Q about corydoras

[lovleeko]

I got two corydoras today at the LFS. I have never been into catfish much but I decided to give it a try. I like them a lot actually! I'm surprised. Well anyway, they were doing their two for Tuesday there and I just got the two. I didn't know that they were schooling fish. I would have bought more if I would have known that I would like them so much. But will they be okay for a little while just the two of them. Are they going to get super stressed like a tetra would with just two?

[Wild Turkey]

I got two corydoras today at the LFS. I have never been into catfish much but I decided to give it a try. I like them a lot actually! I'm surprised. Well anyway, they were doing their two for Tuesday there and I just got the two. I didn't know that they were schooling fish. I would have bought more if I would have known that I would like them so much. But will they be okay for a little while just the two of them. Are they going to get super stressed like a tetra would with just two?

Not quite as much, but they will be happier with more. Its sometimes hard to diagnose stress in them so i would just get a few more asap. But no, they arent going to die from the stress like a neon might.

[lovleeko]

Good to know. I bled the fish fund a little dry today! LOL. So I was hoping they would hold out a little longer. It will be a week or so before I can get a few more. Also, how sensitive to water conditions are they? Can I put them in a tank that is almost cycled? I wont some for my other tank but it isn't really cycled completely yet. It is getting close though.

[Wild Turkey]

Good to know. I bled the fish fund a little dry today! LOL. So I was hoping they would hold out a little longer. It will be a week or so before I can get a few more. Also, how sensitive to water conditions are they? Can I put them in a tank that is almost cycled? I wont some for my other tank but it isn't really cycled completely yet. It is getting close though.

I wouldnt recommend doing that with any fish, there is always a chance they could die or shorten their life in the long run. Corys are especially sensitive to salt like most freshwater scaleless fish, other than that they are moderately sensitive to most other conditions.

[doug z]

From what I've read they REALLY don't like ammonia or nitrites..

I would grab another 4 and have a school of 6 for the one tank, over having two smaller groups in 2 tanks..

[Northernguy]

Get at least 3 more corys soon!You will be amazed at the difference .

[lovleeko]

Oh no! They are sensitive to salt? I didn't know that. I have them in a tank with a good bit of aquarium salt in it as I have livebearers in that tank. Good to know not to put them in the tank that hasn't finished cycling yet. I have barbs and my Betta in there because I used them to cycle the tank.

I am not sure what to do about the salt issue. I did a change of water today and didn't add any more salt to the changed water because I was adding a some cardinal tetras and I knew they were a bit sensitive to high concentrations of salt. My LFS uses salt in all of their tanks so maybe the Cory's wont do too bad.

[lovleeko]

Get at least 3 more corys soon!You will be amazed at the difference .
What exactly will they do when I get more?

[Wild Turkey]

They will be alot more active and social.

Alot of LFS use salt in all their aquariums. In fact THIS IS A POLICY OF PETCO INC. I actually talked to a local store manager about it today as i visited them for the first time last night and was shocked to see dead catfish next to big a cup of salt with holes in it....there was one in every tank. Im going to be writing alot of letters. But anyway, its not a good idea, you shouldnt do it.

Petco claims that this policy is to help keep the fish safe from disease (HAH!)

PetSmart had the same albino corys for the same price and all looked great.

Edit: to clarify its not something the corys are really going to get "used to" if thats what you are thinking, they have skin not scales and thats what makes them sensitive so it would take some serious evolution. LOL

[lovleeko]

Well I'm a little unsure what to do about it at this point. All of my tanks have salt. I have a tank that has less salt. In fact, the tank they are in has a little more than maintenance levels of salt. Or it did. I can't really say after the water change what the levels are. The only thing I could think I might be able to do would be to put them in one of my female Betta's five gallons. But the water is not cycled. I keep it crystal clear and have everything all timed where I know when to change the water before nitrite or ammonia levels are present. They have salt in their tank too but I can just empty it out and refill. Oh yeah, just remembered though. My five gallon filter broke. Haven't been to worried about it due to the fact that it is housing the Betta. I could pick up an air stone tomorrow and put it in there with a pump. Boy did I mess up by getting the corys without doing my research! I normally don't impulse shop with fish. I have made to many mistakes in the past like that. But I did today I guess:(

[Wild Turkey]

Dont worry about the 5 gal, its too small for the corys anyway. I would say if possible, consolidate your tanks so you can make one freshwater for the corys and perhaps the cardinals you were prospecting (if i remember right). If thats not possible usually i would say return them and re buy when u are ready....but since the LFS uses salt in all their tanks as well, maybe they are better off in the tank with the least salt thats big enough until you can make the freshwater tank work, or maybe some of ur other species will do okay without salt for a while? Either or, but chances are ur livebearers are more hardy than corys.

