Albino Cories

[tori.lock]

I'm considering getting a small aquarium when I move into my college dorm since my schedule is pretty open, and I'm so used to having pets, and fish are the only ones we're allowed. I can't have a tank any bigger than a 10g. Mind you, this will be my first formal aquarium.

I'm pretty set on the idea of getting some small cories. My original idea was to have 10g, 4-5 albino cories and a male betta. I'd probably have black gravel or black sand substrate and a few live plants, with some driftwood, rocks and the like. Now I'm thinking I might want to go with a smaller tank, no betta, and fewer cories. Would it be alright to house two or three cories in a smaller tank (5-8g) if they are the only fish?

[robflanker]

Welcome to the AC!

You're first plan was a better one. I'm not sure how bettas are as a community fish so someone else will have to chime in on that.

But Corys are schooling fish and need to be kept in 6+ and in no smaller than a 10g.

[rich311k]

Albino corys get pretty large. I don't know if I would keep a schoolin a ten. Panda or pgmy corys would be much better. I would not put them in less than a ten gallon. If you get the smaller tank, stick with a betta.

[tori.lock]

Now that I'm thinking about it, that probably will be the better option. I'll only have to move them over winter break and summer break. That was my main concern, having to put them all in small transportable contains to ship back home. I've had mixed reviews about the bettas. I've seen a number of aquariums online that house a single male betta with corries, tetras and the like and it seems fairly successful. But it seems as though it really depends, and a younger, smaller male would be the best bet.

[HorrorShowRot]

I would not do the albino corys. The betta will most likely go after them but the regular ones are fine. I have had no problems with them. The bettas just get pissed off when theres another vibrant or colorful fish.

[HorrorShowRot]

Also if the fish has big fancy fins the bettas will tend to nip them off. But corys don't the only problem might be the albino corys. In a 10g tank you could probably get a few guppys. They are fun to watch get a few snails or somthing to clean out the tank. But even then with waterchanges and your weekly maintenance you should be fine. Hope I helped.

[tori.lock]

Well, I was really wanting to keep the cories, and change out the betta if that would be a problem. I was thinking a small school of guppies or tetras with the cories, but liked the idea of a central focus fish a bit more. A killifish or dwarf gourami (i think it was) was my original idea, but they were too shy, and I'd hate to get a fish and have it constantly hiding. Would a female betta be a better choice? I know they can be aggressive, but tend to not be as aggressive?

[HorrorShowRot]

Males are more agressive. The prettier ones. Females arent agressive. Dwarf gouramis from my experience are not shy at all. My one actually watches me when I am in my room its creepy actually.

[Wild Turkey]

Agreed on the corys. You can house 6 albinos in a ten, but they will be much happier and more active in a 20, preferably 20long.

Pandas and any of the dwarf corys species will do great in a ten.

I wouldnt attempt to house really any corys besides dwarf in something less than 10gallons, unless it had an incredibly large footprint for its size.

Female bettas are excellent tank mates for corys, heres one of my old females with some albinos in a 20long sharing the algae wafers
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]
Always introduce bettas last though

[thrakuarium]

I would not do the albino corys. The betta will most likely go after them but the regular ones are fine. I have had no problems with them. The bettas just get pissed off when theres another vibrant or colorful fish.

The 10 gallon is fine and the betta should leave the corys alone, albinos dont have any colors that would set the betta off.

[jaysee]

I agree that the 10 gallon is too small for a school of albinos. Pygmies are a much more practical choice if you want to go that route.

[mac]

I agree that the 10 gallon tank is to small for Albinos. Pandas, or the smaller dwarf types of Corys would be much better choice.

As for fish o keep with the Female Bettas would work great.

Good luck,

mac

[tori.lock]

Are there multiple types of albino cories? I've been researching them on a number of sites, and a few were saying that they are 1.5-2 inches in length, and others are saying they can get up to 3in. If I went with a dwarf, what's a good species? I hate to say it, but I would like it to be pretty, that's why I'm leaning towards the albino. (I know, I know... don't choose fish on how they look over if you can keep them or not, but I'm an artist. Things need to be aesthetic as well as functional.)

