how many corys
- Thread starter gerbil_dude
- Start date
Corydoras are schooling fish and need at least 36" to even approach being able to go far enough without being too quickly cut off. Five is a nice number, but in that small a tank it is way too many. Do try the dwarf variety if you get any.
I have three in a 10 gallon, but I do lots of water changes and there is only 5 white cloud minnows with them. They breed (the eggs don't hatch though) and the tank is heavily planted. Poor water quality is the worst thing for cory catfish, it is believed taht high nitrates or other water contaminants lead to their loss of whiskers, whcih is follwed closely by their death.
But of course how many go in your tank depend on what is already in there. If it were an empty tank I would say 5.
But of course how many go in your tank depend on what is already in there. If it were an empty tank I would say 5.
Of course they will live, and even breed, in smaller tanks, but if you have a larger tank and watch them school, you will see that being schooling fish means more than liking company. Schooling is an activity that cannot happen very well in small quarters. They swim for distances, jumping over each other, going up and down. It's fun to watch and even in a 30 gallon they get cut off too quickly. Small tanks are for small fish that don't need to move around a lot, like the live bearers. When we keep fish in an unnatural setting, I think it's our responsibility to give them as ideal and environment as possible. I recommend this site for tank size requirements:
http://www.peteducation.com/category_summary.cfm?cls=16&cat=1911
http://www.peteducation.com/category_summary.cfm?cls=16&cat=1911
I'll add my 2 cents here.
4 peppered corys, rough 1.5-2" long
25g tank so roughly 28" long
they school. its not the traditional idea of schooling, but they school in their own silly way. until one bumps into another and it all falls apart lol. Its like watching 4 year olds at a dance recital
4 peppered corys, rough 1.5-2" long
25g tank so roughly 28" long
they school. its not the traditional idea of schooling, but they school in their own silly way. until one bumps into another and it all falls apart lol. Its like watching 4 year olds at a dance recital
24" tank could easily house 6 cory cats, as long as they didn't have any other competition on the bottom of the tank. We currently have 8 Cory cats in a 24" tank Tankmates: 70 livebearer fry under 1/2 inch.
weekly waterchanges at 40-50%
substrate fine sand at 1/4 inch
filteration hydro IV sponge
temperature 75* F
twice daily feeding of crushed flake
1x a week frozen bloodworm or tubifex in a holding dish bottom of tank.
weekly waterchanges at 40-50%
substrate fine sand at 1/4 inch
filteration hydro IV sponge
temperature 75* F
twice daily feeding of crushed flake
1x a week frozen bloodworm or tubifex in a holding dish bottom of tank.
I have 6 in a 10 gal with 6 harliquin Rasboras. I do a weekly water change. They seem to love it in there. 4 albinos, 1 bronze and one spotted but I'm not sure the type.
Tom
Tom
You have at least 24 inches of fish in a 10 gallon? You don't say how long you have had these fish in this way overstocked tank, but I doubt they will last long. That the fish are alive and "seem to love it in there" are not justifications for keeping them in overcrowded tanks. Cory cats need a minimum of 30 gallons each. They can live 20+ years and it is cruel and selfish to keep them in such confinement for our own entertainment. It is our responsibility to do more than provide minimal conditions for supporting life when we care for animals.