C. Pygmaeus Diet

Dread · Post by **Dread** » 10 Oct 2007, 18:32

So I purchased 8 Corydoras Pygmaeus a couple of days ago, after much research on them. The place I purchased it from is a Pleco/Corydoras specialist place, and they assured me there was 4 Males, and 4 Females. I checked, and this seems to be the case. However, there is one problem. I can't find anything they'll eat. I've tried Frozen Bloodworms, Baby Brine Shrimp, Sinking Hikari tablets, Shrimp Pellets, Daphnia, and frozen Tubifex. Nothing seems to be excepted! I've read that Blackworms will be devoured, but I can't culture my own right now, and I'm unsure if there's a frozen form avaliable - atleast, I haven't seen one. I'd like to breed them in the future, and it would help to know what they would eat!

The Apistogramma sp. 'Pebas' in the tank are having a fiasco eating all the food that the Pygmaeus turn their nose up at. Any suggestions?

apistomaster · Post by **apistomaster** » 11 Oct 2007, 02:24

Corydoras pygmeus are often shy fish; even more so when they are newly introduced. I think it is more likely you have not seen them eating than it is that they are not eating. They never turn down live brine shrimp nauplii. I would continue to offer them this food especially when the lighting is dim.
The one worm they can not resist is the Grindal worm so eventually try to culture these. They are easy to culture and the quickest way to get them into spawning condition I have found.

Dread · Post by **Dread** » 11 Oct 2007, 03:01

I see. I can get tons of live brine shrimp, and I guess I'll just have to keep trying with this. As for the Grindal worms, what have you found to be the best method of culture, and do I need to find a start culture someplace, or will it just "naturally" happen like Mosquito Larvae? If so, where could I get a starter culture at?

bronzefry · Post by **bronzefry** » 11 Oct 2007, 12:47

Frozen or freeze-dried daphnia is a favorite of any Corydoras spp. It distributes nicely. For C.pygmeus, it's nice, since it's a small food, too.
Amanda

Dread · Post by **Dread** » 11 Oct 2007, 19:50

bronzefry wrote:Frozen or freeze-dried daphnia is a favorite of any Corydoras spp. It distributes nicely. For C.pygmeus, it's nice, since it's a small food, too.
Amanda

Maybe they just need some more time to settle in. I tried frozen Daphnia a couple times, and each time they stuck their tiny noses up at it. Maybe today I'll see, as it's been about a week since they first got here.

Coryologist · Post by **Coryologist** » 11 Oct 2007, 21:17

Dread wrote:Maybe they just need some more time to settle in. I tried frozen Daphnia a couple times, and each time they stuck their tiny noses up at it. Maybe today I'll see, as it's been about a week since they first got here.

lol. I've never been able to get any fish I've ever kept to eat daphia, in any form. My Corys ignore it and my guppies just spit it out.

- Frank

bronzefry · Post by **bronzefry** » 13 Oct 2007, 19:52

Wow, Frank. I get a maelstrom in the tank. With the C.lamberti, they started taking little chunks out of the sponge filter. They couldn't get enough.

I also hear folks talk glowingly about cyclopeeze. I tried it for a while and I had the same reaction as you got with daphnia. They didn't seem to recognize it as food. Whatever works, within reason is what's best, I guess. If they're a-breedin', Frank...

Amanda

Coryologist · Post by **Coryologist** » 13 Oct 2007, 20:51

bronzefry wrote:Wow, Frank. I get a maelstrom in the tank. With the C.lamberti, they started taking little chunks out of the sponge filter. They couldn't get enough.

Maybe I'll give it another try. See what happens. I still have plenty, in little jars.

I also hear folks talk glowingly about cyclopeeze. I tried it for a while and I had the same reaction as you got with daphnia. They didn't seem to recognize it as food.

I've used that, too. My fish can take it or leave it. Usually they leave it. lol.

Whatever works, within reason is what's best, I guess. If they're a-breedin', Frank... Amanda

Well. At least they are doing that.

- Frank

Dread · Post by **Dread** » 14 Oct 2007, 00:15

Well I don't know what they're eating.. but they're eating. They're mostly plump, and their bellys are noticeablly full. Of something, who knows what. I think maybe they have settled in and are starting to eat what my Apistos do. Maybe soon I can work on spawning these guys. I hope it is as easy as it's made out to be, because if I'm able to do it, I sense a long interest in Corydoras.

And I have another question while I am at it, if you don't mind. Recently I picked up a small bag of Hikari's "Sinking Wafers" and was wondering if anyone has any experience with these? My BN Pleco loves them, and so do my random group of non-Pygmaeus corys, and even my P. Pulcher seems to go after them sometimes. Does anyone have experience with these, and are they suggested, or as good as other Hikari products? (I feed all my Cichlids Hikari's Bio-Gold+, Gold, and Staple, and various frozen foods from Hikari, and I swear by them)

Bigpig · Post by **Bigpig** » 14 Oct 2007, 11:56

I have been using the Hikari micro wafers in my tanks, and they seem to be very popular with the fish.
My Gouramis, Cherry Barbs, and W.C.M.Minnows all go nuts for it.
The only problem is that not much of it gets to sink to the bottom for my C.Pygmaeus.
To over come this, I soak some wafers, and flake, and drop this mixture in at night when the lights are out.
The Pygmaeus seem to be doing well.
I am hoping to breed them sometime soon as they are such fantastic little charactors, I would like a bigger group.

Carp37 · Post by **Carp37** » 14 Oct 2007, 12:15

my pygmaeus relish frozen bloodworm, but I have to chop it up first- literally cut up a frozen block with scissors into small slivers so that most of the bloodworm is considerably shorter than normal

marge618 · Post by **marge618** » 24 Oct 2007, 15:52

Dread wrote:Well I don't know what they're eating.. but they're eating. They're mostly plump, and their bellys are noticeablly full. Of something, who knows what. I think maybe they have settled in and are starting to eat what my Apistos do. Maybe soon I can work on spawning these guys. I hope it is as easy as it's made out to be, because if I'm able to do it, I sense a long interest in Corydoras.

Hello, I am new to this forum. I think these might be the pigmy cory I have been looking for. Do they get along well with the Apistos?

apistomaster · Post by **apistomaster** » 24 Oct 2007, 16:51

marge618 wrote:
Dread wrote:Well I don't know what they're eating.. but they're eating. They're mostly plump, and their bellys are noticeablly full. Of something, who knows what. I think maybe they have settled in and are starting to eat what my Apistos do. Maybe soon I can work on spawning these guys. I hope it is as easy as it's made out to be, because if I'm able to do it, I sense a long interest in Corydoras.
Hello, I am new to this forum. I think these might be the pigmy cory I have been looking for. Do they get along well with the Apistos?

Yes, they do.

C. Pygmaeus Diet

C. Pygmaeus Diet

Cyclopeeze

pigmy corys

Re: pigmy corys