# Having trouble with pygmy corys...



## Tree (Sep 29, 2013)

I did have 8 corys, 5 chilis and 3 otos but now I'm down too 5 chilis, 3 otos and only see 2 maybe 3 corys. Any idea what's going wrong? I acclimated them with the drip method for about an hour or two. They have been slowly dieing off. Had them for a week now.

My tank is a 10 gallon with live plants, many anubias! The temp. Is about 75 to 78 degrees. I have a small 10 gallon sponge filter. I feed them omega one flakes plus at times algae wafers. 

My readings:
Am: 0
Nit: 0 
Nitrate: 5.0 to 10

I have taken out three dead corys but the rest are no where in sight. I did have some assassin snails in there that I have been taking out every time I see one. So I'm sure the snails are eating the dead fish. There is no trace of any sickness in the tank seeing the chilis thrive. Do you think the chilis are killing them off? I'm also wondering if I need an air stone for the corys but read that they breath air. 

Unless they are all hiding really well I believe they are dying off.  I might just stick to chilis in the tank if I can't keep the poor corys alive. 

I hope I got all the info that was needed. If you need more let me know.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

With all species of corydoras, you can't acclimate them you have to just throw them right into the tank. Reason is because when cory's stress out, they emit a chemical into the water to ward off enemies and such but it backfires on them when they're in the bag too long. So best to get them out asap and forget acclimation processes. I've done this with all the cories I've gotten (ranging from Habrosus up to Sterbai) and I've never lost one due to this method. This may only be one thing though, but for your future reference at least, get them in the tank as soon as you can.


Pygmeaus tend to be much more sensitive to pretty much everything over Habrosus which is why I like them personally.


What are your other params? pH, GH/KH?


Chilis definitely aren't killing them off, they might be curious fishes but they won't harm anything.


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## Tree (Sep 29, 2013)

If I remember correctly ph was very high. A little over 8.0 (I checked this two weeks ago with my puffer) I can check again. As for the kh and gh. I have hard water that I know of. I'll use the kit later after work to know for sure what the test read for ya. But good to know about the corys! Thank you.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

That's okay, gives me the ballpark is fine.
Cory's are softwater fish so perhaps they just don't like your higher pH and GH :-/ Some softwater fishes can adapt and others can't. Also, they may have been wild caught? Did they tell you from the place you bought them from? That may also make a difference.


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## AngelDemonWolf (Aug 16, 2017)

I wonder if thats what happened to my albino corydoaras....

I never had goodluck with them, I thought it was because I got them from petmart (most fish are dead there...) but after buying one in a good store and taking him home, he didn't survive a week in the tank. I acclimated him and moved water inside the bag so that he can adjust to the new water. :|


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## ThatFishThough (Jan 15, 2016)

Have to jump in here: I have a Ph range of 8.8-9.2 and my Pygmies are doing fine. I never see them out, probably because there isn't much cover, but if I need to take down the tank/redo it/take everything out for some reason I can always find all 8. I use @lilnaugrim's method. They are extremely stressed by temp changes/param changes at first but I've never had one die (with the exception of other reasons like params, other fish, etc.)
@AngelDemonWolf they do best in groups of 6 or more, so it was most likely the stress of being alone, not the stress of acclimating.


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## AngelDemonWolf (Aug 16, 2017)

@ThatFishThough

Oh it wasn't alone, I have 4 other corydoras in the tank, and the second time I got them I got 2 albinos.


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## Tree (Sep 29, 2013)

lilnaugrim said:


> That's okay, gives me the ballpark is fine.
> Cory's are softwater fish so perhaps they just don't like your higher pH and GH :-/ Some softwater fishes can adapt and others can't. Also, they may have been wild caught? Did they tell you from the place you bought them from? That may also make a difference.


I tested the KH and the drops were 15 drops until it turned yellow. so YUP have very hard water indeed. the GH... well lets just say I stopped at 40 drops and it was part green part yellow ._.

I know the Chilis are wild caught because I remember the store saying they are harder to get due to the weather. but now since its warming up where they spawn they will be getting more chilis in the next two weeks. So I'm guessing yes they are wild caught. they were in the same tank as the chilis at least. I'll make sure to ask when I get more. and next time I will just add them in the tank asap. the drive is about 40 minutes. you think they will make it in the bag that long? 



AngelDemonWolf said:


> I wonder if thats what happened to my albino corydoaras....
> 
> I never had goodluck with them, I thought it was because I got them from petmart (most fish are dead there...) but after buying one in a good store and taking him home, he didn't survive a week in the tank. I acclimated him and moved water inside the bag so that he can adjust to the new water. :|


YUP same here. minus the petsmart part. I went to a LFS to get my corys and Chilis and Otos. I know the reason why my chilis died. I had 8 in there at one time. the filter I used was sucking them up... poor things! I felt sooo bad too. T^T



ThatFishThough said:


> Have to jump in here: I have a Ph range of 8.8-9.2 and my Pygmies are doing fine. I never see them out, probably because there isn't much cover, but if I need to take down the tank/redo it/take everything out for some reason I can always find all 8. I use @lilnaugrim's method. They are extremely stressed by temp changes/param changes at first but I've never had one die (with the exception of other reasons like params, other fish, etc.)
> 
> thanks for the help! much needed. I love these little things and right now two are thriving but I did see a third in there. looked kinda small. I will for sure get more and try again. If all else fails I might end up just with a large group of Chilis and the two otos.
> 
> @AngelDemonWolf they do best in groups of 6 or more, so it was most likely the stress of being alone, not the stress of acclimating.





