Tiny Cory Setup

[jameson_uk]

I have always loved the tiny corys and I am considering setting up a small tank for them. I am currently thinking about an Aquascaper 600 to put in the front room which I figured would be a great size for them.

I was thinking about something like 15 pygmies and 15 hasboras but had a few questions for anyone who has kept them.

It seems they prefer soft water, my water is KH 5 / GH 12 with a pH of about 7.7. Will they do OK or are they one of the fish who really do want softer water?

Other than a soft substrate (sand?) do they need anything else? Was thinking about some nice roots that perhaps will break the water line at one end of the tank and mainly open substrate at the other.

In terms of tank mates I am looking at Endlers, CPDs and depending on whether I can source them perhaps something like a sparking gourami or scarlet badis. My concern about the CPDs is that they could do with some sort of dither fish to actually bring them out?

Any thoughts, experiences, suggestions?

 

[Majsa]

I am afraid I cannot help you with cories, just wanted to say that's exactly the kind of tank I would like to set up one day...maybe pygmies and kubotais, as they swim in the top layer.

About CPDs, I have a group of them in 54L with shrimp, and they are doing fine without dither fish. You just need a good group of them, 12+ at least. Could the corys be the dither fish? I feed the CPDs in the same open area every day, and they know where to come when they see me.

 

[tam]

There is a whole thread about CPD a bit further down, seems fairly split between people having them out and about and not seeing them at all but not a clear trigger for what makes them bold. You might need to try them in your specific setup and see how they behave.

I'm loving scarlet badis, very different behaviour from the other fish - bold but slinking about in and out of everywhere. I would like spakling gourami but I've also heard they are shrimp hunters - the badis hunt babies but ignore the adults.

 

[Kalum]

I'll be adding around 10 habrosus to my current tank in a couple of weeks which already has CPD's and green neons

Can't speak from experience but my plan seems slightly similar, my water is very soft (1.6dKH) but brought up to around 4dKH with calcium

 

[mort]

The biggest thing I would suggest is make sure you get healthy stock. The pygmy cories are famous for mass deaths shortly after importation/introduction so I'd have a read up on what to expect. For a minimum I'd reserve some and leave them at the lfs for two weeks.
In terms of water chemistry you are at the upper end of what wild cories could cope with and the lower end of what endlers would like, so I wouldn't try and adjust it. If you can find captive raised stock it should matter even less. The badis and gourami should be fine as well.

In terms of tank setup, the pygmies love cover so I'd add floating plants and perhaps a few leaves (beech and oak are good), the tannins will help tint the water a little as they prefer things dimmer, plus create natural food which will help fry if you are lucky enough.

 

[Macman6]

i have Pygmeus and I'm not sure what i'm doing right, have a group in a Fluval Spec.

i have a massive ball of flame moss they constantly breed in, some slavinia and brazilian pennywort running wild in there.

the only tankmates they have are Neocaradina shrimp.

last time i checked the PH was around 7ish and our water is soft

 

[sciencefiction]

The plan sounds really nice but I think you are overestimating how many corys you can put in that size tank plus the plan for other fishes. I'd personally think you'd be pushing it with just 15 pygmies and nothing else, if you want to give them the best chance at long term health. Otherwise, double the size of the tank.

Other than a soft substrate (sand?) do they need anything else?

Not really, whichever way you want it setup would be fine in my opinion, as long as the substrate is sand.

It seems they prefer soft water, my water is KH 5 / GH 12 with a pH of about 7.7. Will they do OK or are they one of the fish who really do want softer water?

I think they'll do ok.

My concern about the CPDs is that they could do with some sort of dither fish to actually bring them out?

I haven't kept habrosus but the pygmies will spend majority of their time in mid column swimming about. They only get down to the substrate to eat. Having said that, some branches reaching higher levels will help as they like going around "feeling" the decor in mid water column. They may act as dither for the CPDs.

 

[jameson_uk]

The plan sounds really nice but I think you are overestimating how many corys you can put in that size tank plus the plan for other fishes. I'd personally think you'd be pushing it with just 15 pygmies and nothing else, if you want to give them the best chance at long term health. Otherwise, double the size of the tank.

The tank is pretty wide (600x500) and ends up about 100l before you add anything. Do you think this stocking needs ~200l?

 

[sciencefiction]

The tank is pretty wide (600x500) and ends up about 100l before you add anything. Do you think this stocking needs ~200l?

Well, I am a bit harsh on stocking these days, all from experience. My advice stems from that. Apologies if I have overstepped boundaries. It is just that I always advise on understocking tanks rather than the other way around. Once one tries that, they'd never get back to filling a tank with many fishes. It's up to you and its your choice. I only expressed a personal opinion, not law set in stone and one can certainly push it, if certain measures are taken such as increased water changes. 100 litres is not much. As a comparison, and I understand that I am rather an exception than the rule, my betta has 80 litres for himself.

 

[MirandaB]

I have a dwarf puffer in a 90lt so you're not alone in understocking Sciencefiction

 

[jameson_uk]

Well, I am a bit harsh on stocking these days, all from experience. My advice stems from that. Apologies if I have overstepped boundaries.

Not at all. Looking for input from experience not text books.

I ruled out Boesemani rainbows in my main tank for this reason. Most things say they will be ok in a 3' tank but watching them in various tanks and getting feedback from owners made me think they want much more room. The 900 is maybe a better option

 

[Aqua360]

i have Pygmeus and I'm not sure what i'm doing right, have a group in a Fluval Spec.

i have a massive ball of flame moss they constantly breed in, some slavinia and brazilian pennywort running wild in there.

the only tankmates they have are Neocaradina shrimp.

last time i checked the PH was around 7ish and our water is soft

Would like to see pics/video of this tank in action!

 

[Mike~~]

I've got 14 pygmy cories in a 90L tank with some espeis and a betta. They are very shy. If anyone is in the room then they hide. Fairly disappointed with them tbh.
They only seem scared of people, not the other fish. They don't run away from the betta.

 

[Kalum]

i've got 6 habrosus corys along with otto's, CPD's and green neons and the tank is a hive of activity

the green neons school together with the CPD's having more random behaviour, both skittish if there are any movements around the tank but then come out once the initial movement is over

since introducing the habrosus the ottos have changed completely and are so much more confident and now come out to feed, constantly on the front glass rather than hiding and the habrosus and ottos are not skittish in the slightest and you can make sudden movements with no hiding at all, they also both love darting about the tank and up and down the glass together which is great to watch

couldn't be happier with my habrosus, they are confident and seem to have brought all of the other fish out of their shells as well