Pygmy Corys - Preventing Reproduction

[freeblackfish]

How do I prevent pygmy corys from reproducing? I'm having quite a problem. I adopted 10 not intending them to reproduce. I thought removing any eggs laid on the glass would be enough, but I didn't know until recently that they also lay eggs in ceramic caves and under plant leaves.

I now find myself with 20+ fry, possibly 30+. I'm rather alarmed by this.

To prevent further reproduction, should I separate the adults as best as I can by sex and place those of one sex in a separate tank?

What about the fry: should I separate them and wait until they grow into adults to separate them by sex? I'd like to leave them in the tank for as long as possible: is there any way I can keep them there until I can clearly differentiate by sex? (The worry is that they will reproduce before I can separate them by sex.)

Should I remove all decor and plants so they only can place eggs on the glass?

Is there anything I can do to the water to inhibit reproduction? I know mating is stimulated in the wild by rainfall, where the cooler rainwater mixes into the surrounding water. With that in mind, I've switched to doing water changes by drip acclimator (IV tube basically) to prevent drastic changes in temperature from water changes. The water is conditioned tap water, and the water in my location is typically hard and higher pH (8+). For their comfort, I've thus far been softening their water (API Water Softening pillow) and bringing the pH down with Neutral Regulator and their substrate naturally brings their pH down.

I'm aware that I can bring them to the LFS and/or give them away by advertising on various forums. I know that most people want their fish to reproduce. For the sake of this thread, please assume that cannot/don't want to give them away, and I simply don't want them to reproduce. Please take those as given for the sake of this case.

My goal, again, is to prevent further reproduction.

Thanks very much.

 

[AcornTheBetta]

How do I prevent pygmy corys from reproducing? I'm having quite a problem. I adopted 10 not intending them to reproduce. I thought removing any eggs laid on the glass would be enough, but I didn't know until recently that they also lay eggs in ceramic caves and under plant leaves.

I now find myself with 20+ fry, possibly 30+. I'm rather alarmed by this.

To prevent further reproduction, should I separate the adults as best as I can by sex and place those of one sex in a separate tank?

What about the fry: should I separate them and wait until they grow into adults to separate them by sex? I'd like to leave them in the tank for as long as possible: is there any way I can keep them there until I can clearly differentiate by sex? (The worry is that they will reproduce before I can separate them by sex.)

Should I remove all decor and plants so they only can place eggs on the glass?

Is there anything I can do to the water to inhibit reproduction? I know mating is stimulated in the wild by rainfall, where the cooler rainwater mixes into the surrounding water. With that in mind, I've switched to doing water changes by drip acclimator (IV tube basically) to prevent drastic changes in temperature from water changes. The water is conditioned tap water, and the water in my location is typically hard and higher pH (8+). For their comfort, I've thus far been softening their water (API Water Softening pillow) and bringing the pH down with Neutral Regulator and their substrate naturally brings their pH down.

I'm aware that I can bring them to the LFS and/or give them away by advertising on various forums. I know that most people want their fish to reproduce. For the sake of this thread, please assume that cannot/don't want to give them away, and I simply don't want them to reproduce. Please take those as given for the sake of this case.

My goal, again, is to prevent further reproduction.

Thanks very much.

Honestly, I don't think there is any way other than to sex them and put the two genders separately. One flaw in this is that at least one of the groups will have 6> fish and that is a problem. You could separate them, split the fry 50/50 and grow the fry and then add to the populations to form bigger schools. Hope this helps!

 

[JayAlva]

Are they in an Aquarium with any other fish? Or is it species only I ask because more than likely another type of fish will eat fry. And if they manage to survive you can always take them to a lfs and either donate them or try trade for store credit.

 

[MacZ]

How do I prevent pygmy corys from reproducing? I'm having quite a problem. I adopted 10 not intending them to reproduce. I thought removing any eggs laid on the glass would be enough, but I didn't know until recently that they also lay eggs in ceramic caves and under plant leaves.

I now find myself with 20+ fry, possibly 30+. I'm rather alarmed by this.

To prevent further reproduction, should I separate the adults as best as I can by sex and place those of one sex in a separate tank?

What about the fry: should I separate them and wait until they grow into adults to separate them by sex? I'd like to leave them in the tank for as long as possible: is there any way I can keep them there until I can clearly differentiate by sex? (The worry is that they will reproduce before I can separate them by sex.)

Should I remove all decor and plants so they only can place eggs on the glass?

