Help! My Cory Cats are freaking out!!

[Mhira]

I just set up my 55gal tank on Saturday- cycled the tank with biospira and let the temp adjust. I got 2 kissing gourami, 2 dwarf gourami, 6 three striped cory cats, and 1 whiskered pleco.
Now the cories are keeping to the top of the tank, swimming up and down. I think I read somewhere that something is off if they do that!! I'm about to check the pH, ammonia, nitrate & nitrite. I'll get back on as soon as I do.

Beijos~ Mhira

 

[MissFishy]

I think your corycats are most likely fine. They are usually a bit spastic and can tend to swim up and down the tank sides.

However, I would seriously suggest rethinking your stocking already. 4 gouramis even in a 55gallon may be pushing the aggression factor. Kissing gouramis get very large and can be pretty nasty. Keep an eye on your readings as well, you may have put too many fish in the tank right away for the biospira.

 

[Lotus]

I agree, that's not uncommon behaviour for cories.

Your gouramis may fight. Keep an eye out for fighting or one gourami stopping others from eating.

 

[exhumed07]

heck my cories will hit my hood at times. lol sometimes I think they are gineticly suicidal lol

 

[GeraldTheMouse]

I think you should return those kissing gouramis. At my LFS, I saw some around the same size as an oscar. Those two dwarf gouramis, if they are male they will tear each other apart in the near future.

About your corys, that is just normal behavior for them.

 

[Mhira]

I think you should return those kissing gouramis. At my LFS, I saw some around the same size as an oscar.

I just reread my fish book to confirm that- I had misread and thought they got to be the same size as a pearl gourami!!! I think I will be taking them back. They're really cool, but they are bullying the other fish.

Those two dwarf gouramis, if they are male they will tear each other apart in the near future.

I specifically asked the guy from the LFS to give me either a male and female or two females... Now that I think about it, they have been staying far apart in the tank... How do you sex dwarf gouramis?

At least the cories are okay!!! lol They are so awesomely spastastic. When I do return the kissing gourami, what do you suggest I replace them with?

 

[GeraldTheMouse]

Most of the time, male dwarf gouramis are more colorful then the females. The females are more gray, while the males (depending on the type) are mostly red.
When you do return the kissing gouramis, you should get 1 big school of either tetra, rasboras, or barbs (not tiger barbs though). Don't get 20 schooling fish at one time though, get maybe 3-6 one week, and another 3-6 the next.

 

[sphed]

your cory cats are fine. They should always be flying around your tank which is normal behavior. When your cory cats start laying on the bottom is when you should start worrying. Usually a sign of bad water quality. Two dwarf gourami's will be fine in a 55g. Dont listen to gerald, he has a discus in a 10 gallon.

 

[exhumed07]

one thing with cories that I have always wondered about is WHY are they so energetic. is it a defensive thing? U know make it harder for other fish to catch?

 

[Mhira]

Okay, something was most definately wrong with one cory cat. I did a fish count and there were five instead of six- I searched the tank, and found the poor cory's body under the moss ball.

Just checked the water,

ammonia 0 ph-7.8 nitrite-2.0!!!!! nitrate-10!!!!!

I guess I did add the biospira too soon before I brought home the fish. This is horrible. What should I do?!!!?

by the way: everyone else is acting just fine... Oh, and I just remember that the gills on the cory looked red!! I buried the poor baby, so I can't be sure.

 

[lauraj]

Sorry to hear about your cory!

Your nitrates are fine, but you'll want to do water changes to keep the nitrites< 1.

Good luck!