Annabelle

Well, I finally got some fish in my tank! Well, at least I will have when they finish acclimatising. I am now the proud owner of two little cories, one peppered and one albino. It was a long wait but now I have started and I will continue. Next will be the neons. Im really quite excited!

The shop that I got the albino cory from is a bit strange tho. I went in there last week to scout prices and the condition of the tanks etc and that time when I went I saw a bronze cory sucked against the filter. I told the lady we were talking to and she immediately got the net and moved him gently off the filter and thanked me for telling her. This time around I bought the cory and in the process of catching the one cory I wanted she ended up with a second cory, an albino zebra danio and a glass catfish. I didnt notice at first as she had put the bag in a plastic carry bag. I found out when I got home and now I have to return the rest. Its just lucky that I know enough to know that I cant keep the spares as they are shoaling fish and to pander to thier conditions would grossly overstock my tank.

After I bought the fish I saw that 2 of their mollies were sucked against the filter. I told the lady that had sold me the fish and she said they were just cleaning it. I insited that I thought they were stuck as they were mollies and I didnt think mollies cleaned surfaces. She said ok and I went to the car and put my fish in. My consience told me that she hadn't actually done anything so I went back in and nicely insited that I was quite worried and she should at least look. She followed me telling me that the guy in the store had been working on the tanks all day so it was ok but she saw them and I stood there till she had moved the mollies off the filter. One was dead and the other one looked a little wonky. Grrr!

She was sooo obtuse. She didnt even know what a cory was when I originally asked for one. She was pointing to the albino tiger barbs and the albino danios till I said "no, the cory catfish". As the cories were the only catfish in the tank she finally got it.

Now im in two minds as to whether to go back there. The tanks are kept nice and there arent usually dead fish in them and she is the only staff member so far that seems to be uncaring and unknowledgeable but she really did beat all. Im also tempted to keep the second cory but Im pushing the stocking rule of thumb to the limit with my current stocking plans so Id better not.

Annabelle

OK, I caved. I now have 3 cories. I couldnt take the other one back. I was strong on the danio and the glass catfish but I got to the cory and caved. The 3 of them are really happy and have settled in well. They are so gorgeous!

When I took the danio and glass catfish back the lady said that she had told me I could have them. She knowingly gave me 4 fish for the price of one. Wierd no? I dont think she knows anything about fish otherwise she wouldnt have given me one danio and one glass catfish and not asked questions about my tank or other fish or any of that. I cant comfortably fit a school each of neons, danios, and glass catfish as well as 3 cories into a 2ft! I dont think that thought even entered her head. Really dont think I will go back ther unless I am desperate and they are the only place that have something that I need.

Lucy

I'm glad to hear your cories are doing so well, they are so cute.

Interesting about the fish lady, is she new? I'm convinced, people will sell you anything whether it's right ot not.

Annabelle

She must have been new. The thing is, she gave me the 4 fish for the price of the one cory I asked for. Very strange.

Jugglo

kool, free fish lol.

Annabelle

Thought I'd update. Sadly, I lost one of the little albino cories and I dont even know why. The water stats were all fine as was the temp. The little guy didnt have ne external signs of illness. I just found him floating upside down one morning.

My other two little guys are doing great though. They have settled right down and are completely at home now. After the little one died I did some bigger water changes (50%) every second day for bout a week just to make sure the water stayed good the way it was meant to. Its so funny watching the two fellas sifting through thier sand and rearraging it.

Jugglo

Sorry u lost one. what other fish do u have?

Annabelle

So far its just the 2 cories and a betta. I want to pick up another cory and a shoal of neons and that will finish my tank.

Lucy

You really shouldn't put the neons in with the betta, they can be fins nippers.

Annabelle

Well, I have a tank spare if they show signs of picking on him but he seems to be able to hold his own so far so I want to see if it will work as he really likes having all the space that the 2ft provides. Ill spend like a whole day watching them and then just every spare minute for the rest of the week to make sure he doesnt get hurt.

griffin

i'd actually be more concerned that the betta would be nipping the neons as opposed to the other way around. just then, that's just imo

Annabelle

Well, I put the neons in and so far so good. He hasnt harrassed them at all and they havent paid ne attention to him. Im keeping an eye on them just in case but its going well.

Nethan

Free fish sounds good. So did you went back to that shop again?
well you can save more fish from that lousy shop keeper. Just dont take any advice from her then.
Cories are cute. I have 1 peppered cory, 1 panda cory (unfortunately went missing in my tank) Now planning to get back another.

Annabelle

Well, I havent gone back there yet for stock cause I have a more reliable store which I like to give my buissness to. I only went there in the first place because the store I usually go to was out of albino cories. I think that maybe I will buy my stock from the good store if I can and use the other store to get my water chemicals and things for my other pets as they have a pretty big range of pet needs. Free fish is good except for the fact that two of the fish were ones I couldnt have in my tank and being single shoaling fish I would have to buy them a shoal each which would end up costing more.

Its not like im rescuing them really because they do keep thier tanks really well and I havent seen disease or ne thing like them in it. Its just so hard to deal with a shop assistant who doesnt know the difference between an albino tiger barb, albino zebra danio and an albino cory. Being albino doesnt make it that confusing, they are all completely different fish. Plus, I cant stand it when shop assistants in stores that sell animals dont care whether thier stock lives or dies. It drives me crazy and I want to yell at them. I dont of course, but it takes self control.

I wish panda cories were as common around here as they seem to be everywhere else. I would like to get one cause ive seen pics and they look so cute but all we get here are peppered, bronze and albino. Im thinking cories are now one of my favourite fish.

Annabelle

Well, just updating as im really quite excited. I have asked my favourite local pet shop if they could get a Panda Cory in for me and they said it was no problem. My little panda is coming in with thier next shipment of fish! My little question even started something big with one of the owners of the store. He has put a board up and is going to put the pictures and names of all the fish they can order in on the board so that customers can see more possibilities. I was talking to his wife who co-owns the store with him and she said he is really excited about it and engrossed in putting it together now.

With my little panda cory going in and the last couple of neons my tank is almost complete.

Lucy

That's pretty cool!

Good luck with your new panda, I'm sure you're excited.