Help! My cories spawned! What do I do??

[Brendanpat]

I don't think the tank could handle that many if they all made it, and I don't want to tempt fate by saying how many I might keep, in case I lose them all!

I did check with the store yesterday, and he'd want them, but I'd want to keep at least some of them. We shall see how many make it, if I get attached to individuals, if I can get my dad to fall in love with them and agree to cut the number of livebearers to bump up a larger cory school!

But I've already lost one, trying to brace myself that chances of all of them making it are slim, just going to do the best I can for them and hope they do make it!

Can't decide whether I want the adults to spawn again or not now, lol.

Hi , lucky lady . Do you keep the air stone in with them in the container when hatched or what ?

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

No albinos there, they do vary in tone though when little. Theyre so cute I love cory fry

Ah, okay, thanks! As long as it's normal for them to vary, and not a sign of something being wrong, then I'm happy!

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Hi , lucky lady . Do you keep the air stone in with them in the container when hatched or what ?

Yes, sorta. Following NC's advice, I have fry in a smaller cup, that's in a larger container of tank water, floating/attached to the inside of the main tank. Their airstone is underneath the little cup they're in, so it's sending tiny bubbles up the sides of the cup, which has loads of tiny holes pierced in it.

The flow from an airstone in with the eggs helps to prevent fungus, and I'm guessing the cory fry need the added oxygenation and flow, since their water in their tub would be still otherwise, not promoting gas exchange.

I don't think @mbsqw1d is using an airstone in his breeder net inside the main tank though, are you mbs? And his fry are doing well. But there's direct water exchange with the parent tank in his case.

 

[Brendanpat]

Yes, sorta. Following NC's advice, I have fry in a smaller cup, that's in a larger container of tank water, floating/attached to the inside of the main tank. Their airstone is underneath the little cup they're in, so it's sending tiny bubbles up the sides of the cup, which has loads of tiny holes pierced in it.

The flow from an airstone in with the eggs helps to prevent fungus, and I'm guessing the cory fry need the added oxygenation and flow, since their water in their tub would be still otherwise, not promoting gas exchange.

I don't think @mbsqw1d is using an airstone in his breeder net inside the main tank though, are you mbs? And his fry are doing well. But there's direct water exchange with the parent tank in his case.

I was thinking of this kinda setup . But not sure . If I put holes in the bottom of the box an stone below?howd you do holes ? Hot pin ?(I mite not need it thus time but just incase)

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

I was thinking of this kinda setup . But not sure . If I put holes in the bottom of the box an stone below?howd you do holes ? Hot pin ?(I mite not need it thus time but just incase)

Hmm, I'd put the holes in the side rather than the bottom, just cos the babies would be moving around the bottom, and you want the tub they're in to hold a tiny amount of water for when you water change, so it doesn't shock them too much.

Yep, I just heated a needle on the stove and kept poking more tiny holes in the side, then sanded down the inside so there weren't rough bits sticking out for the fry to catch themselves on.

 

[mbsqw1d]

Yes, sorta. Following NC's advice, I have fry in a smaller cup, that's in a larger container of tank water, floating/attached to the inside of the main tank. Their airstone is underneath the little cup they're in, so it's sending tiny bubbles up the sides of the cup, which has loads of tiny holes pierced in it.

The flow from an airstone in with the eggs helps to prevent fungus, and I'm guessing the cory fry need the added oxygenation and flow, since their water in their tub would be still otherwise, not promoting gas exchange.

I don't think @mbsqw1d is using an airstone in his breeder net inside the main tank though, are you mbs? And his fry are doing well. But there's direct water exchange with the parent tank in his case.

Yeh ive got an airstone in the main tank bubbling away under the breeder box

 

[Brendanpat]

Yeh ive got an airstone in the main tank bubbling away under the breeder box

Great .so you dont have a solid floor on breeder box ,just the net ?

 

[Brendanpat]

Hmm, I'd put the holes in the side rather than the bottom, just cos the babies would be moving around the bottom, and you want the tub they're in to hold a tiny amount of water for when you water change, so it doesn't shock them too much.

Yep, I just heated a needle on the stove and kept poking more tiny holes in the side, then sanded down the inside so there weren't rough bits sticking out for the fry to catch themselves on.

