Keeping Emerald Corydoras?

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ChurchyMorgue

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Apr 30, 2018
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Hello all, I’m brand new here and in need is some advice. I set up a new tank, a 15 gallon Aqueon column. I’m aware of cycling new tanks and have that part under control. While I’m new to this site (and Cory cats for that matter) I’ve been running Betta tanks and cichlid tanks for years so I’m not completely in the dark with fish care.

However! That being said I may have goofed already. I went to a fish store I don’t normally go too in search of some Cory cats that were a little different (I see albinos and peppereds all the time). I found some emeralds and loved them so I got 2 to start. I planned on adding more of them and or a couple albino in the future. Now originally I assumed my tank would be ok for a group of 4 someday, as all I was going to add to it was a Betta. But then I do the research I should have done before buying the emeralds and realized they are much bigger than a typical Cory. Unfortunately I can’t upgrade my tank just yet but will eventually have a 75gal to put them in. I just don’t know when that will be.

Will they be ok in this tank for a while?
Should I go ahead and get more? If I’m getting more what should I get?

I feel awful I got the larger ones, I thought all Cory’s were about the same size. Can anyone give me some advice?

Sorry this is so long, I just hope I got everything in here. Please let me know if there is any more info I need to give you. Thanks in advance.
 

fishorama

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Jun 28, 2006
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I've never had a column tank, mostly because they had very little room for bottom fish ( my "thing").

Can you tell us the dimensions of your tank? & how soon plan to go big?

A column may be ok for a betta & maybe a few other fish or shrimp...but bottom fish, I'm thinking not enough space for them...
 

ChurchyMorgue

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Apr 30, 2018
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Hello, thank you so much for responding! The dimensions of this tank are 13.75”L x 13.625”W x 25”H.

I got this tank brand new and complete set up for $20 so despite not needing another tank (I currently have 6 others -_-) I couldn’t pass it up and set it up to upgrade a Betta and mystery snail I had.

As for when I can upgrade I’m honestly not sure. I hope it doesn’t sound awful but in one of my 75gallons that I’m slowly trying to empty as fish pass away I’m not adding more to. So once that set is gone I’m going to upgrade. But I can’t tell for sure when that’d be. I originally had 6 goldfish (all purchased at the same time) and I’m now down to 3.

And currently the two guys I got are about 1.5inches long, so hopefully I have a little bit of time?
I feel so awful I don’t normally buy fish before research but for some reason I impulsed. I had researched Cory cats but didn’t know emeralds were different.
 

fishorama

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Jun 28, 2006
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I would not add any more fish to this column tank, there's just not enough "floor space". But you should be ok for a while...

I understand waiting for old fish to die out, I'm doing that too on a 75g. Sad but true. Do the best you can by them, lots of water changes, maybe special foods they like.

After you can move up to a bigger tank, add lots more corys! 6 is kind of a minimum but more is better!

I'm much, much better about research & waiting than in earlier fish days but sometimes it's irresistible ...
 

OrionGirl

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Aug 14, 2001
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A pair of cories will be fine in there for a while (most breeders will put a spawning pair or trio in a 5 or 10 gallon tank for a few weeks to months while spawning). Keep up on the water changes, and have a plan for adding more once you move them to a bigger tank.
 

ChurchyMorgue

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Apr 30, 2018
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Will do! Thanks for the advice!
Do Cory’s do ok when adding in more at different sizes? For example my emeralds will be larger by time I go to add more emeralds in a bigger tank, will there be any aggression or issues with them not schooling together with the size difference?
 

ChurchyMorgue

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Apr 30, 2018
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Ok great! Thanks fishorama. I didn’t see you’re earlier message until now, I’ll be sure to treat all of my fish! It’s been a while since I’ve fed frozen blood worms but it looks like Cory’s like them too so I’ll be sure to pick up some. Funny story, I have an Oscar (in a 75 gal by himself, I gave 3 75gals lol) and he is TERRIFIED of blood worms. I try to give him frozen and he “runs” to the other side of the tank and hides behind a plant until the filter picks them up. Crazy fish lol
 

ChurchyMorgue

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Apr 30, 2018
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I have another question lol. I sure it wouldn’t hurt but would adding a smallish canister filter to this tank be if any help to these guys until I can up grade them? I have a few extra laying around so I figured I could hook one up.
 

OrionGirl

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Define 'help'. It will provide additional biological filtration, so is good, but it won't address some of the other reasons they can't be kept in a small tank long term. Fish release hormones, and as the levels rise, this stunts the fish. We can't test for the hormones, so there's no way to tell when they are hitting a level that causes problems--we just have to do lots of water changes to keep the levels low.

If it's an 'either/or' situation, more water changes will help more than an additional filter.
 
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