You're Going To Think I'm Nuts

[Flagfin]

Hi all - I'll try and keep this brief. Had a four foot set up having finished raising 200 dwarf gourami fry a month ago. Peppered corys bred so put the eggs in that tank. Figured the tank was too big to keep an eye on ca. 20 fry so moved the eggs to a 20 litre tank. They all hatched and are doing well. I needed the heaters and sponge filters out of the gourami fry tank so it was standing with no water movement/heating/food for three weeks. Came back off holiday and got round to draining and cleaning the empty tank (got 12 so 1 standing empty and stagnant didn't stand out as much as you might think!). Syphoning water out of the bottom - noticed one cory fry!!!! Emptied bucket, had cup of coffee and caught fry. Acclimatised fry in appropriate tank and returned to sink. Closer inspection of plug hole - noticed another cory fry stuck in strainer! It had been there for at least 5 minutes out of water but as I'm completely nuts I got it in the water, held it head first in my cupped hand and swooshed it around the tank for a minute. (I know - no hope but it's amazing what we (I) do sometimes! Bottom line is - I have just spent the last 10 minutes watching a peppered cory fry eating well having spent over 5 minutes this afternoon stuck in a plug hole out of water. Also bearing in mind these two little guys raised themselves in a tank with no light/heat/food or filtering for three weeks while I was away (all that was in the tank were two decaying plants). They are both less than half the size of their brothers and sisters but hey, they'll catch up. give nature an inch - it will take a mile.

Sorry it's so long winded but just had to share it.

 

[jollysue]

That is so super! LOL I love it.

The plant was all the little survivors needed. And paleatus are one of the Corys that can do well in cool water. Glad you caught them before they went down the drain! I love peppers.

I was just watching my mama pepper dancing with an entourage of fellas. One was an inch big in there swimming with the big boys trying to get some action. LOL

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Flagfin

Thanks for taking the time to share your cory story with us. It's always nice to hear some good news!

BTW, did you know that corys can breath air? No, they don't have labyrinths like Anabantoids, but they can absorb some air through their intestines. This is what they are doing when you see them suddenly shoot to the surface of the tank to gulp air. Doing this helps them get by when the river bottoms get churned up. In this case, this ability probably helped save your little fellow's life.

 

[millym]

great cory story!!!!

 

[Flagfin]

Hi Flagfin

Thanks for taking the time to share your cory story with us. It's always nice to hear some good news!

BTW, did you know that corys can breath air? No, they don't have labyrinths like Anabantoids, but they can absorb some air through their intestines. This is what they are doing when you see them suddenly shoot to the surface of the tank to gulp air. Doing this helps them get by when the river bottoms get churned up. In this case, this ability probably helped save your little fellow's life.

Hya - and here's me thinking I'm a miracle worker! LOL Thanks for that bit of info. I knew I had read somewhere that they can use air and that they weren't labyrinths but hadn't really followed it up. I hadn't thought of that while I was swishing him round the tank!. (Sorry catfish aren't really my thing - the little hooligans just keep on breeding, nowt to do with me!)

 

[ICEEGRL]

I removed a plant one time and just stuck it in a bucket to get it out of the way. 2 weeks later when I went to replant it I found 3 little cory fry.

It is really cool what all these "sensitive" fish can handle!