard Corydoras sterbi recommended for their hardiness and adaptability. They get even smaller and are cute and almost peppered in apearance.

 

[dont155]

This is a pretty crappy pic, but I swear these two Cories want to mate. They swim everywhere together and seem to even want to sleep together.

The one on the right is male. The left is female.

-Don T.

 

[EXM]

I think you switched the male with the female, as the female is always more bloated than the male. Also, the only way to tell if they are going to breed is they present themselves in the "T" position in which the female nudges the male in the side with her head, rubbing him with her barbles. Shortly after, the female lays the eggs in her "pouch" and then smears them in the way of water flow to allow them oxygen and nutrients.

 

[EXM]

Oh, I forgot to mention that this sp. needs to be 5+ inches to breed.
Oops! When I say pouch I am refering to the females action of holding her eggs in between her ventral fins until smearing the eggs on the glass.

 

[drobertson]

I have 3 Panda Cory, and like was said earlier the are very active and bring almost a comedy act to the bottom of your tank

 

[SeymourFRESH]

IMO, cories are nocturnal and diurnal, simply a note i've taken because mine are out at night and in the day time. i think they just come out whenever they want basically

 

[EXM]

If you do not like the pandas, you could look up Corydoras whitesmani. They too are gorgious little corys and are excelent bottom feeders. Just remember that corys are all from south america and are all diurnal and small.

 

[cabezon]

you guys convinced me, and I went last night and got 6 pandas. they are cute. I cant wait to get them some algea pellets.

 

[EXM]

Do NOT buy algae pellets and expect corys to eat them. Corys are bottom feeders but that does not mean that they'll eat algae. They eat worms like tubifex and black worms as well as food that has fallen to the bottom. THEY ARE NOT ALGAE EATERS!! They may, on rare occasions, except veggy flakes, but other wise are omnivorous and will except omnivor or carnivor foods.

 

[cabezon]

I sit corrected. thanks. I finally started with peas, and I am willing to bet that the tank would like something other than flakes.