MaddieLynn

I'm hoping to set up my 29 gallon Mollies tank soon, and I was thinking of getting some corys, but that would reduce the nmber of Mollies that I could keep since they have to be kept in groups of at least 6. Someone suggested pygmy corys, but even them 6 of them would be about 10 inches of fish, and besides, I haven't seen any pygmy corys at the pet stores. So, does anyone have a suggestion for a small bottom feeder that will clean up the extra food? I'm not looking for an algae eater, just a fishie "vaccuum".

Butterfly

Otos are small and will eat algae as well as leftovers. They really survive better in a tank that has been set up for awhile and is more mature. Waiting to get them would give you time to get your Platys/Mollies and let the tank settle a bit before adding more fish. What ever you decide to get will still need to be fed, even though their scavengers they need a balanced diet also.
Carol

MaddieLynn

Well, I don't really want all of my algae gone, because Mollies love it and it's good for them... maybe I should stick with corys after all.

agabr123

you would probably be okay with 4 instead of 6 cories, i have three right now and they're very happy together. pygmy cories are pretty easily ordered online if you can't find them in store.

how many mollies do you want to have?

MaddieLynn

Weeeeellll... it's not really a question of how many I want to have. It's more a question of how many my fish want to have. *Grins* But right now, I have 4. I'm not going to remove the motehr or the fry, so hopefully that way I'll still have a few of the little cuties, but won't be overrun with fry.

MaddieLynn

Oh, and about ordering them online... I was looking at that today, and they have H.U.G.E. shipping fees for live fish!

agabr123

ohhhhh i understand!

yeah, it can get really pricey, as i would only recommend overnight shipping for fish, but if you tell your LFS that you want to buy the pygmies they can probably order them for you with no shipping fees.

object_ofdesire

Corydoras are a poor choice if you have:
-brackish water < they need fresh water >
-fish that are spawning < they love eggs and baby fry to eat >
-not really enough room for a group of 6
-dirty gravel at the bottom < they need sand bottoms to preserve their barbel condition >

I suggest you go with Ottos and increase you lighting or phosphate levels to maintain your algae. OR... if you want your fish in great breeding condition, go with spirulina over algae.

Nick G

Corys don't eat fry. I transfer my Corys into my fry tank for a few days every month to clean up for me. They don't bother the fry, even newborns.

Drew 43920

Corys are OK with smooth gravel and not bad in a group of 4.

Mike19

apparently mollies are "algae" eaters also very happy eaters (meaning they eat a lot) you will see them clean up whatever is on the floor also lol, maybe not as efficient as the corys though

MaddieLynn

Hmmm... my baby molly does clean up a little, but not much. And the older ones don't even bother. And it's not that I'm overfeeding (I don't think), it's that when they eat, sometimes they'll grab a piece, spit it out, and then not bother to get it again, so it sinks.

And about the brackish water... are there no species of corys that can be in brackish?

agabr123

yeah, i dont know about yours but my mollie eats everything, it's kind of crazy. i see him all over the tank picking at rocks, the filter, algae, substrate, everything he can get to!