Single peppered cory

[**sarahp**]

Havent been around much lately but have a quick question.

About 12 months ago I was given 2 peppered cory by a friend who was closing down his tank. I was happy to take them as I had about 8 sterbai cory and they all got along great. Unfortunately about 3 weeks ago one of the peppers died So now I have a dilemma - do I get some more peppers or not? I prefer a bigger single species shoal but will get the pepper some buddies if people think I should.

Thoughts and ideas???

 

[Byron]

I do not see a need to acquire more peppered cories unless you actually want a group of that species. Circumstances differ as I will explain. We have another thread on this same issue, individual cory species numbers when species are combined in the same tank.

The ideal scenario is to acquire a group of a species when they are young and being acquired specifically to live for the rest of their lives in one's aquarium. Acquiring only two or three because that is all the store has, or acquiring fish someone else no longer wants, is a different matter. But as juvenile fish, which is what one will most always find in stores, they should be acquired in a group of five minimum if possible, with more always being "better" but this depending upon the total cories together. Twenty cories of different species together will always be better off than three or four of one species on their own (as cories).

Having said that, the main thing is to have as many "cories" as you reasonably can in the aquarium. I have some 50 cories, primarily wild caught, in my 70g Amazon stream tank. In terms of number of fish for a species, I have 10 C. duplicareus, 7 C. panda, 7 C. similis, 6 C. sterbai, 6 C. reticulatus, 3 C. concolor, and then 2 each of three species, and one of two other species. Various reasons for the 3, 2 and 1 fish species. But they all chum around individually, in two's or three's of their own or mixed species, or sometimes several of the same species. Most of these have spawned, as I find fry now and then from most of the species, and even a cross hybrid or two.

 

[**sarahp**]

Thanks for the reply Byron. I did see the thread on a similar issue but didn’t want to hi-jack it.

No, I don’t really want more pepper cories - I much prefer the sterbai, but was a bit concerned about the pepper feeling out numbered (I think I anthropomorphise!!) so will not be purchasing any this afternoon!!