Tiny Cories

[RonWill]

ok ok... so the Corydoras oiapoquensis isn't a tiny cory but it's helluva cute

Here's a pic of the adult and it's fry.


In another tank, I've a group of assorted sized habrosus fry. Here's 2 juvenile and their mommy.

[RonWill]

Something for cory fans to ponder over

[stormhawk]

Ron, that's good breed more hastatus. I've got a few empty tanks in need of some scavengers. \/

[whuntley]

Something for cory fans to ponder over

I'm green with envy!

Wright

[RonWill]

Fret not, Wright. Let me see if I can get their numbers up by the time shipping permits, and both you and Bill will receive a sampling of pygmy corys.

The Corydoras habrosus is reproducing fine and I hope that the C. hastatus will keep going at it like rabbits. Oddly, the C. pygmaeus prospect isn't that bright or perhaps the environment I provided isn't conducive enough. [I'll work on that <wink>]

I believe that home-bred specimens will be more robust for the journey but it's their habitual dashes to the surface (for air?) that'll be problematic since the breather bags will be devoid of air pockets. Comments?

For those well-versed with Cory species, are there other pygmies I missed out? BTW, did I mention that having juvenile corys in grow-out tanks, together with ramhorn snails, is a terrific combination?.

[stormhawk]

There are five species generally regarded as dwarf corys.

C. habrosus
C. hastatus
C. pygmaeus
C. gracilis
C. xinguensis

Of the group, xinguensis is the largest but easily differentiated since it has a brownish body with small black dots peppered throughout the body except for the fins. C. gracilis is the rarest species, with specimens easily fetching SGD 100+ here locally. They very seldom come in big batches, usually a small number here and there.

Other dwarf type species close to Corydoras would be their cousins the Aspidoras. There are still a number of Aspidoras fuscoguttatus available at the shops. Ron, if you want to try this let me know.

These seem to be tough customers, having survived the initial die-off period. Other Aspidoras, such as pauciradiatus, seem to get infected with white spot easily and die off in large numbers, making them unpopular with the suppliers who import these in. Usually the local warm temperatures cause this white spot effect to occur since they more or less come from cooler temperatures. When subjected to stress they can just get sick and die off. Very fragile creatures.

[RonWill]

Folks,
Here's an update on the Corydoras similis that Jian Yang showed earlier in the thread.


...and how the C. hastatus has grown (harvested 050216 - YYMMDD)

Lost a few weaker fry but the rest are eating and scooting well.

I may have stumbled onto something but it's what the hastatus prefer. Here's their 2nd spawn, together with a young juvenile from the earlier brood for size comparison. It's a good thing that my Walter Worm Culture was finally prolific.

These fry are now in a grow-out container with some freshly harvested Red Ramhorn 'snailets' (what are baby snails called )

(with a young regular brown ramhorn)

Wright and Bill, if you wish, I can zap these 'snailets' over with the hastatus, weather permitting

[ruyle]

Ronnie, the little guys are certainly cute! The weather is still up and down
where I am, and I suggest waiting at least a couple weeks till it settles out
to warmer (and consistent) temps. Had bad luck with the P. myersi Kinkole: all eggs arrived DOA due to taking twice as long as USPS express
was supposed to, (they delivered to my roadside mailbox on a Sunday!)
and the eggs were all white and fungused Chuck will send more when
he can.

I have a tank with a sandy bottom they'd look great in! What temp do you keep them?

Regards,

Bill

[RonWill]

Bill, sorry to hear about the myersi. From the pics I've seen online, they're real pretty. I, too, lost a few Procatopus species after a massive waterchange (my fault). Apparently these fellas don't like sudden drifts in parameters. (heh... I'll have to drop Chuck a note too <blush>)

My P. signifer fry, however, have happily settled down in the new 3tier 4ft setup, schooling within their confined partition and doesn't harass similar sized ANN (EU male/Asian female) companions.

C. hastatus aren't too particular and will do fine from 24~29ºC, pH5.5~7 and most were bred/raised in mulm-laden containers, undemanding low-light plants and gentle aeration. They'll love sandy substrate, foraging and digging in for that elusive tubifex!

