Chat transcripts

[20:05 01/10/2004] <@craig> Good evening everyone! Welcome to Live! Fishchat!
[20:06 01/10/2004] <@craig> Tonight our guest speaker is one of Badman's very own: JP--speaking on Cories.
[20:06 01/10/2004] <@craig> JP, take it away!
[20:08 01/10/2004] <@JP> Hello everyone. Tonight I hope to cover the many aspects of keeping corydoras catfish. Hopefully it isn't too long and boring.
[20:08 01/10/2004] <@JP> Corydoras is a small catfish genus in the family Callichthyidae found throughout South America. Some common locations to find them in the wild can be anywhere from Venezuela, Peru, all the way to Brazil. Though the largest concentration of this fish can be found in the Amazon Basin.
[20:09 01/10/2004] <@JP> The habitat of corydoras is varied with species and even just individual occasion. These fish have been found in just a few inches of water, to the bottoms of larger bodies of water. They can be found in streams and rivers, driftwood snags, and several other white, and black water habitats.
[20:09 01/10/2004] <@JP> They are a peaceful fish generally. Many of the species are very similar in appearance, with only variations in color or morphology making them possible to tell apart, although these similar species often come from different localities.
[20:10 01/10/2004] <@JP> In the wild, cory cats often form large mixed schools. They are a fish that needs company, of either their own or similar species. They should not be mixed with fish that are too nippy or aggressive, although, they can be mixed with some predatory species as their bony armor and spiny fins help protect them from attacks. They do have some protection, coming in the form of overlapping armor plates along their bodies.
[20:10 01/10/2004] <@JP> Just like many other kinds of fish, there are many different varieties of cory cat. There are well over 100 species; many are very popular among aquarists. I won't even attempt to cover each kind, because that would take quite some time to accomplish.
[20:11 01/10/2004] <@JP> These fish range in size from about an inch, to almost five inches for some species. But they all mostly have the same kind of care requirements.
[20:11 01/10/2004] <@JP> Many people who are just starting out in the fish-keeping hobby are told by either fish store employees, or some other source of information that their tank(s) need scavenger fish. Which is not untrue, scavengers do help in keeping the bottom of a tank clean of any leftover food.
[20:12 01/10/2004] <@JP> But, the common mistake these new aquarists make is assuming that the scavenger fish they get don't need any food other than the leftovers they find. We as fish-keepers know that each individual fish needs to be fed some kind of food. We know that they cannot simply survive on what they find.
[20:13 01/10/2004] <@JP> That is very true when talking about cory cats. Being the active fish that they generally are, they require lots of fuel (food). For my pack of cories, I usually drop in around ten sinking pellets twice a day.
[20:13 01/10/2004] <@JP> Of course, if you are unlike me and just have a school of cories in your tank, you won't have to feed so much. In the tank my cories are in, I also have loaches and a pleco who enjoy the sinking pellets as well. These are smart fish, the cories; they know when it's feeding time, and where to go to get the food (dropping the food in the same spot all the time helps).
[20:14 01/10/2004] <@JP> That of course is not the main food in their diet. For the other fish in the tank, I feed flakes and many types of frozen and freeze-dried foods. I've personally found that frozen bloodworms and frozen tubifex worms are favorites of my cories.
[20:14 01/10/2004] <@JP> Instead of letting them just have what manages to make it to the bottom of the tank after the feeding frenzy on the surface is done, I most times break off a small piece and stick it at the bottom for them and the other bottom-feeders.
[20:14 01/10/2004] <@JP> That basically covers feeding. They aren't real picky I've found. They'll accept almost any kind of food. Just make sure to give them some kind of sinking food to insure that they are at least getting something.
[20:15 01/10/2004] <@JP> There are many kinds of sinking foods available. I mostly use shrimp pellets. Sometimes I bring home some sinking tablets for them. They show no real preference. These fish also readily accept algae wafers. Well, that definitely covers feeding.
[20:16 01/10/2004] <@JP> Now I'll move to housing. If you know me, you know that I have a thing about giving my fish more room than they probably need to thrive. I've seen many occasions where some types of cory cat have been recommended for tanks as small as ten-gallons. The most popular one recommended is the pygmy cory because it is one of the smallest of the entire group.
[20:17 01/10/2004] <@JP> Even though these fish do not get very large as adults, I believe it's the activity level and other certain attributes of a fish that should be taken into consideration instead of potential size or how much they add to the bio-load when stocking a tank.
[20:17 01/10/2004] <@JP> Cory cats are very active little fish. They love to swim all over and explore everywhere. That is why I would personally not keep them in a tank smaller than a 20-long.