Is there anything I can do to the water to inhibit reproduction? I know mating is stimulated in the wild by rainfall, where the cooler rainwater mixes into the surrounding water. With that in mind, I've switched to doing water changes by drip acclimator (IV tube basically) to prevent drastic changes in temperature from water changes. The water is conditioned tap water, and the water in my location is typically hard and higher pH (8+). For their comfort, I've thus far been softening their water (API Water Softening pillow) and bringing the pH down with Neutral Regulator and their substrate naturally brings their pH down.

I'm aware that I can bring them to the LFS and/or give them away by advertising on various forums. I know that most people want their fish to reproduce. For the sake of this thread, please assume that cannot/don't want to give them away, and I simply don't want them to reproduce. Please take those as given for the sake of this case.

My goal, again, is to prevent further reproduction.

Thanks very much.

Besides sexing and separating there is no way of preventing fish from reproduction when the conditions are good for the species to reproduce.

Only thing that might do something: Bring your WC-water to temperature before the waterchange, so that there is no temperature difference. That's the only thing that won't kill them outright or longterm. Changing the pH / hardness will not work. They breed in pH of 6 as well as in 8.

But reading what you thought about already, I have only ONE option for you: Don't keep them or any fish that readily reproduce in tank conditions. Sad and stupid as it sounds.

I might add: I don't want to breed any fish anymore since I've done that for years, so I keep fish now that are easy to keep but hard to breed mostly because they need conditions for breeding I can't offer. (Cardinal tetras need pH below 6 and hardness at zero, my apistogramma also prefer lower pH for reproduction than I have.)

 

[freeblackfish]

Honestly, I don't think there is any way other than to sex them and put the two genders separately. One flaw in this is that at least one of the groups will have 6> fish and that is a problem. You could separate them, split the fry 50/50 and grow the fry and then add to the populations to form bigger schools. Hope this helps!

I think this is what I'll have to do. I'll keep the fry in the main tank, set up two additional tanks, sex the adults and separate them, then sex the fry as they mature. I'll also have to not provide the adults with plants or shelters (except maybe Indian almond leaves they can hide under) so there aren't places where they can lay eggs, in case I screw up the sexing and a male ends up in the female tank or vice versa.

No predators or anything so it's going to be a big job (for me, given my stress tolerance when it comes to keeping fish). Thanks all.

Are they in an Aquarium with any other fish? Or is it species only I ask because more than likely another type of fish will eat fry. And if they manage to survive you can always take them to a lfs and either donate them or try trade for store credit.

Just two otos. The fry are surviving just fine.

Does anyone know how long it takes for them to reach sexual maturity? My fear is that the fry will mature and reproduce before I can sex them. That's why I'm going to remove much of the decor: fewer locations to place eggs where I might miss them/more on the glass where I can immediately see them and remove them.

Thanks for the advice, all.

 

[Lilthuglet]

I've just been confidently told by the specialist aquarium store that the corys they sold me can't be sexed as jeuveniles but not to worry as will eat all the eggs and won't breed. I have a feeling I am goin to end up with a lot of corys. Bother.

 

[DoubleDutch]

You have a problem a lot of people (including myself) are dreaming of.

 

[freeblackfish]

Besides sexing and separating there is no way of preventing fish from reproduction when the conditions are good for the species to reproduce.

Only thing that might do something: Bring your WC-water to temperature before the waterchange, so that there is no temperature difference. That's the only thing that won't kill them outright or longterm. Changing the pH / hardness will not work. They breed in pH of 6 as well as in 8.

But reading what you thought about already, I have only ONE option for you: Don't keep them or any fish that readily reproduce in tank conditions. Sad and stupid as it sounds.

I might add: I don't want to breed any fish anymore since I've done that for years, so I keep fish now that are easy to keep but hard to breed mostly because they need conditions for breeding I can't offer. (Cardinal tetras need pH below 6 and hardness at zero, my apistogramma also prefer lower pH for reproduction than I have.)

Thanks.

I've just been confidently told by the specialist aquarium store that the corys they sold me can't be sexed as jeuveniles but not to worry as will eat all the eggs and won't breed. I have a feeling I am goin to end up with a lot of corys. Bother.

Yes, it's quite miserable if you're not interested in breeding. Supposedly they can be sexed as juveniles (i.e., after their tadpole-like fry stage), but I'm not confident that I'll be able to do so. As adults, it's substantially easier but not guaranteed: the females are much larger.

 

[ProudPapa]

. . I'll also have to not provide the adults with plants or shelters (except maybe Indian almond leaves they can hide under) so there aren't places where they can lay eggs, in case I screw up the sexing and a male ends up in the female tank or vice versa. . .