AngelDemonWolf said:


> @ThatFishThough
> 
> Oh it wasn't alone, I have 4 other corydoras in the tank, and the second time I got them I got 2 albinos.


I'm sure it was from the poison they let out now that I know more about that issue. It just sucks that I had 8 in there and then now down too two very healthy ones. (PS: the little one is showing itself right now as I type this. VERY tiny and I hope its getting enough food. its not following the other two that are super close to one another.)


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## AngelDemonWolf (Aug 16, 2017)

@Tree Poison that they let out? What do you mean by this?


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## Tree (Sep 29, 2013)

From what lil stated. Well. Not really poison. It's a chemical they spew out when stressed. Kinda like a toad? Maybe.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

AngelDemonWolf said:


> @*Tree* Poison that they let out? What do you mean by this?


Yeah, it's a toxin that most corydoras release.


I did a little more digging on it and it seems like all Corydoras have a minor ability for this but those with colored pectorals like Corydoras sterbai, are much more potent.


Corydoras only do it in self defense and in times of great stress, they don't do this normally nor does it affect humans too adversely. The worst case seemed to be pricked by a C. sterbai and the woman's fingers swelled and irritated for about two weeks and she was okay for what I understand. The toxin was first observed at the catfish show interestingly enough. But the signs are: if the cory suddenly does a barrel roll and is labored breathing, if there is a foam starting at the top of the water, or looking drunk or like they're knocked out. Get the fish out of the water immediately and into new water. Discard the infected water and s/he should be all set. Some fish keepers prefer to use one cory per bag and double bag it because like all catfish, they do still have spines that can puncture the bag as well. But the one cory per bag can help eliminate the chances of the toxin poisoning the other corydoras. Some take the chance like myself and just try to get home as soon as I can and get them into the tank. I haven't had any issues since using my previously described method of introducing them. In fact, I do that with all of my fish; no acclimation time just thrown in. Haven't lost a single one with that method.


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## AngelDemonWolf (Aug 16, 2017)

@Tree What do you think? Should I give it other try or leave it like this?


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## Tree (Sep 29, 2013)

lilnaugrim said:


> AngelDemonWolf said:
> 
> 
> > @*Tree* Poison that they let out? What do you mean by this?
> ...


This explains A LOT! oh my god. When the lady put the 5 corys in the bag. One was rolling over and seemed like it was stunned! The lady was like "oh it might have just been the light that shocked it" I really wanted to stop her and take the one out but thought nothing of it... darn! Okay next time I am going to be one of THOSE people and have them all in separate bags. LOL! 


AngelDemonWolf said:


> @Tree What do you think? Should I give it other try or leave it like this?


I'd say go for it! Do what I'm going to do. How ever many you get, separate them and the put them in the water asap when you get home. If this fails, then I might just try all chilis. I love the look of the corys so much.  

Thank for looking up the info. Lil!


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## AngelDemonWolf (Aug 16, 2017)

I will give it other try! Thank tree and Lil!! 
Getting my albino cory once again!


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Glad to help!
I would just say to explain it to the workers first to explain your reasonings so that they don't do what she'd done before and said it would be fine. You may have to pay for extra bags, not sure.


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## Tree (Sep 29, 2013)

AngelDemonWolf said:


> I will give it other try! Thank tree and Lil!!
> Getting my albino cory once again!


No prob I will wish you luck on this!



lilnaugrim said:


> Glad to help!
> I would just say to explain it to the workers first to explain your reasonings so that they don't do what she'd done before and said it would be fine. You may have to pay for extra bags, not sure.


I'm okay with paying extra. And yeah good point. LOL That or I can call a head and ask if I can bring my own or something? Hmm I'll have a while to decide. I'm waiting for my chilis to be in stock.


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## Tree (Sep 29, 2013)

jackpot! My LFS five minutes away had 8 pygmy corys! I went all out and bought all of them! lol I came home, put them in the tank asap. They looked all very healthy and active too. Cross your fingers for these ones to pull through. =)

ps I shut the light off for them to settle and they are already swimming around. not sure how many are active but lets home they all are.


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## Tree (Sep 29, 2013)

Update: 

Everything is going swimmingly! mind the pun. LOL all the Corys are thriving and loving the new tank! my poor Chilis need more tank mates! GAH

but thank you all for your help! I was much needed!


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