BYC Aquarium Thread

[Andi]

In defense of the fish with the teeth, its possible the messed up fins could be from deteriorated water quality or other fish. I've seen many species of fish fin nip, including guppies. If deteriorating water quality was killing fish it would explain why he wanted to give up on keeping them. The fish with fins in good condition could have been newer acquisitions. It could be that there's a nipper in the bunch. Just offering another perspective possibility.

Sounds like those fish have an up hill battle. Hope they make it through all this stress.

 

[cochins1088]

In defense of the fish with the teeth, its possible the messed up fins could be from deteriorated water quality or other fish. I've seen many species of fish fin nip, including guppies. If deteriorating water quality was killing fish it would explain why he wanted to give up on keeping them. The fish with fins in good condition could have been newer acquisitions. It could be that there's a nipper in the bunch. Just offering another perspective possibility.

Sounds like those fish have an up hill battle. Hope they make it through all this stress.

They are definitely stressed. They spent at least 7 hours in that little cooler and their fins were full of red streaks. I'm pretty sure the streaks were due to the stress rather than bacterial because they aren't as noticeable any more.

He seemed like he was taking care of them, and I tested the water before I put them in a tank. He just didn't want them anymore. All fish nip under stressful conditions, but some of these are finless. They have no pectoral fins and dorsal fins. I feel really bad for them.. but you are right, I shouldn't blame the fish with teeth until I actually see something.

Also, in the cooler was a 4 1/2 inch green cory. I haven't seen a cory this big before.

 

[Andi]

I don't know of any Corydoras that get that big, but there are members of the genus Synodontis that get even a bit bigger.

 

[cochins1088]

I don't know of any Corydoras that get that big, but there are members of the genus Synodontis that get even a bit bigger.

I'll try to get pictures tomorrow. He looks like a green corydoras, but none of mine ever got past 2 1/2 inches, so I was shocked when I saw how big he was. He doesn't look like he's from the genus Synodontis, he looks exactly like a green cory and he's about 1 1/2 inches tall.

I could be wrong as I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to bottom-feeders.

I'd like to move the "cory" and the plecostomus to the 125 gallon eventually, but I use salt in that tank. Do either of you know how much salt is "too much" for these bottom feeders?

 

[Windrider]

Look up Brochis splendens. They are often called the "emerald cory" but they are not corys, though very closely related. They can get about 4" maximum.

 

[cochins1088]

Look up Brochis splendens. They are often called the "emerald cory" but they are not corys, though very closely related. They can get about 4" maximum.

The difference between Brochis splendens and corydoradine species is that Brochis have more than 10 rays in the dorsal fin while Corydoras have 7 rays. This fish has 7 rays in his dorsal fin like a Corydoras.

I held up a ruler and he's exactly 4 inches long.

 

[Kevin565]

I'd like to move the "cory" and the plecostomus to the 125 gallon eventually, but I use salt in that tank. Do either of you know how much salt is "too much" for these bottom feeders?

Cories seem to be extremely sensitive when it comes to salt. I wouldn't personally advise putting one in a tank with salt in it.

 

[marilyn1]

Have a 20 gal. and 2-10 gal. keep cory cat, balloon molly, black molly, red tail shark,



rainbow shark and bristle nose pleco. Also have 2 betta's

 

[Kevin565]

 

[Windrider]

The difference between Brochis splendens and corydoradine species is that Brochis have more than 10 rays in the dorsal fin while Corydoras have 7 rays. This fish has 7 rays in his dorsal fin like a Corydoras.

I held up a ruler and he's exactly 4 inches long.

Ha! Sorry, I didn't know how catfish-savvy you were. I worked in the aquarium business for, oh, about 15 years and whenever someone inexperienced came in with a "huge green cory" it usually ended up being a Brochis. I've always had a fondness for the cats and currently have a shoal of 12 Corydoras robineae in my 150 gal paludarium.

Since yours sounds like it is definitely a cory, may I ask how are you measuring it? Standard length is measuring from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail - overall length is nose to tip of tail. If your cory is 4 inches overall, then it could well be a very well-grown female Corydoras aeneus (Bronze Cory, sometimes called the Green Cory). As you know, females are significantly longer and stouter than males, though yours would certainly be at the top end of those I've seen (they are usually listed as max 3" standard length, not counting the tail). You often find similar species in fish stores (melantotaenia, for example, also sold as "Green Corys"), but all of these are smaller than the true aeneus. And then there are other corys in the aeneus species complex, which ichthyologists are still trying to straighten out, such as the "Laser Corys" from Peru. I'm not sure what the max size is on those, but I think they are also smaller.

Anyway, post some pics when you have a chance - and definitely separate out that pacu or piranha looking fish until you get the rest stabilized. The tetras were probably too fast for it to bother trying to catch with easier pickings around. Even pacus are pretty nippy (and get enormous, too), the only similar fish I would consider a reasonably safe community fish would be a silver dollar species.