Fat Cory, Sick Or Gravid??

Yesterday I've bought 3 bronze Corydoras to deck out my new 65 l aquarium. I was going to get four, but for now they must share the tank with a smaller bristlenose, and I felt it was unfair to keep 5 catfish in one new tank. When I move Mildred (the bristlenose) out, I will hopefully buy them another friend or two, tank permitting.

They seem to be settling in well, they are very active, and are feeding voraciously on the algae wafers I've been dropping in for them, as the tank is rather new and there isn't enough buildup for them to actually forage for right now. They keep swimming up and down the glass, and have extensively explored the new tank.

The smaller of the three I'm a tad worried about. It seems to have a bit of a fat gut, but it doesn't seem akin to cases of dropsy I've seen. It's also a little less active than the other 2, but is still very very active. It is also the only one I've seen taking the time out to hide in some of the ornaments I've set up, but is still, like I've said, very social and active.

Is it possible that it's sick or stressed, or could it be a female with eggs, scouting out potential spawning grounds? Or could it just be a fat cory for me to keep an eye on?

Other fish in the tank include 1 large angelfish, and 3 swordtails, as well as Mildred, the bristle nose. And I know I said the tank was new, but we used an entire bucket of water and all the gravel from a smaller tank it was replacing, as well as all the correct conditioners and stuff.

For the photos, it's the highest one up.

 

Try not feeding them for a day. They often look like that straight after feeding, those greedy pigs. I also recommend using something other than algae wafers, not enough protein for cories. Maybe try sinking wafers? (Also made by HikarI - here's the link: HikarI info : HikarI Tropical SINKING WAFERS)

 

Try not feeding them for a day. They often look like that straight after feeding, those greedy pigs. I also recommend using something other than algae wafers, not enough protein for cories. Maybe try sinking wafers? (Also made by Hikari)

Ok, I'll try that. I've just double checked what I've actually been feeding them, and they're vege wafers, not algae wafers. It reckons that it's high in protein, and the guaranteed analysis states a minimum of 35% protein. Attached a photo of its back label. Is this still going to be adequate as a staple for the corys? I also plan on giving them bits of cucumber here and there, my friend assures me they love them.

 

Ok, I'll try that. I've just double checked what I've actually been feeding them, and they're vege wafers, not algae wafers. It reckons that it's high in protein, and the guaranteed analysis states a minimum of 35% protein. Attached a photo of its back label. Is this still going to be adequate as a staple for the corys? I also plan on giving them bits of cucumber here and there, my friend assures me they love them.View attachment 492995

They're mainly carnivorous fish, so they should be fed as such.

 

You may have lucked out and ended up with a trio. Do a large water change with the water a couple of degrees cooler than the aquariums water. If you indeed do have a trio they may spawn for you. If you see the larger one (female) nose poking one of the smaller ones (male) in the mid section they are starting to spawn.

 

You definitely have room for more corys and I really don't think having your BN Pleco in there will cause any problems. Elbert (over there in my avatar) lives in my 55 with who knows for sure how many corys. They are comfortable enough to keep breeding and sometimes the eggs hatch before getting gobbled up by both the parents and all the other fish.

this cooler weather is making them lay eggs like crazy right now so I expect to see more fry in there before long.

They really do need a meatier diet. I feed mine shrimp pellets and HikarI sinking wafers for their main diet but they also pig out on the Crisps I feed all the other guys. I always drop in a few extra and make sure they sink to the bottom.

The corys won't out compete your pleco for algae.

 

she is egg bound, that is all.
EDIT: I thinjk those ar green and gold cories, not bronze cories, and the variation in the green and gold cories can be pale when they are with light gravel like the one you have, and because they are genetically born that way sometimes.