Sterbai Corys

[candy429]

Hi all,
i need some urgent advice. Yesterday i purchased 2 sterbai corys and they stayed at the bottom of the tank, appeared very happy. After reading on this website that they prefer to be in more company, i went and purchased another two from the same tank. My problem is all four are now swimming around the top of the tank at a rapid rate. Should i be concerned?
Thanks for reading this.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Exploring the boundaries of a new tank is very normal.

Four Sterbai is still not enough, you want at least 6 but ideally 10+, depending of course on what size tank you have and what other fish are already in it.

 

[candy429]

Hi,
thank you for information. I won't panic then I don't think my tank could accomodate anymore. They are joined by rummy noses, cardinal tetras, harlequin rasboras, female siamese fighters and some swordtails. I think my tank is complete and i wouldn't want to have too many fish and cause undue stress to any fish.

Thanks you

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Having just seen http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/392512-open-to-suggestions-of-next-fish/page__p__3297557#entry3297557 , there is no reason why you could not add another 2-6 Sterbai, giving them a more suitable social group that will look better and make them feel more secure.

150l...
6 Rummynoses
6 Cardinal tetras
6 Harlequin Rasboras
3 female siamese fighters
4 Corydoras sterbai
2 male guppies.(?)

Your biggest priority is upping that female Betta group, as I wrote at the beginning of the month. If it has not happened yet, at some point one of the current three will become "alpha female" and she will bully the other two, quite likely to death if you do not intervene. By adding another three, the aggression within the group is better spread and so is less likely to result in critical injuries or even death.

 

[candy429]

Hi,
my LFS at the moment doesn't have any more female siamese fighters, i have allowed room for two more female fighters when i can get them. i now have a nice shoal of rummy noses (10) nice shoal of cardinal tetras (10). So i did take on board the advice of getting more of both of these fish. I will just have to wait for LFS to get more female siamese. I go in every week and check on their stock.

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

Yeah don't worry, I made a similar post to yours not long ago. They can be really active fish mine zoom all over the tank flying up and gown the glass, sometimes crashing into one another haha.

I've got a video with my corys scooting about in it. It's kinda long so if you don't want to watch the whole thing start at about 2 minutes lol. (also they are on sand now)

 

[candy429]

Hi,
nice video, hope mine settle down as well as yours. Thanks for reassuring me.

 

[candy429]

Hi,
nice video, hope mine settle down as well as yours. Thanks for reassuring me.

Sterbai corys still not settled down and still dashing around mainly high up along the back of the tank. All the other fish are ok, all water parameters are good.
Temp 25
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0.1
Nitrate 25

I'm worried their going to stress themselves and die Will buy another 2 if anyone thinks that will help? Waiting to see if my LFS has managed to source 2 female siamese fighters as well.
Thanks for reading

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

I'd have to see a video of them myself, but they honestly are totally mad sometimes so unless they are showing some other signs of stress or illness I wouldn't worry about it. (your nitrite should be 0, but you know that )

 

[candy429]

I'd have to see a video of them myself, but they honestly are totally mad sometimes so unless they are showing some other signs of stress or illness I wouldn't worry about it. (your nitrite should be 0, but you know that )

Hi, thanks for info. Nitrite is normally 0 but for some reason when i checked yesterday it was 0.1. I know it will settle so not too worried at the moment. I did a extra 10% water change just to be on the safe side. I keep a book with all my parameters in and do a 10% every week. My filter has a much higher water turn over than needed, but i don't mind that, nor do the fish
once again, thank you.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

What is your nitrite reading today? If it is anything but a definite zero, I would personally do a 50-90% water change, towards the higher end if higher than 0.1mg/l. Corydoras are very sensitive to toxins, which is why it is often suggested that they are added to tanks that are at least six weeks past being cycled, to reduce the odds of ammonia and nitrite spikes.

Something else possibly worth checking is the temperature, depending upon the flow in the tank going past the heater, the water near the tank floor could be cooler. As long as the temp is at least 24C, this can be ruled out as a reason why the catfish are still hyperactive.

 

[candy429]

Hi, Have just checked nitrite and its 0. The fishless cycle was completed on 7/3/12 when all parameters were stable. I have not lost any fish. I have a stick on thermometer on the front in one corner and a mercury one inside the tank at the other corner, both reading 25 degrees. The heater is in the middle of the tank at a 45 degree angle about a third up from the bottom. Do you think thats ok? The spray bar from the filter is about half inch from the surface directed up towards the surface. All the other fish are swimming normally and eating well. I'm alway open to advice if it means the fish are happier.