[20:18 01/10/2004] <@JP> Again, how many gallons of water a tank holds doesn't really matter. It's the tank's footprint that counts. A 20-long provides plenty of swimming space for the fish. I wouldn't keep many in this size tank, though, so that there is a piece of territory for each individual fish.
[20:18 01/10/2004] <@JP> That brings us to another requirement of this fish. They are very social, and do need to be kept in schools. A group of no less than three is the minimum. And just like other schooling fish, keeping the same kind of variety of cory cat together is best.
[20:19 01/10/2004] <@JP> For example, keeping one albino, one bronze, and one pygmy cory and thinking that since you do have three you have a proper school. Wrong. You have three different varieties that need to be kept with at least two more of their own kind. You should have at least three albinos, three bronze, and three pygmies to keep them all as happy as possible.
[20:19 01/10/2004] <@JP> A good way to really keep these fish is to keep the biggest group that your tank can support. What I'm saying is, instead of keeping three different groups of three in one tank, keep one group of nine.
[20:20 01/10/2004] <@JP> That way, you'll see much better interaction within the bigger group. I wish now that I had gone that route, but I didn't. However, even if you do get a few different groups, you'll still have lots of activity to enjoy.
[20:20 01/10/2004] <@JP> I've found that the cory cat does well when kept with similar type fish, like icky loaches. These fish may not be very similar really, but they do share the same part of the tank. All you need to do is make sure that each fish is getting his or her fair share of the food. If you don't, you're going to end up with some unhealthy, and unhappy fish.
[20:21 01/10/2004] <@JP> Breeding the cory cat is an area that I know very little about. I do know that I ended up having one fat and sassy female cory out of my group. She lays eggs about every two months or so, not an often occurrence.
[20:22 01/10/2004] <@JP> They aren't like most other egg-laying fish and lay the eggs all in one spot. They spread them around the tank. I find the eggs are almost always laid on the glass, though. Just in small patches, spread out all over the place. I won't get any further into this area being as I don't know anything else to really say about it.
[20:22 01/10/2004] <@JP> Cory cats are a very peaceful fish. They mind their own business, and usually just spend their time searching for food or hanging out with other cories. They make a great addition to most community setups.
[20:23 01/10/2004] <@JP> Although, make sure that the other fish in a tank that you add them to are nice and peaceful as well. Most of the time cories are sold when young, thus they are rather small. They make nice targets for other, bigger fish, especially cichlids. So be careful with whom you mix them with.
[20:23 01/10/2004] <@JP> Being catfish, they do spend a lot of time hiding during the daylight hours. That is why it is rather important to supply them with plenty of hiding places, as it is with most other bottom-dwellers. Also, whatever gravel or substrate you use should not have any sharp edges because it can damage their little whiskers.
[20:24 01/10/2004] <@JP> Well, with that I believe this presentation is done. Hopefully I gave you a pretty good idea of how to care for these fish. They're great, and you should definitely purchase a few if your tank has the space. :-)
[20:25 01/10/2004] <@craig> Well done JP. :-)
[20:25 01/10/2004] <@craig> Folks, if you have a question for JP, type: /query craig I have a question
[20:25 01/10/2004] <@Jessica> very nice JP. thanks. I noticed you mentioned in the wild they lived in mixed groups?
[20:26 01/10/2004] <@JP> Hmm, I gotta find the part where I said that to refresh my memory.
[20:26 01/10/2004] <@Jessica> <JP> In the wild, cory cats often form large mixed schools. (towards the top)
[20:28 01/10/2004] <@Jessica> Obviously in the wild, your dealing with groups of 100-500plus individuals, perhaps up to 1000 or more. so its not the same as mixing an albino and a julii, lol
[20:29 01/10/2004] <@JP> Sorry, I'm having a few computer issues right now. Jess is right, though. :-D
[20:30 01/10/2004] <@Jessica> lol
[20:31 01/10/2004] <@craig> The floor is open folks, this will make it easier. :-)
[20:31 01/10/2004] <russ> Great presentation JP
[20:31 01/10/2004] <Noname> Very Nice JP, I especially loved a few of those first sentences
[20:31 01/10/2004] <megan> nice job jp :)
[20:31 01/10/2004] <@craig> I liked the part about "their little whiskers". :-D
[20:31 01/10/2004] <@Jessica> I also wanted to make a comment. I noticed you treated pygmis like regular cories in numbers. However in thr pygmi's i've kept, they don't school until you start dealing with 6-10+ individuals, so I would recommend more of them to compensate for their size
[20:31 01/10/2004] <Omentide> Thanks.
