How Many Pygmy Corys?

[sharz]

I have a 90 litre tank with 5 khuli loaches, 5 bumblebee gobys (freshwater), one male red eye (irubesco) puffer, a male and female pair of german blue rams. I just bought a small school of pygmy corys.. 10 to be exact, and i wanted to buy some more so they shoal abit tighter and look nicer. Now do you guys think if i got another 10 i would be to overstocked? or is the number i currently have more then enough?

 

[mattlee]

10 should be a good number for a 90L tank especially with loaches feeding off the substrate as well.

i would keep an eye on the puffer with small corys and the rest of the fish to be fair, they have sharp mouths and can get nasty....

 

[sharz]

To be honest the puffer is extremly mild mannard and hasnt harrased ot taken a bite out of anyone.. so im just going to have to watch him with the little corys as they are pretty tiny. I know i have the khulis eating of the bottom aswel, but i jus wanted to make sure that the 10 pygmy corys i have will be ok and very happy with that number.. if they would be better suited to be in a larger group, say 15 or 20 i would actualy get rid of some fish to make room for them.. but 10 should be fine right?

 

[mattlee]

To be honest the puffer is extremly mild mannard and hasnt harrased ot taken a bite out of anyone.. so im just going to have to watch him with the little corys as they are pretty tiny. I know i have the khulis eating of the bottom aswel, but i jus wanted to make sure that the 10 pygmy corys i have will be ok and very happy with that number.. if they would be better suited to be in a larger group, say 15 or 20 i would actualy get rid of some fish to make room for them.. but 10 should be fine right?

yes as the tank isnt massive 10 will be fine its usually recommended to keep any cory in groups of 4+ but i personally would say 6+ minimum as the fish feel safer, as do most other fish, and you should get the best playfull behaviour from them. 10 is a nice number and i hope you enjoy them

 

[kelly528]

To be honest the puffer is extremly mild mannard and hasnt harrased ot taken a bite out of anyone.. so im just going to have to watch him with the little corys as they are pretty tiny. I know i have the khulis eating of the bottom aswel, but i jus wanted to make sure that the 10 pygmy corys i have will be ok and very happy with that number.. if they would be better suited to be in a larger group, say 15 or 20 i would actualy get rid of some fish to make room for them.. but 10 should be fine right?

Be aware that most puffers are little angels as juveniles but become total mercenaries at maturity. Not sure if red-eyes are any exception but if not I would not be surprised if you wake up one day to find a bunch of dead fish and a happy little puffer patrolling the tank.

Further to that pygmy cories are extremely sensitive to nitrate and I am not sure that they would cope considering the tank size and current inhabitants. The puffer alone needs 8-10g worth of water to itself.