My tank is filling up again !

 

[mbsqw1d]

Great .so you dont have a solid floor on breeder box ,just the net ?

So originally I had the first lot of eggs in a cup with an airstone inside. I don't have a spare heater and the water in the cup was dropping below 18c which isn't too bad for peppered corydoras, but not ideal. So I floated the cup in the tank for warmth.
The eggs then hatched.

Then I just thought I may as well try them in a breeder box so bought one off Amazon
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B082P27FPW/?tag=
It turns out the mesh is far too wide for cory fry, so I chopped the breeder box frame (its plastic) down to a size that would allow one of these:

to fit around it. They've been in there ever since, and as the corydoras are still spawning, I chuck any eggs I find in there. And yeh, airstone is in the main tank under the breeder box contraption

I've put a moss ball and some almond leaf in the breeder box for some cover and provide some infusoria.

 

[Brendanpat]

So originally I had the first lot of eggs in a cup with an airstone inside. I don't have a spare heater and the water in the cup was dropping below 18c which isn't too bad for peppered corydoras, but not ideal. So I floated the cup in the tank for warmth.
The eggs then hatched.

Then I just thought I may as well try them in a breeder box so bought one off Amazon
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B082P27FPW/?tag=
It turns out the mesh is far too wide for cory fry, so I chopped the breeder box frame (its plastic) down to a size that would allow one of these:
View attachment 119646
to fit around it. They've been in there ever since, and as the corydoras are still spawning, I chuck any eggs I find in there. And yeh, airstone is in the main tank under the breeder box contraption
View attachment 119647
I've put a moss ball and some almond leaf in the breeder box for some cover and provide some infusoria.

Looks good thanks .. I'll try one or the other . Mine are still spawning to so it would be handy to have all in one place or my tank will be full of boxes !

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

I stole your idea @mbsqw1d , picked up an extra large pair of cheapy ladies tights, and managed to stretch a leg over the breeder box

I was having trouble getting the outer tub to sit well in the water without tilting, which tilted the cup the fry were in as well, and I worried I might knock it down, which would have been game over for the fry. Plus for the water change yesterday, I had to move the tubs into another tank that's the same temp to keep them warm and safe while I water changed the main tank. So wanted to move to a breeder box, but needed a finer net.

Added a few first bites today since some babies hatched on Tuesday, impossible to tell if they ate, but they wriggled around a bit, so fingers crossed. I couldn't seem to get anything to come out of the liquifry bottle, will have a better look at that later, but if not, I'll try feeding some egg yolk later.

Airstone is underneath the breeder box, and have added some indian almond leaf, moss, and some alder cones that arrived this morning into the net. Love these little tiny babies! The one that was stuck in the egg is out now too.

 

[Brendanpat]

I stole your idea @mbsqw1d , picked up an extra large pair of cheapy ladies tights, and managed to stretch a leg over the breeder box

I was having trouble getting the outer tub to sit well in the water without tilting, which tilted the cup the fry were in as well, and I worried I might knock it down, which would have been game over for the fry. Plus for the water change yesterday, I had to move the tubs into another tank that's the same temp to keep them warm and safe while I water changed the main tank. So wanted to move to a breeder box, but needed a finer net.
View attachment 119688View attachment 119689

Added a few first bites today since some babies hatched on Tuesday, impossible to tell if they ate, but they wriggled around a bit, so fingers crossed. I couldn't seem to get anything to come out of the liquifry bottle, will have a better look at that later, but if not, I'll try feeding some egg yolk later.

Airstone is underneath the breeder box, and have added some indian almond leaf, moss, and some alder cones that arrived this morning into the net. Love these little tiny babies! The one that was stuck in the egg is out now too.

That will be much easier to maintain ..

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

That will be much easier to maintain ..

It really will!
How are your cory eggs doing? Have you collected a load more?

 

[mbsqw1d]

I find that the adult cories help to keep things clean too as they snuffle from the other side and I assume theyre managing to suck some fry food through the mesh

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

I find that the adult cories help to keep things clean too as they snuffle from the other side and I assume theyre managing to suck some fry food through the mesh

My guppy fry should help as clean up crew too

You're a genius with the tights idea! I went and bought an extra large pair, just to do this, lol