[20:31 01/10/2004] <Kimrin> thanks JP!!!!!
[20:32 01/10/2004] <@JP> Yeah, that's probably true Jess. I just went with the behavoir I see out of my cories as normal. I've never had pygmies.
[20:32 01/10/2004] <russ> There are about 180 or so species of these critters that are known. For almost a century of collecting, it is not unusual to net several different species
[20:33 01/10/2004] <Noname> I would also like to make a comment/ semi useless fact, The albino corydoras are usually either bronze, or pepper cories
[20:34 01/10/2004] <russ> JP, just a remak on keeping 'Bronze' and 'Albinos' together.....Most albino varieties are bronze cats. There are some C. ppaleatus ones though:-)
[20:34 01/10/2004] <Noname> ^ :D
[20:35 01/10/2004] <Kimrin> JP did you mention which varieties you have?
[20:36 01/10/2004] <@JP> Russ, I just picked a variety and went with it. You know me, I don't look up specifics. ;-)
[20:36 01/10/2004] <Noname> Russ, although the point we both sorta made is right, I am not sure if a bronze will school with an albino, isnt schooling based on sight?
[20:36 01/10/2004] <@JP> Kim, I have peppers, bronze, and albinos.
[20:36 01/10/2004] <@craig> Since we are all putting in side notes... What isn't often mentioned is that "emerald cories" aren't a true cory. They belong to the Brochis family and are either b. splendens or b. multiradiatus.
[20:37 01/10/2004] <russ> In-part, but I've bred thousands of each and several crosses that produced both bronze and albinoes
[20:38 01/10/2004] <Noname> Brochis can look like bronze cories when young anyways. ^_^
[20:38 01/10/2004] <@craig> The distinction is minimal, since the care is the same. ;-)
[20:38 01/10/2004] <Noname> indeed
[20:39 01/10/2004] <Noname> and I still swear I saw those huge brochis craig! :D
[20:39 01/10/2004] <Noname> they shall forever be the cryptid of lore, -_-
[20:39 01/10/2004] <@craig> You did Geoff, most likely they were b. mulitradiatus as they do grow larger than splendens (regardless of what planetcatfish says.)
[20:39 01/10/2004] <Noname> ah
[20:40 01/10/2004] <@craig> I've cared for both species, the multiradiatus do grow larger and are often sold as Emerald Cory Lg.
[20:41 01/10/2004] <Noname> ah, cool
[20:42 01/10/2004] <Kimrin> they are all so cool, big, little..I just love them!
[20:42 01/10/2004] <Kimrin> sorry, a little outburst there....
[20:42 01/10/2004] <@craig> s'okay. :-D
[20:43 01/10/2004] <@Jessica> lol, its open floor, all outbursts are acceptible ;-D
[20:43 01/10/2004] <Noname> HAMBURGER PENGUIN!!
[20:43 01/10/2004] <@Jessica> well.. tasteful ones at least
[20:43 01/10/2004] <Noname> ..........
[20:43 01/10/2004] <@Jessica> lol
[20:43 01/10/2004] <Noname> sure, tell me now
[20:43 01/10/2004] <@Jessica> i was typing ;-)
[20:43 01/10/2004] <@craig> And here I thought I wasn't going to have to edit this transcript..
[20:44 01/10/2004] <Noname> rotfl
[20:44 01/10/2004] <Kimrin> I love penguins too!!!!
[20:44 01/10/2004] <Noname> horrah
[20:45 01/10/2004] <@craig> Note to the lurkers out there: Don't be shy! No one here bites (well, not hard anyway) jump in anytime.
[20:45 01/10/2004] <Kimrin> and hamburger now that you mention it
[20:45 01/10/2004] <russ> Has anyone here ever purposely bred cories?
[20:45 01/10/2004] <Noname> Russ has :D
[20:45 01/10/2004] * @samantha jumps in
[20:45 01/10/2004] <Kimrin> oh, and cows
[20:45 01/10/2004] <Christine> moo
[20:45 01/10/2004] <@Jessica> nope, russ
[20:46 01/10/2004] <Kimrin> I wonder how big a tank you would need to have 100 cories?
[20:46 01/10/2004] <@craig> Only one fish I want to breed and it isn't a cory, so I won't mention it. :-D
[20:46 01/10/2004] <@Jessica> depends on the cory kim
[20:46 01/10/2004] <Kimrin> lol, BS Craig?
[20:46 01/10/2004] <Christine> what loach is it Craig?
[20:46 01/10/2004] <@craig> Botia Sidthimunki. :-)
[20:47 01/10/2004] <Christine> ohh
[20:47 01/10/2004] <Noname> you will do it craig!