When the weather is good and holding, let me know. Meanwhile, share with me some thoughts about packing (the no-airpocket thingie).

[stormhawk]

On the contrary, hastatus don't actually "dig" into the sand like their long-nosed cousins do. What they usually do is to sift a little sand with the food item into their mouths and slowly filter off the sand via their gills. With hastatus, a tank with a thin layer of sand and lots of plant cover will make them very happy. As will a slight current from a small filter.

[ruyle]

When the weather is good and holding, let me know. Meanwhile, share with me some thoughts about packing (the no-airpocket thingie).

Ronnie, I'd double bag them with 1/3 water and 2/3 air using bag buddies
tabs for the trip over. With a "This Side UP!" printed prominently on the
sides of the box. And yes I'll be glad to pay the Fedex postage

Bill

[coryfav]

There are five species generally regarded as dwarf corys.

C. habrosus
C. hastatus
C. pygmaeus
C. gracilis
C. xinguensis

JianYang, don't forget the C. cochui.

[stormhawk]

Oh yes thats right I forgot the C. cochui. Thanks for the reminder coryfav. This fella looks like the habrosus except that it has a slightly differing pattern and a lighter colouration. Very rarely seen in the hobby and may cost a small fortune just like the gracilis.

[RonWill]

... I'd double bag them with 1/3 water and 2/3 air using bag buddies
tabs for the trip over. With a "This Side UP!" printed prominently on the
sides of the box

Bill, in 1/3 filled bags, the slooshing within the box is an dead giveaway regarding content and I don't think that FedEx will accept live fishes..

[ruyle]

Bill, in 1/3 filled bags, the slooshing within the box is an dead giveaway regarding content and I don't think that FedEx will accept live fishes..

Crap, FedEx is no fun at all! With their habit of going to the surface for
a gulp of air, I don't envision a good outcome in breather bags I
might have to wait till I move to Thailand for these

Bill

[whuntley]

IMHO, folks make too much of the need for Cories to surface.

They do get a gutfull of air and slowly absorb some. In the dark and in the typical semi-suspended-animation state after a few hours, I would bet they do just fine in breather bags, filled properly.

If that makes you nervous, leave a very small air bubble in each bag. They only take a tiny gulp, and the bubble will quickly return to equilibrium oxygen content with the water. It won't slosh enough to be heard.

AFAIK, no air space is needed for Bettas, who also gulp surface air and even have a special labrynth organ for using it. YMMV, and free advice is worth every penny -- especially when I haven't actually done it.

Why not try it with some young paleatus or equally inexpensive fish. Put in a breather bag filled normally and keep in a styro with minimal light. If they make it for a day, try for two, etc., etc.

Wright

[stormhawk]

Just to log up Ronnie's cory breeding achievements here's a list of known spawns so far:

Corydoras trilineatus
Corydoras melini
Corydoras similis
Corydoras hastatus
Corydoras habrosus
Corydoras oiapoquensis

6 species and counting. If the pygmaeus start spawning for Ron then he'll complete the "pygmy" bunch of the 3 most common dwarf species in Singapore.

[RonWill]

urm Jian Yang... I didn't know you're keeping track but it'll be nice to find a female, or two, of the Corydoras aeneus. Believe what I have now, are 2 male "Peru Gold-Stripe", also commonly referred to as the "Gold-Line".

If there're Cory fans out there who are willing to take a gamble with a female 'loan', I'll split the brood with 'ya (of course that's being overly optimistic) but it's worth every attempt. OTOH, if anyone has extra females to sell, I'd be game too.

BTW, I've done pygmaeus before and the fry are adults already. It's just that I couldn't get them 'doing it' again.

[stormhawk]

Hi Ron, got some response from one of the fellas in the other forum. I think Clementi still has them for sale.

[stormhawk]

Just FYI, the "gold-lines" are probably not aeneus but a related form. There's more than one of the "lines" out there.

So far I've heard of the gold-line, green-line and black. All are attributed to Corydoras aeneus but some people think otherwise.

Nonetheless any pictures of these fellas should be tagged as Corydoras sp. cf. aeneus "Gold-Line".