skittish corys

Holly9937

Holly9937

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Jan 20, 2005
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Thought I'd give this question a shot in the general forum, haven't had any luck in the bottom dweller section :sad !! I have 4 of what are labeled green/emerald corys at the LFS. I also have an albino cory that schools with them. I have a large bell that they all hide in most of the day. If they are out and I come near the tank they take off and hide! I've had them all for at least 6 months or so the albino more like a year and a half. Water conditions are good, plenty of plants (fake), hiding spots, and I've been leaving the light off on "their" side of the tank (60g).
Any idea what their problem might be? I just wonder if they are more nocturnal than other corys. My 2 julis (yes I'm getting more) are very happy, always together, cruising the tank, never hide :huh:
 
???
 
Any tank mates that might be scaring them at all? It does seem strange that after 6 months you dont see them out in the open a bit more...also what do you feed them?
 
Thanks, I don't think any of their tankmates would scare them, they're pretty brave, they fight with my bristlenose plec. (who is about twice their size) over algae wafers. They also get shrimp pellets and whatever flake food sinks.
 
if you have emerald cories they may be brochis splendens, which is not a true corydoras and may not be as active- (i cant sopeak from experience as I have never owned any.) They are larger than true cories and I the ones I see in the petstore always are just chilling on the substrate, with slightly drooping dorsal fins- i think they look sorta bummed. if you do a search on here you can find more info.
 
Some breeds are more shy than others, but have you tried feediing them the wafers in the same place at the front of the tank each day?
That's how I got my sterbai out in the open more.
 
Yeah, I read that post the other day about the "green" corys and I do have the ones that aren't true corys, but they and the albino don't seem to know that :rolleyes: ! They don't seem unhappy, when they do decide to move they are so fast I can't keep my eyes on them!! I haven't tried feeding them that way with the idea of luring them out in mind, but all the other fish knock the wafer around before it sinks, but it is usually in one end of the tank. If I keep the light out on that end and don't move they come out, which is why I thought maybe they are more nocturnal than I thought?

After some searches :read: , all I could really find is that they like to be in groups of 6 or more (I have 5, I can't imagine thats the main problem, but maybe I'll get some more :) ) and that they can change color from emerald green to dark black depending on mood and environment (never seen them do that, it would have scared me!!!!!!)
 
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6 is deffinatelly a better amount. When I upped my amount of Bronzes from 4 to 6 there was a deffinate increase in activity.
If you want to get the wafers to sink in the same place every time then try sinking them through a plastic tube. Can't remember who on this forum gave me that advice but it certainly helps me when i want to get bloodworms to my cory feeding spots before the others grab them.
Hope this helps.
 
get rid of the bell, if theyve got no fish to pester them remove some of the plants for a while. leave them w/ less cover to force them out in the open, let them build up thier courage.
 
I appreciate the advice, but it seems like that would be a bad idea?!?! I could be wrong, but it just seems like I would be uneccessarily stressing them. As much as I would like to see them more, I also don't want to make their life miserable for my entertainment :confused: (I guess thats the point of having them, for my entertainment, but...Maybe I'm in the wrong hobby!! LOL)

I like the tube idea, just to even let them eat some different foods before the rest of the fish get it! I'll have to remember that :idea2:
 
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