Our new corydoras. Trials and tribulations of fish keeping!

So sadly we lost our 2 honey gouramis ( no idea why can only assume they didn’t like the water pirameters - ph/hardness??) anyway rather than get more, my son chose 3 bronze corydoras. ( we were eventually going to get some anyway)I think he liked their personalities in the shop! When they were eventually released in the tank they were going mad, frantically swimming to the top and diving down again. Then they started more normal catfishy behaviour, rummaging in the sand. Unfortunately we noticed one had a split tail, hoping with water changes it will heal up - it looks clean. ( see last photo)

I ordered some special cat fish pellets which came the next day. However I wonder if they were too big as they just kept glossing over them! The black skirts on the other hand ( or one in particular) kept grabbing them and swimming round with one in his mouth. Suddenly 5 mins later, the pellet has gone and said tetra is fat!!

i ordered some “ mini” sinking food pellets, which are tiny. I had to catch said piggy tetra to stop him eating as he’s clearly eaten something far too big and over eaten, to then put this food in for the corys. Only now the corys are never anywhere to be seen and are usually squished under the led light bar at the back or inside the little ship! I’ve no idea if they come out and rummage at night - if they do I guess they’ll have found the tiny food on the sand - if mr piggy didn’t find it first lol!

this fish keeping business is pretty stressful. People at work are laughing at my trials and tribulations of what everyone ( including me to start with) thinks should be an easy “pet”! I hope our new corys will be ok - I’m not sure we’re good at this despite testing water, water changing and extensive researching. It sounds like it’s normal that they hide a lot, I just don’t know if they’re eating or not, the food is so small I can’t even see it when it’s sunk.

sorry post ended up a rather long brain dump lol!

 

They are pretty underfed and might have been in polluted water. Feed them shrimppellets and frozen food and do frequent waterchanges.

 

As far as the tetra taking the food, maybe you can crush the food up into tiny pieces that would be harder for the tetra to see. The corydoras will find them just by poking all around on the bottom.

 

As far as the tetra taking the food, maybe you can crush the food up into tiny pieces that would be harder for the tetra to see. The corydoras will find them just by poking all around on the bottom.

Believe me they see everything. I think the new mini sinking pellets will work as I think once they hit the floor you’re right they can’t see them in the sand and they tend not to peck at the sand so hopefully any they don’t get on the way down will stay for the corys. I’m just not sure if they venture out. I have a sneaky feeling they might as if I creep up to the tank in complete darkness and turn the light on, I see them scarper and swim for cover. Maybe this means they’ll eat when it’s dark. I hope so.

They are pretty underfed and might have been in polluted water. Feed them shrimppellets and frozen food and do frequent waterchanges.

Do you think they look thin?? We’ve only had them 2/3 days. I’ll have to try and get some fresh or frozen food for them. Trouble is I worry that the tetras will over eat… they seem rather greedy!!!

 

Believe me they see everything. I think the new mini sinking pellets will work as I think once they hit the floor you’re right they can’t see them in the sand and they tend not to peck at the sand so hopefully any they don’t get on the way down will stay for the corys. I’m just not sure if they venture out. I have a sneaky feeling they might as if I creep up to the tank in complete darkness and turn the light on, I see them scarper and swim for cover. Maybe this means they’ll eat when it’s dark. I hope so.

You could even use a mortar and pestle to crush it into very fine pieces. (Crushing it in a bowl with a spoon works too!)

The other thing that can help is to feed them at night when the lights are out in the tank and the room... If you drop the food THEN, your tetra probably won't be able to see it. But the cories will totally forage at night all around on the bottom and will find the food.

It's great you're concerned about them getting enough to eat. There's lots of skinny cories out there for the exact reasons you've laid out. But I bet you can outwit your tetra.

 

You could even use a mortar and pestle to crush it into very fine pieces. (Crushing it in a bowl with a spoon works too!)

The other thing that can help is to feed them at night when the lights are out in the tank and the room... If you drop the food THEN, your tetra probably won't be able to see it. But the cories will totally forage at night all around on the bottom and will find the food.

It's great you're concerned about them getting enough to eat. There's lots of skinny cories out there for the exact reasons you've laid out. But I bet you can outwit your tetra.

I’ll try! perhaps I’ll try sticking some in at night like you say. I don’t know how well tetras see in the dark It’s a bit sad the corys won’t come out when we can see them, I loved seeing them foraging - it’s why we loved them.

 

You could even use a mortar and pestle to crush it into very fine pieces. (Crushing it in a bowl with a spoon works too!)

The other thing that can help is to feed them at night when the lights are out in the tank and the room... If you drop the food THEN, your tetra probably won't be able to see it. But the cories will totally forage at night all around on the bottom and will find the food.

It's great you're concerned about them getting enough to eat. There's lots of skinny cories out there for the exact reasons you've laid out. But I bet you can outwit your tetra.

So last night I tried sneaking in, in the dark and sprinkled some mini pellets in. When I thought they’d have had the chance to sink, I turned on the multi coloured led on a soft shade just so I could have a peek at what was happening. You’ll never guess what I saw….. one Cory was snuffling in the sand ( although unlike “ normal” fish I couldn’t actually see if he was eating - are they generally fussy eaters??) and those clever tetras were flowing behind him eating pellets as the Cory was flicking them up out of the sand behind!!!! 10/10 for ingenuity!!!

 

So last night I tried sneaking in, in the dark and sprinkled some mini pellets in. When I thought they’d have had the chance to sink, I turned on the multi coloured led on a soft shade just so I could have a peek at what was happening. You’ll never guess what I saw….. one Cory was snuffling in the sand ( although unlike “ normal” fish I couldn’t actually see if he was eating - are they generally fussy eaters??) and those clever tetras were flowing behind him eating pellets as the Cory was flicking them up out of the sand behind!!!! 10/10 for ingenuity!!!

No joke! Good job tetras (I guess? Haha).

I am still fairly new to corydoras, so maybe others will chime in, but if the cories are still able to eat maybe it will still work? I know tetras can be fin nippers though so I hope the tetras don't end up biting the cories in their attempt to get the food.

If the tetras do end up damaging the corydoras fins, or if the cories don't seem to be getting plumper, you might have to separate the two species.

About how it's hard to tell if your cories are eating - yes, it's very different! They are sand sifters. There's a really cool video in post #1 here: Corydoras FAQ | Corydoras Forum | 173581

It's so cool! It also makes it so clear why they do best on a sand substrate.

 

No joke! Good job tetras (I guess? Haha).

I am still fairly new to corydoras, so maybe others will chime in, but if the cories are still able to eat maybe it will still work? I know tetras can be fin nippers though so I hope the tetras don't end up biting the cories in their attempt to get the food.

If the tetras do end up damaging the corydoras fins, or if the cories don't seem to be getting plumper, you might have to separate the two species.

About how it's hard to tell if your cories are eating - yes, it's very different! They are sand sifters. There's a really cool video in post #1 here: Corydoras FAQ | Corydoras Forum | 173581

It's so cool! It also makes it so clear why they do best on a sand substrate.

Tetras didn’t seem to be making contact with corys. Just hanging in water behind lol!

 

Tetras didn’t seem to be making contact with corys. Just hanging in water behind lol!

Still alive so far and coming out and snuffling around in the sand vigorously at feeding time so think they must be eating. They are very skittish and shy though. Looks like the tail has mended!