Breeding Corydoras melanotaenia (green-gold)

[Atlantis Child]

Am looking to make an attempt at breeding my green gold catfish. Have 2 big and round females, and a male (I know, wrong type of trio), but the male seems almost too small. Even for being a male. Just over 3/4 of the size of the females. Anyone know if that's pretty normal for these cats, or is this guy just randomly like that? Is full grown though, and very good color.

For tank size, will a 20 gallon long be good? Or will the cats let me get away with a 5 gallon. Small, but easier to keep an eye on things. Almost considering trying just the male and the prettier female first.

Been reading up on breeding these guys, but wondering if anyone here has personal experience with these cats. Advice from breeding other corys? I know they're all slightly different, though more I know going into this the better.


- Atlantis Child

[NEONCORY]

Be careful with these guys. Once they start, they lay like 200~300 per female every month. And you end up with so many frys that you don't know what to do with them.
I traded some Panda juvi for 5 adults Melanotaenia a year and half ago I think, with my fellow aquarium society member. Although if I remember correctly, they bred at the warmer part of year(June~September) last year. And I must shipped out all over the US last Fall and Winter off online auction. Probably I must sold 500 of them. And I know the person I traded last year is start to selling them this year so I know they can be bred within a year. Not to mention, I see the 1/2"SL boys try to court the female all the time. Although I don't think the female take those little kids seriously. Then again, I did fed less after that since they made so many frys and I didn't have any room to grow. So they may spawn year around, I don't know. And they did start around May or June this year. But I rather grow other kind and there are so much tank space I have. So I've been sending those eggs. Still some eggs were laid at wrong timing and I have 2 small tank of those frys.
I never bred regular Aenues or owned them. But I think the Melano is as easy as the Aenues if they are as easy as I read about them.
Just give them some meaty food especially some kind of worms. And have some good water movement or splash and nice big water change and they should spawn. They have spawned in 10G of their own tank and they have spawned in 55G community tank. The good thing about these guys are they lay eggs in cluster near the water line. Especially around the water movement. Either the outlet from the filter or power head or spray bar or wherever. Just give them some nice current in the tank. And eggs are stacked up in a bunch like the bunch of grapes. And they are pretty sticky if you try to collect them soon after they laid. They tend to lay the eggs on the glass. And I usually collect eggs with the finger but these eggs I scrape them off with the blade.
And the eggs are smaller than most other Corys I think. But the female lay and carry the 20~25 eggs with her ventral fins. I counted once or twice when she was sticking the eggs on the front glass. They have tendency of spawn in the morning. It usually around 9 to noon or so.
I don't know how old was my original 5 since I got them when they were already full grown and the person I got them from did get them from another breeder I was told. But I know some of the left over from the last year is already same size as the parents. So it won't take a whole year for them to mature.
And I know the web recommend them to be kept with cooler temperature but I had some in the tank with Angels also since I did run out of space. But it probably best to be kept around 70~75F. I kept mine in unheated tank since our area is not frigid cold in Winter. Probably hover around 68F and now around 78F. But they are the hardiest Cory I have.

If I were you, I would try a pair first and see if they spawn. Since more females than male can be confusing for the male. So he can concentrate on the one female instead of checking both females. I'm sure 5G would be just fine for 2 or 3 of them. As long as the tank is established with seasoned filter and water parameter is steady. But I might go with 20 since more water is more forgiving of the water parameter swing.

Anyway, good luck with them. To me they were easy and hardy cory to breed. They sure are easier than the Wild Caught Orange Laser or Duplicareus that only bred few times for me. Then again, you never know since there is always some variation of the fish even they are the same species.

[Atlantis Child]

Wow... thanks alot for all that info.

What'd you have in the tank for them to spawn on? I have plenty of plants around, both live and plastic. Bunch of un-used sand too. Would that be prefered, or is bare, or something else preferable?

What type of worms did you give the adults to eat? Live or frozen? I have frozen goodies (bloodworms, tubifix worms, white worms, brine shrimp), though it shouldn't be too hard to track down live too. Esp. nice little ones for the babies I'm guessing.

