Update on cory fry

[iapetus]

Question: What can I clean/not clean in order to keep the bacteria alive?
And how much of a water change can I do without starting a cycle over?

If you're just scrubbing things, you can clean whatever you want. You won't remove or hurt the bacteria by doing that. Just don't put whatever it is you're cleaning in untreated water.

And, so long as you don't drain the tank and let it dry completely, you can change as much of the water as you like. Remember that the bacteria live on the surfaces of things, not in the water itself.

Oh, and if I may, I'd like to point out that I think your largest cory fry might be better off in the main tank right now. The important thing is that he be able to fend for himself. He'll have more room to grow and he'll be living in a more established tank if you put him in the 20G. Of course, do what you feel is best, but I don't think it's as simple as his being fine in either tank; I think living in the 20G will probably be better for him (and, if the betta really pesters him, he can always be returned to the fry tank).

 

[Kissyboots]

Oh, and if I may, I'd like to point out that I think your largest cory fry might be better off in the main tank right now. The important thing is that he be able to fend for himself. He'll have more room to grow and he'll be living in a more established tank if you put him in the 20G. Of course, do what you feel is best, but I don't think it's as simple as his being fine in either tank; I think living in the 20G will probably be better for him (and, if the betta really pesters him, he can always be returned to the fry tank).

Ah yes, I am torn now.
My plan for Sat:
Do a little wc for the 5g, mega clean the 6.6g
Move Finfin into 5g, move big fry into 20g
Observe.

I'll try that this weekend and see how it goes. *twirlysmi

 

[Kissyboots]

Ok, I took the big guy out of the cory tank this morning, here's some pics: (That's about a fifth of an algae wafer)

And then I put him in the big tank:

He stayed beneath the castle most of time. He is getting more active now though. I put some algae wafers in for the big cories. When the big guys swim over him (I guess they can't "see" him) then he tags along until they get out of the castle. He stays in it. He wandered out a couple times but stays in the shade most of the time. We'll see how it goes, so far it looks like he's ok!
Oh and I put Finfin in the 5g to make sure he didn't go after the little guy.

 

[Kissyboots]

I misscounted before. I am down to 12 in the cory tank and 1 in the big tank.
One of them seems to have grown overnight. He's almost as big as the one in the big tank whom I am temporarily referring to as "Mini."

 

[Kissyboots]

Lost three today... Down to 10.

 

[Kissyboots]

ten minus one equals nine.

They seem to all have pop-eye. But there's two that are pretty big now, so I have a feeling they will survive.

 

[TLH]

Well, while this guy is swimming upside down...?...the parents are laying eggs AGAIN. I don't know why they keep laying eggs. So maybe next time I'll get more fry. Anyone know IF I should remove the eggs and if YES...HOW?

Have your adults ever took naps laying on their sides? Mine used to do that quite often, as do loaches. Maybe it's just perfectly natural for the little fella to lay there upside down, atleast he knows to turn over so I don't think it's an equilibrium thing. He moves around ok doesn't he?

If they lay the eggs on plants just whip the entire leaf off. If you can catch the adults move them into the spawning tank to lay and then move them back maybe, just a suggestion that is as it may put them off laying at all.

Sorry if that doesn't make sense now, I didn't realise there were 11 pages to this thread already. Oops.

 

[Kissyboots]

Hehe. Mine don't lay on their sides. They just sit there. Nah, he definitely had a problem. As I said, he died. I don't think I'll be collecting any more eggs. I'm done. As soon as the little guys grow up, I'm going to redo the tank!

 

[TLH]

Wow, nice thread you got here and cracking pics too. I've read it all now and I have to say you've had a fair crack of the whip at rearing the babies.

The bubbles behind their heads may have been "gas bubble disease" which isn't really a disease but a supersaturation of gasses in the water, possibly caused by all the water changes you were doing, which leads to something like "the bends" that divers suffer. Tap water is always more saturated with gases than tank water which has sat around and de-gased in the tank. I noticed you used spring water though but possibly you are getting the same effect.

Besides that though I think you've done very well. I will be getting a small shoal of Cories for my new tank when I do it. I'm seriously thinking about Peppered ones now.

 

[Kissyboots]

Another one died today so I'm down to 8. Three of which are in the 20g now. Here's a pic of the biggest one when I first put him in the big tank next to mommy. The second one is him today next to daddy. He's grown so much although you can't really tell on the picture. YAY!

Edit: so my new plan is to get all the cories in the 20g, have them grow up a little, redo the 6.6g with rocks and plants, and then put them back in so they can grow up even more. Then I'll look into selling. Sound good?

Edit2: Hehe, just got a cool pic of three of them. Mom, Mini, and Mini2.

 

[Kissyboots]

Just wanted to update: I have 8 fry left. 4 in the 6.6g and 4 in the 20g. The larges one is almost an inch now! Getting big! The 4 that are still in the cory tank don't seem to be growing very fast. Hopefully they don't have a problem...

 

[roark fishies]

You went from 23(?) to 8? Really is survival of the fittest in the animal world isn't it?

 

[Kissyboots]

Actually it was more than 32 cuz I had more before then. But 32 were born on March 1st. Here's the biggest one. He's been in the 20g for a week and see how much he's grown! He's next to mommy.

 

[Kissyboots]

So, I thought I'd update on the feeding...if anyone wants to know.
I now throw in one algae pellet every night, which they LOVE!
I break it into several pieces so each fish can have his own. The swords like to nip at the cories to get the pellets. Dumb fish. Anyway, another little guy is catching up in size. Soon I can start getting rid of them to other people!

 

[iapetus]

I break it into several pieces so each fish can have his own. The swords like to nip at the cories to get the pellets.

I have the exact same problem and the exact same solution with my swordtails. In fact, my swordtails like them so much that I give a piece of one to the swordtail I currently have in QT.

 

[Kissyboots]

For the pic lovers: (Mommy in the back, Daddy in the front with the largest fry and the algae wafer )
P.S. How long to cories live? Hobbes hasn't been laying eggs for a while and is ignoring Wasabi's efforts. Does that mean she's old? I've had her for a year now I think and she's pretty big.

 

[emmanuelchavez]

How big is your biggest cory? They can get up to 2.5",right? I'm trying to do the math for when I get a bigger tank, and I get my 2 peppered cories some buddies.

 

[Kissyboots]

You mean the fry or the adult?
Bigges fry is an inch basically and the largest adult (female) is about 2 inches.

 

[Kissyboots]

May Update:
Cleaned today in the 20g and 6.6g.
Moved 5 cory fry into 6.6g.
Other three fry have died.
Here's a pic of the biggest one: (He's about 1 1/4 in.)

 

[Dan Steveo]

wow. im gld you have had such a great experience. now im getting jealous lolz.