I just can't keep corys!

echoofformless

echoofformless

Peat Advocate & Defender Of Snails
Oct 1, 2005
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Phil Uh Del Feeya
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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?
 
Weird. I have no idea of what would affect them but not the other inhabitants. Are they competing for food successfully?
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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
 
Try out Sterbais. They'll appreciate the higher temps. Most others thrive in low to mid 70s.
 
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.
 
fishorama said:
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.
Click to expand...

Oiapoquensis. Virtually never seen in the hobby though and usually mislabeled when they happen to show up.
 
Albino (aneus) and false julii do fine in 86F temps too.
 
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