Cory Fry in Community Tank?

My cories laid a bunch of eggs last week, which i transferred into a breeder box that was floating in the main tank. Problem is, it seems the newborn fry were small enough to swim right out of the box and into the main tank. I watched them hatch and escape 6 days ago. I wasn't sure if any were still alive until this morning, when I saw at least 2 swimming around. Yay! I tried to net them and get them back in the breeder box, but was unsuccessful in catching them. My question is, can I leave them in the community tank? It's a 50gal heavily planted/decorated with only cories, guppies, and RCS at the moment. Or if not, does anyone have any suggestions on catching them? They're so small right now that I can't even see them most of the time, and they're fast. I wasn't trying to breed them or anything but I would still love if at least a couple of the little guys made it!

 

You could try to add more plants, even artificial ones just for more hiding places until they are a bit bigger

 

Hide a big wad of Java moss or a mop or both in a back corner if you can.
I imagine the guppies will eat them but with an area to hide that is coated in biofilm you should have enough little corries survive that they become a problem.

 

Okay update - there are at least 4 or 5 little cories in there! They seem to be living around/underneath a piece of driftwood that has a tiny cave under it that is too small for any of my other fish to get in. It is surrounded by dense dwarf baby tears that they also seem to be hiding in/swimming through, and I moved some of my moss into that corner as well. Does it sound like they'll be safe there? Should my goal still be to get them into the breeder box if I'm able? I'm worried about netting them when they're this small.

 

No, don't try to catch them. Years ago I had the same problem as you've got. As you have got areas in the tank that the fry can get to, but not the other fish,in my opinion it's much better to leave things as they are. As CHJ said a clump of Java moss or a yarn mop will be fantastic hiding places for the fry. Wish you success in rearing the Cory fry !

 

Agree. Good luck!

 

Thank you all for the advice! I have some christmas moss in there now, but will try to get java moss and/or a mop in there as well.

 

One more question - how should I go about feeding the fry? Last time I had cory fry I fed them several times a day, but they were in their own tank then and I don't want to have the adults overfed as a result of trying to feed the fry enough.

 

I think if your tank is established they will be fine. Maybe add some food to the little nook they hide in once a day