I just can't keep corys!

[echoofformless]

I don't get it. I have been successful at keeping all sorts of supposedly difficult fish in my Amazon tank (discus, blue rams, cardinal tetras) but corys refuse to stay alive for me no matter what I do. I must have gone through a good five groups of ten corys in the two years since I started this tank. I've tried peppered corys, schwartzi corys, aeneus corys and even emerald brochis. Not a single one has lived longer than a few months.

What baffles me is that these are fish with a supposed reputation for being extremely hardy yet my experience dictates them as the weakest fish I have ever tried to keep.

And yes I know all about their care and have provided them with everything they are said to need.

It's frustrating to me being as though I don't believe any good Amazon tank should be without a proper cory army. What's the problem?

[irishspy]

Weird. I have no idea of what would affect them but not the other inhabitants. Are they competing for food successfully?

[chenya]

I know what you mean. I have had the same problem in my 125 gal. I only have a assortment of tetras, angels, and at that time I believe I had a algae eater of some sort. None live for me no matter what. Funny thing is I just decided to give them another chance and this time I put them in my 20 gal. It has 1 angel and a bristlenose. This time all have lived and have been in there several months with no problems at all. Water conditions on both tanks are the same, they have same cleaning schedule, use the same foods. I am still baffled. I am planning on trying them again in my 125 here shortly. Guess I will see how they do this time.

[Hooked Newbie]

What temp do you keep the tank at? With Discus and Apistos liking warmer water than most (but, not all Cories) that may be one possibility.

[fishorama]

Sterbai & oyapoquensis (sp?) are 2 "high temp" (82*ish), there are 1 or 2 others. On planetcatfish you can search by temp. Is the tank bare bottom? That can be stressful for corys.

[chenya]

Hmm, Good point. Both of my tanks have the same exact gravel. Both have been up and running for many many years and both have temps around 78-80

[Hooked Newbie]

Try out Sterbais. They'll appreciate the higher temps. Most others thrive in low to mid 70s.

[pinkertd]

Aside from the fact that for many, many months, cory shipments coming in to some LFS's were on the brink of death (along with many other fish they were getting in), perhaps they did not get enough to eat? What other fish do you have in that tank? Did you feed them bottom feeder food? They are quite the piggy fish, especially when still young and growing. Seems their appetite is never satisfied. I have to specifically feed bottom feeder food in my tanks with cories since there just isnt enough flakes and bloodworms making it to the tank bottom to keep them plump and healthy. If you had some of them last a few months, it's most likely not the stock, you'd lose weak stock pretty quickly.

[Hooked Newbie]

Sterbai & oyapoquensis (sp?) are 2 "high temp" (82*ish), there are 1 or 2 others. On planetcatfish you can search by temp. Is the tank bare bottom? That can be stressful for corys.

Oiapoquensis. Virtually never seen in the hobby though and usually mislabeled when they happen to show up.

[pinkertd]

Albino (aneus) and false julii do fine in 86F temps too.

[Hooked Newbie]

Albino (aneus) and false julii do fine in 86F temps too.

So do non-albinos... :lipssealedsmilie:

[emptywallet]

my cories seem to barley get any food because my greedy guppies but i feed bloodworms mixed with bbs so that my gups cant get all of it and so some makes it to the bottom. Corys also dont like salt

[Hooked Newbie]

my cories seem to barley get any food because my greedy guppies but i feed bloodworms mixed with bbs so that my gups cant get all of it and so some makes it to the bottom. Corys also dont like salt

No FW fish like salt.

[Ozymandias]

Albino (aneus) and false julii do fine in 86F temps too.

so trillianas basically

[emptywallet]

No FW fish like salt.
no i like meant that they are sensitive to salt lol

[tanker]

Corys are pigs, they need food. Are you feeding after lights out?? I drop tablet food in just before lights out. One tab for every 2-3 corys.

PS--They love worms. Every week or so I feed them chopped Tubiflex worms. Chop some, dump into tank, turn off room lights, so to sleep.

The corys will find the worms.

[faun]

I put in an algae wafer and sinking pellets for my cories as well as the food for my other fish and they seem to be thriving.IMO you need to make sure you feed cories their own food as they really greedy.

[fishorama]

HN, my lfs has had oiapoquensis as have coryrus & others on aquabid I think. Extremely cute, like striped tailed pandas. Expensive but very tempting, not the best to try if less expensive corys aren't surviving well.

[vtx-coley]

I understand. I've tried 3 times to keep Pandas. I bought stock from different stores, put them in different tanks, bought small schools (6 or more), tried slow acclimation and still one by one they pass away. I finally gave up. Unfortunately, I have 2 left in my 10 gallon and I know it's just a matter of time.

[DavidZ]

Same here, temp at 80, no luck with Corys, Plecos no problem.
Maybe it is the salt, don't get it.

[Ava]

Are they getting to the surface to breath ok??

[echoofformless]

They're getting plenty of sinking pellets and wafers. No issue accessing the surface. No salt. Tank is maybe a little warm - like 80F. But still I haven't had luck keeping them at 76F either.

[msjinkzd]

I have to be honest and say that I have not had the best luck with cory longevity either. I have tried multiple times with the same results as you. I have one lone brochis I have had for several years, and one lone sterbai (from a school of 7) that are surviving and doing well.

[echoofformless]

I think it's important to note that not only are many of us having trouble keeping corys, but those of us making these reports are all very knowledgeable and experienced aquarists.

Seems to me that the common practice of labeling corydoras as a hardy fish needs to be halted. It's just plain incorrect. Almost every entry in a fish database describes them as easily kept and yet here we are having all of this trouble. Not that I expect all of the books to be rewritten but one has to wonder how on earth a fish that can't seem to survive in some of the most well kept tanks has earned a reputation for hardiness. It just makes no sense.

[tanker]

WOW. I have kept coys for years. Once had some that was almost 7 years old, but died during my second move (forgot to plug in heater--temp dropped into mid 60s :( )

My 120 once had almost 80+ corys of many different kinds (some very rare!!)--it is now a reef.

IMO--Corys are amoung the hardies of fish. Cannot think of what is wrong.

[Lupin]

I think it's important to note that not only are many of us having trouble keeping corys, but those of us making these reports are all very knowledgeable and experienced aquarists.

Seems to me that the common practice of labeling corydoras as a hardy fish needs to be halted. It's just plain incorrect. Almost every entry in a fish database describes them as easily kept and yet here we are having all of this trouble. Not that I expect all of the books to be rewritten but one has to wonder how on earth a fish that can't seem to survive in some of the most well kept tanks has earned a reputation for hardiness. It just makes no sense.
:iagree: As one says, experience varies so just because one says his cories are really easy to keep doesn't make it an ultimate statement that will apply to everyone else. Duh!

[vtx-coley]

I do have 4 Corydoras Aeneus that I've had for some time. Two actually helped cycle my 1st tank..... before I knew any better.