Is it okay that all my cories are different species? I feel bad!

Hi all! When I first started my aquarium a little over a year ago, I didn't realize that corys preferred being with their own species. So, I have six different types of corys. I've got an albino, an emerald, a false Juli, a similis, a bandit, and a salt and pepper. They all get along very well, and swim and sleep together. However, I wonder how much their lives might improve with a school of their own species. I can't do anything about this now, obviously, but maybe as I grow my tank collection I'll find a way to make that happen for them. They seem to be quite happy, though. Let me know what you think!

Bonus question: My first bandit passed away about a month back (I'm really not sure why - parameters were good and there were no signs of sickness), so today, I got a new one. He came in the mail and he is GIANT. Like the biggest cory I've ever seen. Twice as big as my smallest one now. I'm worried he might bully the smaller guys or even my loaches. I want to keep him of course, but he is SO big! Do you think there might be any problems with that?

 

They should be with their own species, and albino is the same species and will school with it's non-albino counter-part.

 

This is a really good question and I’d love to hear what others think! I have a tank of endlers and guppies -4 japanese swordtails, 2 silverado endlers and 2 black bars. These guys could interbreed ( if they were not all males!) and loosely associate with each other, but stick like glue to their own species. Even within the endlers group, the 2 black bars hang out the most with each other and the same is true for the silverados. I would love to know what goes on in their little piscene heads...

 

Welcome to fishlore btw! Yeah corys can be on their own. They won’t die or get depression or anything, but it’s the general consensus that they like to have buddies of their own species. Super interesting that they like to hang out with each other. I have a group of eight c. aeneus and they don’t care for each other at all (except for my original pair that I got ages ago. Those two are glued together)

 

Sure people will be after my head for this, but if it ain't broke, why fix it?

 

Sure people will be after my head for this, but if it ain't broke, why fix it?

I don't like chasing people's heads, they are too hard to catch.

 

what i have heard is that the different types will socialize but do better in groups of their own species. i made a very similar mistake (I have 2 bronze and one peppered in a tank rn) so i'll be splitting them up into 2 tanks soon and getting more of each type.

 

Popular and most opinion is always going to say keep species with their own.
But really you need to observe your fish. Do you see it acting as most Cory's do? Are they swimming together? Feeding together? If you see their behavior be social and dont see stress indicators don't worry about it. If you see it just laying around not doing the typical cory playfulness then I would recommend upping their numbers if you have the room.

 

I have two corys of one species and about 6 of the another. I’ve noticed the two tend to stay by themselves and don’t really school or hang out with the other corys. I think after seeing how different they act when in a group I would say that you should have atleast three of each, but four or more would be best.

 

They should be with their own species, and albino is the same species and will school with it's non-albino counter-part.

The Albino hasn't a same species fish in this tank.

 

Welcome to fishlore btw! Yeah corys can be on their own. They won’t die or get depression or anything, but it’s the general consensus that they like to have buddies of their own species. Super interesting that they like to hang out with each other. I have a group of eight c. aeneus and they don’t care for each other at all (except for my original pair that I got ages ago. Those two are glued together)

"Caring for each other" doesn't say anything about the need for this social fish to be in each others company.

Most of these fish aren't in enormous shoals in the wild for nothing. The interaction and behaviour between same species is by far different than on their own. Of course they'll live but if we want them to thrive and feel good compagnions of their own species is BY FAR better.

Is there soneone here keeping one neon, one cardinal, one red eyed tetra, one lemon, one rosy tetra in a shoal ? I doubt it.
Will they live? : yes. Will they thrive? : nope

 

. . . I can't do anything about this now, obviously, but maybe as I grow my tank collection I'll find a way to make that happen for them. They seem to be quite happy, though. Let me know what you think!

I disagree with the highlighted statement above, or at least it's not obvious. Have you considered picking out your favorite, getting a half dozen or so more of them, and re-homing the rest?

 

I disagree with the highlighted statement above, or at least it's not obvious. Have you considered picking out your favorite, getting a half dozen or so more of them, and re-homing the rest?

Yeah. I'm in an extremely rural area right now for college and I don't know anyone in the hobby IRL anywhere near me. I've tried facebook, craigslist, everything. No one wants to take any of them. The only LFS near me is petco and I really don't want to send them there.