[20:47 01/10/2004] <Kimrin> 100 paleatus for instance
[20:48 01/10/2004] <russ> Kim, one with a fairly large footprint
[20:48 01/10/2004] <Kimrin> yep, I'm sure it will happen Craig. :)
[20:48 01/10/2004] <Kimrin> lol Russ
[20:48 01/10/2004] <russ> C. paleatus are actually quite colorful when you view them from the top:-)
[20:48 01/10/2004] <@Jessica> for sure a 125G, but might you be able to do that in a 75, if properly planned, russ?
[20:49 01/10/2004] <@Jessica> (assuming little to no companions, lol)
[20:49 01/10/2004] <russ> viewing them from the top or above allows you to see bronze/orange edging on their fins:-)
[20:49 01/10/2004] <@Jessica> course, with that many.. they *will* breed....
[20:49 01/10/2004] <@Jessica> cool, russ :-d
[20:49 01/10/2004] <Kimrin> yeah I would guess so, I'm not planning to but it would be a fun tank I bet
[20:50 01/10/2004] <@Jessica> species tanks are :-D
[20:50 01/10/2004] <Noname> soemtimes...
[20:50 01/10/2004] <@Jessica> lol
[20:50 01/10/2004] <Noname> I imagine a banjocat species tank wouldnt
[20:51 01/10/2004] <@Jessica> if it was shallow, it would. it would be a hands on tank :-D
[20:51 01/10/2004] <Kimrin> really Russ? the color I mean. Now I'm even more excited to get mine into the big tank, i'll actually get to see them from above. it's hard to do in an Eclipse tank
[20:51 01/10/2004] <russ> A nice setup for basicaly cories-only would be a tank with at least a 2x2' footprint or 2x3' footprint with micro swords planted in a semi-circle and an opening in the center:-)
[20:52 01/10/2004] <russ> Kim, yes. with an Eclipse you have to raise the light hood when you wish to view...thats the only thing I don't like about those tanks
[20:53 01/10/2004] <Kimrin> it gets more tempting by the minute :)
[20:53 01/10/2004] <@craig> Furniture is optional.
[20:53 01/10/2004] <Kimrin> yeah, so it's dark in the tank and you can't see in, and the light is shining in your eyes.
[20:54 01/10/2004] <russ> cory-only tanks need not be too deep. 12" should do it just fine:-) 30 breeder perhaps? ;-)
[20:54 01/10/2004] <Noname> also, probably sand or bare bottom
[20:54 01/10/2004] <Noname> and if bare bottom, paint or coat the glass somehow,
[20:54 01/10/2004] <Noname> even dark paper...
[20:54 01/10/2004] <russ> bare bottom would drive the fish absolutely bonkers
[20:55 01/10/2004] <@Jessica> they like rooting around
[20:55 01/10/2004] <Kimrin> I'd go sand with the swords just like Russ said.
[20:55 01/10/2004] <russ> still
[20:55 01/10/2004] <Noname> I was reading yesterday on planetcatfish
[20:55 01/10/2004] <Noname> guy had best results with bare bottom when breeding :-S
[20:56 01/10/2004] <Kimrin> I wouold like them to breed AND be happy :)
[20:56 01/10/2004] <russ> in a fry-raising tank yes, but no bare-bottoms for the adults..regardless of what planet catfish thinks :-P
[20:56 01/10/2004] <Kimrin> rivers don't have bare bottoms.
[20:56 01/10/2004] <@Jessica> exactly
[20:56 01/10/2004] <@Jessica> I dont think BB is best for any fish, honestly. even if its just a bare covering on the bottom.
[20:57 01/10/2004] <Noname> damn, Ive fallen into a hole it is going to be difficult to get out of using type....
[20:58 01/10/2004] <@Jessica> geoff, its not a problem, i'm just saying my opinions, which seem to have opposition often enough
[20:58 01/10/2004] <russ> when I bred mine, I used old stainless steel photo developing tanks..They were 9" high x 36" long x 24" wide. Used a single layer of regular marbles on the bottom:-)
[20:58 01/10/2004] <Kimrin> lol! it's more fun then the televised debates anyway. :)
[20:58 01/10/2004] <@Jessica> lol
[20:59 01/10/2004] <russ> Just carefully picked egg-bound marbles out and placed in a developing/rearing tank:-)
[20:59 01/10/2004] <Kimrin> cories won't eat their fry will they Russ?
[21:00 01/10/2004] <Noname> I know its ok, It is just what I said was against what I would personally do, I just tend to like to post what websites say as my ideas are usually not taken so well, for very good, reasons...
