Pygmy cories.

[Zack]

I just baught ten for my 55 gallon tank and i was wondering if they have any special needs? What types of food will they eat besides flakes? Is a sand bottomb a must or will small rounded gravle work? Anything else i need to know about them? I like them alot so i think i'll get five more or so next time i'm at the lfs,15 wont be too many will it? Thanks.

[Allan]

Depends what you mean with small rounded gravel. I say grains over 2 mm in size is a no-go with these small species. Also visually, bigger gravel seems wrong.

55 gallons being around 200 Liters - No, 15 will not be to many. You can happily keep 30 in there of this species.

Mine willingly eat black mosquito larvae, daphnia, bosmina, copepods, artemia...... Red mosquito larvae are a bit big for them, but they still manage to eat some.

Regards
Allan

PS: A friend of mine says you need at least 1000 pygmy cories for them to thrive, and he's really the best aquarium keeper i ever did meet.

[Catinthehat]

Allan , what size tank would you need for 1000 pygmy corys ? Doesn't seem very realistic to me..

[Zack]

Thanks for the info. The gravle in the tank is small,im guessing 2mm or less in diameter so they should be alright.

Looks like i'll have to make another trip into town to get a few more of them. Will they school tighter in a larger group? As it is they seem to break up into two or three little groups and roam the tank rather than one big school.

[Coryman]

If you want that 55 gal to look good you could put a proper shoal in. say 100. Tetra tabimin is a good staple food, plus grindle worm, artemia, daphnia, basically any small items. Tank temperature around 72º - 74º F. Plenty of small leaved plants would inhance the picture.

Ian