Cory Questions

[TopperMcFly]

I had one cory cat and love it. Of course my LPS did not inform me that they were school fish. I now do all my research online and feel that I am twice as knowledgeable as them now. Anyway, I know you should have 5 or more for them but I do not want to devote my entire 18 gallon tank to just those. I did get one more as a tank mate for my existing one. It has only been 24 hours and the new one is still pretty timid. Any idea on how long it usually takes a new cory to get used to a new home and start hanging with the other one. Anyone think that two is still not enough for them to be "happy". Also, I know you are supposed to go with a sand substrate for these so that the barbells don't get damaged but I already have large fairly smooth standard gravel and don't want sand. Of course every article that says to use sand has a pic of a cory on gravel. So I guess I am not the only one risking it. Also, I would really love to have a male and a female. Of course my LPS has no idea how to sex them and I know it is tough. Going by moderate body differences can be really hard to differentiate. Just curious. Thanks

[Lady Hobbs]

I wouldn't say coreys were skoaling fish but do like the company of others. They are bottom dwellers, which are not considered as skoalers. 3 should be fine.

[TopperMcFly]

I have several more links than this that state that they are school fish and should be 6 or more. Either way, you think three is a better coiompromise than 2?

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[kimmers318]

I have 2 in 2 separate tanks (the 4 were together at one time) and 3 pandas in another tank. They all have their own personalities. The pairs don't act any different now that they are separated from each other, and 1 of the 3 panda cories is a loner that doesn't hang with the other 2 much. Yes, they do appear to like the company of other cories, but I didn't see any difference from having 2 or 4 together. I personally think it makes a bigger difference if they are purchased young at the same time. It does take a long time for cories to become comfortable enough to come out and play...and even longer before they don't run everytime you come near the tank. My albino hardly ever runs anymore....and my lasers are finally becoming less skittish. If your cories are still young I personally would try 1 more to make 3, but don't feel it is really necessary to take it farther than that.

[TopperMcFly]

Thanks Kimmers for the info. After about two months my original cory comes to me right away and lets me pet him. It's pretty funny. I hope the other gets that way. He seems to be getting used to his new home now. They don't really hang yet, but it is still soon and may not happen at all after reading about your loner. They are pretty cool fish though. Looks like I am going to have to ditch either the rasboras or the Neon tetras. My plan was to bump up their numbers once my tank completes it cycle, but with the increased cory numbers, I fear one species will have to go. FYI I also have two platies and an angel. I may put them in a bigger tank after christmas which will allow me to have the neons and rasboras in proper numbers.

[kimmers318]

I wasn't much for bottom dwellers...but decided to purchase 2 baby cories to help "clean up" the dropped food so to speak...now I am in love with bottom dwellers and have to watch myself as to how many I have in a tank! I currently have 1 albino, 1 bronze, 2 orange laser, 3 panda, 2 bristlenose pleco, 2 "common pleco" (although both are very different), 4 kuhli loaches and was looking for botia striata before hubby came home with 3 clown loaches....another story altogether...you will see it in another post.

[Ivana]

OOooh I love my Corys. Love them! They're MUCH happier in groups- at least 6. They can live alone or in pairs, but you can't really appreciate the craziness that they're capable of unless you have a gang :)

[Slinky_Bass]

I had one cory cat and love it. Of course my LPS did not inform me that they were school fish. I now do all my research online and feel that I am twice as knowledgeable as them now. Anyway, I know you should have 5 or more for them but I do not want to devote my entire 18 gallon tank to just those. I did get one more as a tank mate for my existing one. It has only been 24 hours and the new one is still pretty timid. Any idea on how long it usually takes a new cory to get used to a new home and start hanging with the other one. Anyone think that two is still not enough for them to be "happy". Also, I know you are supposed to go with a sand substrate for these so that the barbells don't get damaged but I already have large fairly smooth standard gravel and don't want sand. Of course every article that says to use sand has a pic of a cory on gravel. So I guess I am not the only one risking it. Also, I would really love to have a male and a female. Of course my LPS has no idea how to sex them and I know it is tough. Going by moderate body differences can be really hard to differentiate. Just curious. Thanks
As your corys get a little older, sexing them will become quite easy. The females are bigger than the males, they get quite big round bellies, while the males stay long and slim. The dorsal fin on cory males is also markedly pointed while the females is round.

Good luck with your corys, I think you should try for three too. I have always kept them in groups of 6 or 8 and they have been much happier and active in the tank for it. A year ago when we were having a series of long power outs my corys really suffered and 4 out of my then 6 died. The two that were left were pretty miserable, just resting under bogwood and feeding at lights out. Two months later when we were assured there was going to be no more power trouble and my tank was back to normal I got 6 more corys and the change in behaviour of my survivors was immediate. They came out, snuffled the newcomers and started thier crazy little dance around the tank, with the new corys trying their best to keep up!

[Lady Hobbs]

I got the last two corys the store had and need to get more but waiting on the sand bottom aquarium I hope to set up. I like them a lot and would like about 10 of the little buggers.

[kimmers318]

Some day I hope to have a gang of cories also....but need to wait awhile before doing any stocking or rearranging.

[minabird]

I’ve got a 1 room school of albino corys. My 1st one is pretty much a loner. A pair of albinos that I bought a month after I got the 1st one hang out together almost constantly. The larger of the 2 will occasionally follow my 1st one around. I purchased another 3 a month later and 2 of them school with the pair I bought most of the time; the last one of the trio will school with the other 4 every now and then but is predominantly a loner. At other times, they are scattered throughout the tank by themselves either rummaging around or sleeping.

My corys don’t “school” in the normal way I view a school of fish, like neons. Mine tend to just hang out as a social group or go their separate ways depending on their mood/personality.

Here’s a link I found about sexing corys to PlanetCatfish.com [Only Registered Users Can See Links.] Basically, “Sexing: Males are smaller (up to 65mm) and slimmer. Females grow larger and are much wider which can most easily be observed from above.”

Here’s a link to an article about sexing corys: [Only Registered Users Can See Links.]