[21:00 01/10/2004] <russ> same precautions for fry have to be taken as for Betta fry. When they are ready to go up for their first few gulps of air, the surface must be the same temp or slightly warmer as the water;-)
[21:01 01/10/2004] <russ> Cories can and will atemp to eat their fry if found and in their way of srounging for food
[21:01 01/10/2004] <russ> 'attempt'
[21:02 01/10/2004] <@craig> So what you are saying, Russ, is that parental care ends with spawning?
[21:03 01/10/2004] <russ> Yes, basically, however if you notice pairs, and you wish to breed them further, it would be a good idea to try and separate those known pairs.
[21:03 01/10/2004] <russ> There is no parental care of cories that I have found, read, heard about, etc.
[21:04 01/10/2004] <russ> And the species do not all breed in the same manner.
[21:05 01/10/2004] <russ> While a lot will generally lay two- six eggs within a small area all over the tank, most pygmies will only lay a single egg here and there
[21:06 01/10/2004] <russ> and the fry are very ugly ducklings...lol
[21:06 01/10/2004] <russ> they look like long flattened teardrops:-D
[21:06 01/10/2004] <russ> stretched out a bit
[21:07 01/10/2004] * @JP wanders back in.
[21:07 01/10/2004] <russ> Albino morphs of various cory fry show white at birth:-)
[21:07 01/10/2004] <@JP> Howdy Russ, by the way. :-D
[21:08 01/10/2004] <russ> no missing them little guys and guyettes:-)
[21:08 01/10/2004] <russ> Take it away JP :-)
[21:08 01/10/2004] <@craig> That's my line.
[21:08 01/10/2004] <@JP> I got nothing left.
[21:08 01/10/2004] <Kimrin> you only got one girl out of nine huh?
[21:08 01/10/2004] <@Jessica> craig, i can't id which was your line, so... i guess its not yours ;-D
[21:09 01/10/2004] <@JP> Only one that I know of, Kim.
[21:09 01/10/2004] <@craig> I'm cory challenged when it comes to knowlege.
[21:09 01/10/2004] <Kimrin> is she the biggest and fattest?
[21:09 01/10/2004] <@Jessica> i own a few pygmis
[21:09 01/10/2004] <@Jessica> thats it
[21:09 01/10/2004] <@JP> Craig, sure that's all?
[21:09 01/10/2004] * @craig makes note: next time babble aimlessly about nothing
[21:09 01/10/2004] <@JP> Yep, very big. I call her the "monster" cory.
[21:10 01/10/2004] <@Jessica> nope, i have to talk about plecos first ;-)
[21:10 01/10/2004] <Kimrin> oh I'm so excited! I'm gonna go shove Rindy down the basement stairs!
[21:10 01/10/2004] * @Jessica eyes kim and christine, we'll need to get these ladies talking about something some time
[21:10 01/10/2004] <@Jessica> lol! kim
[21:10 01/10/2004] <Christine> are we off-topic yet?
[21:10 01/10/2004] <russ> Cories are fun and basically easy to breed. The rough part is about a 10-12 day window when they are ready to take their first surface gulp of air. Temp needs to be 'spot on'
[21:10 01/10/2004] <Kimrin> oops, that sounded goofy, rofl
[21:10 01/10/2004] <Noname> dang, I wanted the pleco chat, stupid school, -_-
[21:11 01/10/2004] <@Jessica> whats up, geoff?
[21:11 01/10/2004] <Noname> fan
[21:11 01/10/2004] <Christine> oh doing a chat you mean, Jess?
[21:11 01/10/2004] <@Jessica> yup :-D
[21:12 01/10/2004] <russ> Christine, it would save mucho time and energy for craig if we moved off-topic stuff t to the other side unless we officially close down here :-)
[21:12 01/10/2004] <Christine> np Russ
[21:12 01/10/2004] <russ> :-D
[21:13 01/10/2004] <Kimrin> I apologize to Craig for my babbling
[21:13 01/10/2004] <Kimrin> that would be excellent Christine :)
[21:14 01/10/2004] <@JP> Russ, smart quotes are a technical thing. :-P
[21:14 01/10/2004] <@Jessica> i'd love that, christine, any date you'd care to have?
[21:14 01/10/2004] <Kimrin> hey Russ, would you use heat lamps over the fry tank?
[21:15 01/10/2004] <russ> Kim,, no, I used plexi to completely cover the top with a very thin layer of petroleum jel aover the trim to aid in sealing the plexi glass. There were some pin hole holes drilled in for air though
[21:16 01/10/2004] <russ> and a very reliable heater inside the tank ;-)