Baby Brochis!

iapetus

Large Fish
Jan 15, 2008
572
0
0
34:09:39N, 118:08:19W
#1
My GF and I went to Petco to pick up a couple of male guppies to keep my QT tank up and running. Turns out that she doesn't like guppies (we appear to not like the same kinds of fish). She wanted one of the cute catfish. Well, this is one place where our tastes cross over. And, wanting to keep her interest, I acquiesced. I didn't trust the Petco guy at all when he said they were emerald cories. (And, of course, they're not -- what are often called emerald cories aren't a true corydoras species. ;)) They looked just too small.

But, when I got them home, I realized that they are actually true brochis splendens! They're just juveniles (so the thread title is a slight misnomer; but, it's a misnomer with alliteration ;)). They're perhaps 1" in length. So, my question now is: what must I do to make sure they grow up big and strong?

What should I be thinking about? They appear old enough to eat 'regular' food; I've been dropping them bits of a sinking wafer. Are there any other concerns I should be keeping in mind?

They're terribly cute. Once they're big enough, I'll move them to my 29G to live with my other pair of emerald catfish.
 

jen0910

Large Fish
Mar 22, 2007
200
0
0
39
Savoy, MA/Western PA
#2
You say they looked to small to be cories which it kinda funny because I believe that brochis get to be bigger than most cories.
I think that if you treat them the same as you would treat cories they will be happy. If you have other fish that get to the food at the top quickly then sinking food for them is a good idea to make sure they are getting enough to eat.
 

iapetus

Large Fish
Jan 15, 2008
572
0
0
34:09:39N, 118:08:19W
#3
You say they looked to small to be cories which it kinda funny because I believe that brochis get to be bigger than most cories.
Sorry if I was confusing. :confused:

I meant that they looked too small to be brochis splendens -- that's what the guy at Petco meant when he said emerald cories. I didn't mean to imply that they looked too small to be cories. ;)

They're currently living by themselves. So, getting food down to them isn't a problem (and it is a good reason to keep them separate for a while). Another thing about which I worry is feeding them too much.
 

TabMorte

Superstar Fish
Jan 17, 2008
1,470
0
0
#4
With two while they're small you can break an algae wafer in half and half again and toss them like a quarter most days and then once or twice a week instead give them a shrimp pellet.

The thing is you need to feed them at night or they may just ignore it then it'll go bad and fowl up thier tank.