[lovleeko]

Guess so. I feel so bad! Well you don't think that the five gallon would be better for a while until I get better accomodations for them? I am cycling a 55 and ten gallon. I can put them in the ten pretty soon. Cycle is well on its way. Plan on putting tetras in the 55 so no salt would be okay. I usually just use salt on everything even if it is just a little. Guess that wont work this time.

I don't guess they would be any better off at the fish store since they have salt too. At least they get some specialised attention from me. LOL

[Wild Turkey]

What size tank are they in now, its cycled right? And what other fish are in with them

[lovleeko]

Yes it is cycled. It is a 20 gallon. Currently I have four cardinal tetras, three mollys, three full grown guppies, what I call two teenage guppies, three platys and a few fry.

[Wild Turkey]

Yes it is cycled. It is a 20 gallon. Currently I have four cardinal tetras, three mollys, three full grown guppies, what I call two teenage guppies, three platys and a few fry.

All of those will be fine without salt for a little while if you want to go that route instead of keeping the corys in the salt for a while. Just wc is out slowly over a few days.

Either way you are gonna need a freshwater tank to keep them successfully, but dont feel bad cuz in this case, they are actually better off that u impulse bought it seems. Just be a little more cautious in the future, and if you tell me what species of cory it is i can tell you if they will fit with 5-6 in a ten gallon or if you have to go bigger.

Edit: you are also gonna need around 2 more cardinals but im sure you figured that

[lovleeko]

They are spotted corydoras. I don't know if that is an exact kind. Like i said I don't know anything about them. I am usually very careful about what I buy and go with the specific fish in my head. And that is what I leave with. I want more of the cardinals but they only had the four. So I will have to wait for the next batch to hit. Yeah, one thing I noticed too speaking of which, I thought I bought six bleeding hearts and only got four. Which sucks because it was two for Tuesday and I would have only had to pay for the one. Oh well I guess. More money more money. I hit my wallet hard with my obsessions. LOL

[Wild Turkey]

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]
Heres spotted cory, there are kool for a ten gallon.

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]
Thats a peppered cory, sometimes called spotted cory by mistake in pet shops. He gets way bigger and is no good for a ten, hes gonna need a 29g at least in my opinion. Just want to make sure u didnt get one of these by mistake before you make any decisions on what to do.


Bleeding hearts also arent gonna want salt, they like blackwater like cardinals and corys. You are gonna need a blackwater tank for sure bud.

Edit: btw Bleeding hearts and corys, i like your taste.

[lovleeko]

Yeah it is definitely the spotted. Thanks for taking the time to check :)
I love the bleeding heart tetras!! They are now my fave tetra of all. They are in the tank that has small amount of salt. Like I said when I get the 55 cycled I will make it a tetra tank and it will be salt free. I was going to add some but now I plan on putting the Cory's in there so i will just keep the salt at 0. Thanks for all your help in this matter. I'm glad you mentioned salt because i never would have known otherwise.

On a tetra note. I never thought I would get cardinals but they just have been in my head as of late so I went for it. I can't wait to get more and put them in my biggest tank and see them going at it. I am also excited about the corys. YAY

[Wild Turkey]

Good luck! In the 50 gal you can easily fit 15-20 cardinals, 10 BH, and 5-10 corys and everything would be happy and that would be one beautiful tank. Cant wait to see what you do with it, and im always happy to help!:19:

[Dave66]

You can see how to and nomenclature of Cory cats in my Corydorus Primer ([Only Registered Users Can See Links.]), stickied in the other catfishes forum. Will help you with tank design, water quality, feeding and breeding these charming fishes. And they aren't scaleless fishes; the scales are so fine and tightly together it appears they do not.

Dave

[Wild Turkey]

Yup daves right, only some cattys have skin corys arent one of them. They are still sensitive though. Lets get technical why dont we ;) j/k

[lovleeko]

Thanks Dave. I'll check that out. I hope the little guys make it. I'll dilute the salt a little more tomorrow.

And thanks again wild turkey! I can't wait to post pics with my little guys salt free.