What kind of corys should I get with black substrate?

[dman]

Since you guys were so helpful recommending gouramis to me in my other post, I thought I'd ask this! From looking around, it seems like most people on here agree that corys should be kept in groups of around 6. So I suppose I have room for 6 of them (I have 8 harlequins, 7 black neon tetras, 5 otos, shrimp, and I am going to probably get 3 gouramis and 2 rams to finish it off, all in a 50 gal 36x18x19 tank). Anyways, it has black flourite substrate and a black background, with some driftwood and plants. What corys do you guys like on black like that? I don't think I really like the albinos, so I am probably going to rule those out. The speckled kind look good, but I haven't seen them in any store with black backgounds. So what do you guys thing?

[smaug]

Any cory really.The school of 6 thing like most such numbers is an arbitrary number.I have never seen it matter in the behaviours of cory if there are 3 or 10.I have kept many types and they really dont seem like they can count:hmm3grin2orange: I have always been partial to dwarf corys but they seem to have vanished from my area,the type they sell in the petcos and petsmarts labeled peppere corys are also an attractive cat and do well in most setups.

[Rue]

Of course '6' is an arbitrary number...but it is useful - it implies you need more than 2 (a pair)...and more than 3 (a trio) to have happy fish that exhibit normal schooling behaviours. You can have a school of 100 cories or more...but few people can, or want to, house that many in their tanks...

But if you get the 6, and 1 dies...it's still okay...you don't need to rush out and replace it...and so on...

These 'rules of thumb' that are given out provide a reference to work with - somewhat arbitrary or not, they are useful tools...

[smaug]

And what bad things happen if the number falls below5 or 4 or 3?Ive had those groupings of cory in the past,and they acted no different.As I say,they need a group as low as 3 is fine.

[Deleted User]

We have one peppered cory and nine albino corys. Any of these would show up real good on black substrate!

[smaug]

Pandas would also look good,green lasers too.

[Rue]

Nothing 'bad' necessarily happens...esp. if the fish are older and used to the tank. I'm down to two cories...they seem healthy enough...but they're not out and about the way they used to when there were 8, then 7, then 6, then 5, then 4, then 3 of them... so I think it's safe to say they're not exhibiting 'normal' schooling behaviour anymore.

I'm pretty sure though...if I just got 2, or even 3 young fish and introduced them to a new tank environment, they would be stressed in such small numbers...

A 'rule of thumb' is ONLY a guideline...not an absolute. So, yes, of course you can argue that it's not totally accurate...it's not meant to be...that's why it's called a 'rule of thumb' instead of something more concrete like 'the absolute rule that must be followed because if you don't the universe will implode and the resulting blackhole will be ALL YOUR FAULT!!!!'

:hmm3grin2orange:

[smaug]

Nothing 'bad' necessarily happens...esp. if the fish are older and used to the tank. I'm down to two cories...they seem healthy enough...but they're not out and about the way they used to when there were 8, then 7, then 6, then 5, then 4, then 3 of them... so I think it's safe to say they're not exhibiting 'normal' schooling behaviour anymore.

I'm pretty sure though...if I just got 2, or even 3 young fish and introduced them to a new tank environment, they would be stressed in such small numbers...

A 'rule of thumb' is ONLY a guideline...not an absolute. So, yes, of course you can argue that it's not totally accurate...it's not meant to be...that's why it's called a 'rule of thumb' instead of something more concrete like 'the absolute rule that must be followed because if you don't the universe will implode and the resulting blackhole will be ALL YOUR FAULT!!!!'

:hmm3grin2orange:
Another black hole OMG!!!!! Not again,I promised to never cause another one of them again(blush)

[Lab_Rat]

Nothing 'bad' necessarily happens...esp. if the fish are older and used to the tank. I'm down to two cories...they seem healthy enough...but they're not out and about the way they used to when there were 8, then 7, then 6, then 5, then 4, then 3 of them... so I think it's safe to say they're not exhibiting 'normal' schooling behaviour anymore.

I'm pretty sure though...if I just got 2, or even 3 young fish and introduced them to a new tank environment, they would be stressed in such small numbers...

A 'rule of thumb' is ONLY a guideline...not an absolute. So, yes, of course you can argue that it's not totally accurate...it's not meant to be...that's why it's called a 'rule of thumb' instead of something more concrete like 'the absolute rule that must be followed because if you don't the universe will implode and the resulting blackhole will be ALL YOUR FAULT!!!!'

:hmm3grin2orange:

Excellent post Rue.

And to answer the OP, I think skunk cories look awesome against black substrate. I have 8 of them on black flourite sand/tms and they look great. A nice contrast with the black and white. Pandas would also look cool.

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[wlepse]

Kind of OT but can you mix and match color variations and still be OK for schooling purposes (whatever that magic number is)?

[Lab_Rat]

Kind of OT but can you mix and match color variations and still be OK for schooling purposes (whatever that magic number is)?

Color variants yes, different species, no. For example, the albino cories sold are the color variant of Corydoras aeneus. You can combine the albino aeneus with regular aeneus (bronze cories) for schooling purposes. This does not apply to mixing peppered and bronze since they are different species.

[smaug]

Color variants yes, different species, no. For example, the albino cories sold are the color variant of Corydoras aeneus. You can combine the albino aeneus with regular aeneus (bronze cories) for schooling purposes. This does not apply to mixing peppered and bronze since they are different species.
Aw gee whiz.Lets see,I have 1 panda,1 bronze ,4 peppered and 1 dwarf.At any nour of the day you may look in there and see them all hanging out together,the panda is the least likely to mix but the rest dont seem to be prejudiced.

[Lab_Rat]

Aw gee whiz.Lets see,I have 1 panda,1 bronze ,4 peppered and 1 dwarf.At any nour of the day you may look in there and see them all hanging out together,the panda is the least likely to mix but the rest dont seem to be prejudiced.

You must have very open minded cories.

:grouphug:

[smaug]

You must have very open minded cories.

:grouphug:
Very,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Hippy free love types.

[mac]

You mean Corys with "Positive waves".

IME Corys hang out with Corys. Bare for I find the Pandas. They do tend to stick to them selves.

mac