I'm glad you still plan to provide them with some places to hide to reduce their stress. Large leaves would be a good choice since it should be easy to check them for eggs periodically.

 

[freeblackfish]

I'm glad you still plan to provide them with some places to hide to reduce their stress. Large leaves would be a good choice since it should be easy to check them for eggs periodically.

Exactly. I figure every other day will be a safe way to do it.

After sexing the fry (and waiting a few months in case there were any hiding in the main tank and/or if there were any males in the female tank, etc.), I'll move the larger population back to the main tank (after restoring the earlier setup).

 

[mattgirl]

I don't know if your little guys will follow the same path my albino/bronze corys have followed. I started with 3 albino and 3 bronze. I now have at least 25 bronze. There are too many and they move to fast to get an accurate head count. Mine have stopped laying eggs. Up until a few months ago I found eggs on a daily basis. Scraping eggs was just part of the daily things I did along with feeding the fish. BTW: All my fish enjoyed eating the eggs.

 

[tomiyama]

I’m in the same boat as Mattgirl my albino Aeneus (3) have bred a third time in 8 years and now I have 35 three month old cories. I put them in a breeder net with an air bubbler and was more successful (too successful) this third time. The second time only three survived and then died after a year and a half after a water change. In July two adult cories died of old age I guess because they are 10 years old. I have one adult female albino left.
Ran into an ex employee of Critters fish store and her teenage daughter will take a few off my hands. Not sure what I will do with the rest maybe move some to the other tank.
Mattgirl do you find your cory kids are of varying size? I have a few runts and some of the others seem to be 3 times bigger....

 

[mattgirl]

I’m in the same boat as Mattgirl my albino Aeneus (3) have bred a third time in 8 years and now I have 35 three month old cories. I put them in a breeder net with an air bubbler and was more successful (too successful) this third time. The second time only three survived and then died after a year and a half after a water change. In July two adult cories died of old age I guess because they are 10 years old. I have one adult female albino left.
Ran into an ex employee of Critters fish store and her teenage daughter will take a few off my hands. Not sure what I will do with the rest maybe move some to the other tank.
Mattgirl do you find your cory kids are of varying size? I have a few runts and some of the others seem to be 3 times bigger....

One or two of mine are smaller than the rest but for the most part all the males are one size and of course the females are bigger. I do have a few really big females though. All of mine are at the very least maybe 2 years old now. I've not gotten any babies in a long time. Some I collected the eggs and hatched them. Others hatched all on their own in the tank.

Oops, sorry for hijacking your thread freeblackfish

 

[freeblackfish]

Typically is the ratio of males to female 1 to 1?

 

[mattgirl]

Typically is the ratio of males to female 1 to 1?

I will admit. I don't know. It seems I have more males than I do females. Normally while my female was laying eggs there would be several males following her.

 

[jake37]

A mystery snail would eat the cory eggs.


Btw a lot of folks would love tank raised pygmy cory. They are hard to find.

 

[freeblackfish]

A mystery snail would eat the cory eggs.


Btw a lot of folks would love tank raised pygmy cory. They are hard to find.

Thanks. I read that about mystery snails. I'm ordering one today. Just one, since I don't want to end up with baby mystery snails either lol.

 

[mattgirl]

Thanks. I read that about mystery snails. I'm ordering one today. Just one, since I don't want to end up with baby mystery snails either lol.

The great thing about mystery snails is you won't get overrun with them unless you choose to do so. Unlike some other snails they lay a clutch of eggs right above the water line. Just remove and discard that clutch and you will have no babies.

 

[freeblackfish]

Anyone know at what age they (pygmy corys) typically start breeding? I want to make sure to sex them well before then. Thanks a lot fo the advice, everyone, and the interesting discussion.

The great thing about mystery snails is you won't get overrun with them unless you choose to do so. Unlike some other snails they lay a clutch of eggs right above the water line. Just remove and discard that clutch and you will have no babies.

Oh thanks for that. Maybe a few are ok then. I don't want them missing any errant eggs.

Random question, but what's the best way to discard the eggs? I'd hate for them to hatch in a landfill, etc. Would freezing them work?

 

[mattgirl]

Oh thanks for that. Maybe a few are ok then. I don't want them missing any errant eggs.

Random question, but what's the best way to discard the eggs? I'd hate for them to hatch in a landfill, etc. Would freezing them work?

I don't know about freezing them but I would think allowing them to dry out would prevent them hatching. If you aren't overly squeamish you could wrap them in a paper towel and squash them.