I also just discovered dwarf cichlids. Are any of those small enough to house as a focal fish in a 10g?

[Wild Turkey]

Almost always they are albino aeneus (bronze cory)

For some reason, they dont seem to get quite as large as the regular color morph. Go figure. All the females ive had top out at about 2 -2.5"

All the corys in that pic are full grown. The smaller ones are males

[tori.lock]

Almost always they are albino aeneus (bronze cory)

For some reason, they dont seem to get quite as large as the regular color morph. Go figure. All the females ive had top out at about 2 -2.5"

All the corys in that pic are full grown. The smaller ones are males

That's what it sounded like. I think they have another one that it relatively common that begins with a "p". I don't know it off the top of my head. So if I go with the albinos I should get more males than females just for the sake of having smaller fish? They do seem drastically smaller.

[Wild Turkey]

That's what it sounded like. I think they have another one that it relatively common that begins with a "p". I don't know it off the top of my head. So if I go with the albinos I should get more males than females just for the sake of having smaller fish? They do seem drastically smaller.

I think either the footprint is gonna be big enough to have a healthy active shoal of 6 or it isnt. IMO a standard ten gal is too small, and they will lay about more. Can you find panda corys in your area? They are pretty common and 6 will do fine in a 10 imo

Its going to be harder to sex juveniles in the store anyway

[tori.lock]

I think either the footprint is gonna be big enough to have a healthy active shoal of 6 or it isnt. IMO a standard ten gal is too small, and they will lay about more. Can you find panda corys in your area? They are pretty common and 6 will do fine in a 10 imo

Its going to be harder to sex juveniles in the store anyway

I'm not sure what is yet available in my area since I'll be moving before I get this aquarium.

[jaysee]

Aquabid is a great place to look for your fish. Since my LFS can't get the fish I want, that where I get them.

[tori.lock]

Thanks everyone. I think I'm pretty set on getting 6 Venezuelan pygmy cories and a Honey or Powder Blue Dwarf Gourami. With this set up could I get a small school of white clouds, or would that be too crowded?

[robflanker]

Thanks everyone. I think I'm pretty set on getting 6 Venezuelan pygmy cories and a Honey or Powder Blue Dwarf Gourami. With this set up could I get a small school of white clouds, or would that be too crowded?

What on earth is a Venezuelan pygmy cory? There are two species of pygmy;
Corydoras pygmaeus and C. habrosus - of Brazil and Columbia, respectively [Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

Where are you getting the Venezuelan bit from?

You should read Dave66's excellent primer on corys (linked above)...

[tori.lock]

There's a third species, it's the C. Hastatus, I believe. The site I heard the Venezualan bit could just have a strange common name for them, but there are three types. They just looked the cutest, personally. Point is... 6 pygmy cories.

[robflanker]

From a quick search it appears C. Hastatus is extremely rare and most of the time it is mislabelled or misold as one of the two other species.

I've never heard of them.

Dave66, WT or another catfish expert may chime in here but if you can find them, good for you - ive just never seen or heard of them

[jaysee]

There's a third species, it's the C. Hastatus, I believe. The site I heard the Venezualan bit could just have a strange common name for them, but there are three types. They just looked the cutest, personally. Point is... 6 pygmy cories.

That is correct - 3 pygmy species.

They're available online, but as rob said, doesn't mean that's the species you actually get.

[Wild Turkey]

Actually ive heard there are more than 3, but the only 3 common enough to the hobby to have any luck finding in a store would be

C hastatus
C habrosus
C pygmaeus

[tori.lock]

The site I was reading might have mixed up hastatus and habrosus.

Any opinions on also having a small school of white clouds with the dwarf gourami and cories? I was thinking about using a few of those with the cycle, probably three, then adding three more along with the other fish (Not all at once of course.)

[jaysee]

White clouds are a cold water fish, so they may not be the best choice to accompany gourami and corys. I think you could do a small school of something, though, as long as the cory school is small (5-6) as well.