Muffymouse

How active are happy cory's? Mine swim sometimes, but mostly they just sit. Often times all the way across the tank from each other, sometimes near each other. Are they lonely because there are only 3 of them? are they normal?

oh and as an aside, how old to cory's typically get?

darkwolf29a

Do you have a lot of oxygen? I've found that if there isn't a lot of oxygen exchange, they tend to get less active. Mine are extremely active in their 29. They tend to chase each other and all manner of stuff.

I've found a few different ages, nothing over 5 years.

Muffymouse

I don't know if I have a lot of O2 or not. I have one small air stone and one middle sized air stone, in the shape of a bush that generates a lot of bubbles. I will see if I can't find a way to rig another one or two stones into my set up and see what that does.

purple_phoenix

Mine were always up and about, digging around the gravel or playing in the bubbles. They used to scoot up for air every now and again too.
Three together should be fine. Try adding an airstone if you don't already have one, as it adds oxygen to the water and they seem to enjoy playing in the bubbles.

Muffymouse

how big of an airstone?? they don't seem to pay any attention to the ones i have in there now?

andy65

I have heard that the older Cories get the less active during the day and more at night. I can say that seem to be right. My larger 2" Skunk cories sleep most of the day but my smaller 1" Swartz are active all the time.

Muffymouse

one of my 3 is now seeming more sad, in the last 3 weeks he has lost his two brothers that i originally put in the tank. I have given him two new buddies but i don't know if it is helping or if he is sick.

he seems to be swimming even less and his tail fin is all closed down.

what can i do?? any suggestions?

Barbrella

How often do you do water changes, and what amount of water?

Have your tested your water for nitrites and ammonia? Corys are particularly sensitive to bad water conditions.

Muffymouse

I last did a large (50 ish%) water change on saturday. Current parameters are:
ammonia:0
nitrite:0
nitrate:7
ph steady at 7.8

also looking at him now, his dorsal fin is drooping some as well, he looks so sad.

darkwolf29a

Do you vacuum the gravel at all? Nitrates seem a bit high to me. They may be reacting to water. Do you use a water conditioner, RO water??

Muffymouse

People keep mentioning that corys are extremely sensitive to water conditions. Mine must be a really hardy strain of peppered, because this one that is sick has lived through two cyclings (before i knew any better, i now would only cycle fishless) and was happy and apparently healthy in my tank that routinely reached 40+ nitrate, even with frequent cleanings.
As for your questions, yes, i always vacuum the gravel when i do a water change. I am currently conditioning my water with NovAqua+
my question is if a nitrate lvl at (7) seven is too high, where should it be?? It can't be zero!!

slakey

Goto the fish shop that you got him from and ask for their water stats if their nitrate is the same as yours, he should be fine in general...

Mine are on and off active, sometimes just floating around a few inches from the gravel, but my 5 almost always have their fins pointed... Guessing this is a good thing. And 2 of my 3 three-lined cories are very fat lol...

My two black columbians *correct name* aren't so fat, infact they are smaller in length too... maybe just a smaller species of cory.

Muffymouse

He seems to be doing better now, looking less sad, except that his tail fin is still not all out like the other two. His dorsal fin is less drooped as well. Perhaps he too was mourning the loss of his guppy friends

Mostly they seem to just hang out in covered spaces, like between my plastic plants and inside the tree stump, and they rest right on the bottom. sometimes they swim around or they go poking about for tidbits, but mostly they just hang out.

Maybe they are just conning me and are really active when I go to work and pretend to be little rocks when I come home?

mouthmaid

I was told they were very sensitive to water conditions also. I have 2 in a 12 gallon tank and they have survived a very high amonia spike plus my nitrites have been off the chart for the last 2 months. Nobody can explain why, 3 fish stores, but I was told by one guy that if my conditions were that bad they would be dead. Mine are somewhat active but they normally hang out at the bottom and sit. They get extremely active after I vacuum and every is stirred up off of the bottom. I have read on other sites that 75% say the same thing we do and the other 25% say they are active. I am going to try an air stone though as I don't have one.

Gotta love those Corys, they are awfully cute!
Keely

lilsoccakid

most likely, its the high lighting that is causeing them to sit still more. a floating plant, or caves would help a lot

maisy

Same with mine, they love having each other around

Zer0sk8er

my cories would do the same thing sometimes they were active sometimes they werent and would lay down on the ground. i dont know how long they live.

Gilbert

I only have two and they like oxygenated water, they are very active in my "overstocked" 5 gallon. they attack their food! They don't particularily enjoy light. I wouldn't worry too much, it should get back to normal. they can live approx. 2-4 years.