Anyone know at what age they typically start breeding? I want to make sure to sex them well before then. Thanks a lot fo the advice, everyone, and the interesting discussion.

To be honest I am not sure how old mine were before they started laying eggs. I do know I had my original albino/bronze for about 3 months before they started. They were pretty small when I first got them so were pretty young.

All this to say I suspect your young ones will be getting ready to breed at 4 or 5 months old. I don't know if the timeline will be the same for pygmy's as it is for albino though.

 

[MacZ]

The smaller the fish the harder to sex. And the faster the life cycle. So... it might be impossible to sex them except when you catch them red handed and see which one lays the eggs.

 

[freeblackfish]

Hey there again, everyone. I was wondering: do you think a breeder box (like the large Marina/Fluval hang-on-back breeder) might have any role here, for:

• Sexed adult females, or
• Sexed adult males, or
• Sexed suspected young females, or
• Sexed suspected young males

I'd prefer not to handle the fry; I'd rather wait until the fry grow up in the main tank to the point where I can try to sex them (the sexed suspected males/females mentioned above).

I'd add an Indian almond/capitata leaf or two to the breeder box, to provide a hiding area.

My ultimate goal is for my main tank to contain only males or females, whichever I have more of, and a second tank similarly set up for the other sex. I don't have that second tank set up yet, however, though I can set up a 5-gallon and a 10-gallon within a week. The 10-gallon might be sufficient, if there are few enough males or females.

As mentioned before, there's going to be a point where the adults are living in very spare quarters with just a capitata leaf or two, so I can clearly see if there are any new eggs laid on any surface (which in the case of such a spare setup, will necessarily be the glass or possibly the leaves).

That said, can I use the breeding box for something? A temporary hold for suspected male/female young pygmy corys? It's only 0.5 gallons, whereas the corys' present tank is 20 gallons, so I suspect that I can't keep too many adult or juvenile corys in the breeding box for too long (or can I?).

Thanks SO much for you thoughts on this one, everyone.

 

[mattgirl]

You may be preparing for a problem that might not be a problem if you choose to add mystery snails. I have a feeling they will eat their weight in eggs. Even my assassin snails eat cory eggs. Of course you have to want snails in your cory tank. If you prefer not to have any snails I understand that too. Not everyone wants them. I didn't used to but do now. I gained a lot of respect for their role in our hobby and some of them are just downright cute.

I wouldn't be comfortable housing corys in a breeder box but it might work if it was just for a very short period of time.

 

[freeblackfish]

You may be preparing for a problem that might not be a problem if you choose to add mystery snails. I have a feeling they will eat their weight in eggs. Even my assassin snails eat cory eggs. Of course you have to want snails in your cory tank. If you prefer not to have any snails I understand that too. Not everyone wants them. I didn't used to but do now. I gained a lot of respect for their role in our hobby and some of them are just downright cute.

I wouldn't be comfortable housing corys in a breeder box but it might work if it was just for a very short period of time.

Good points. Just ordered three mystery snails.

That said, many if not possibly all the female pygmy corys seem pretty identifiable: they're so much larger, assuming there aren't any abnormally small ones. I think I'll separate them at least, staying vigilant for any new females among the maturing fry and juveniles.

 

[mattgirl]

Good points. Just ordered three mystery snails.

That said, many if not possibly all the female pygmy corys seem pretty identifiable: they're so much larger, assuming there aren't any abnormally small ones. I think I'll separate them at least, staying vigilant for any new females among the maturing fry and juveniles.

That sounds like a good plan. I know I can tell my males from female bronze corys. The females are considerable bigger than the males. Sadly at one point I lost my female albino. She was my most prolific egg producer. Both of the other albinos are males. She was at least 3 times bigger than they are. It is the same with all the bronze. The females definitely stand out from the much smaller males. Hopefully it is the same with your little guys and girls and you will be able to easily seperate them should you choose to do so even after you get your mystery snails.

 

[freeblackfish]

That sounds like a good plan. I know I can tell my males from female bronze corys. The females are considerable bigger than the males. Sadly at one point I lost my female albino. She was my most prolific egg producer. Both of the other albinos are males. She was at least 3 times bigger than they are. It is the same with all the bronze. The females definitely stand out from the much smaller males. Hopefully it is the same with your little guys and girls and you will be able to easily seperate them should you choose to do so even after you get your mystery snails.

Thanks. I'm hoping the juvenile females will become clearly identifiable before they're able to reproduce.