Be careful with these guys. Once they start, they lay like 200~300 per female every month. And you end up with so many frys that you don't know what to do with them.

Crazy fish. Guessing not a problem if I put the adults back in my catfish tank though. Eggs and fry make yummy Cory meals.


- Atlantis Child

[NEONCORY]

Wow... thanks alot for all that info.

No problem. They are happened to be the one I had bred.

What'd you have in the tank for them to spawn on? I have plenty of plants around, both live and plastic. Bunch of un-used sand too. Would that be prefered, or is bare, or something else preferable?

From my experience, they have a strong tendency of lay the eggs on the smooth flat surface near the water movement. I'll say 90% of the eggs are placed high up on the glass in the cluster near the water outlet. They had used the plastic spray bar from the canister filter or plastic part of power head as spawning site as well. But majority are found on the glass. And I think I can only found some eggs on the plant for less than handful of time. And they are the one of the bit piece of floating water sprite that happened to be near the water movement. So they prefer some smooth surface and near the water movement and near the surface of water.
And personally I do use thin layer of fine smooth sands for the substrate for my tank. All except the parent raising Angelfish that I have bare bottom tank. I know some people like the bare bottom tank for ease of cleaning. But to me, sands are more natural for the Corydoras. After all, you will see them shift the sand and expel from their gill cover. Or sticking their snouts in the sands looking for something to eat.,etc.
I'm pretty sure they will breed if they are mature enough and fed well and water is good. And have some nice water movement from either HOB, powerhead or canister whatever it might be. It probably doesn't matter either bare or sands or even gravels. And plants or no plants. But I would provide them some plants just because they provide some natural setting and hiding place, natural process of water and oxygen.,etc. But it is not many plant do well in the thin layer of sands. So I have most plants planted in the pot. Or use the Ferns on the driftwood or some floater or moss.


What type of worms did you give the adults to eat? Live or frozen? I have frozen goodies (bloodworms, tubifix worms, white worms, brine shrimp), though it shouldn't be too hard to track down live too. Esp. nice little ones for the babies I'm guessing.

I have the walter and banana worm cultures going on all the time. I use these for mainly for the frys since they are one of those microworms but when I have the excess, I give to the adults as well before the cultures go too old. And I'm sure they don't mind.
And I do use frozen bloodworms as well sometimes. And I think most of the fish love them if not all from Corydoras to Angelfish. I'm sure all the frozen food you mentioned is just fine. Just make sure to use many variety.


Crazy fish. Guessing not a problem if I put the adults back in my catfish tank though. Eggs and fry make yummy Cory meals.

You might think so. But I sometime have tough time ignore their eggs since they stick them in the big cluster on the glass high up and you can't miss it. And always make me think that if I leave them and they start to hatch, they don't have good chance of surviving if there are other fish. I don't know about their parents but I'm pretty sure they would eat if they catch the wigglers. Unlike some of the other species place few eggs in the middle of the moss or spawning mop or something like that.

Anyway, good luck and let me know if you have any questions.

[Atlantis Child]

But I would provide them some plants just because they provide some natural setting and hiding place, natural process of water and oxygen.,etc. But it is not many plant do well in the thin layer of sands. So I have most plants planted in the pot. Or use the Ferns on the driftwood or some floater or moss.

Sand it is. I have a grass-like plant and a full and "fluffy" Limnophila sessiliflora (see below) in pots still. I find these guys tend to be shy and need some cover. The more natural-like best probably better for the cats.

http://www.drpez.org/albums/ambulia/aan.jpg

Crazy fish. Guessing not a problem if I put the adults back in my catfish tank though. Eggs and fry make yummy Cory meals.

You might think so. But I sometime have tough time ignore their eggs since they stick them in the big cluster on the glass high up and you can't miss it. And always make me think that if I leave them and they start to hatch, they don't have good chance of surviving if there are other fish. I don't know about their parents but I'm pretty sure they would eat if they catch the wigglers. Unlike some of the other species place few eggs in the middle of the moss or spawning mop or something like that

Yeah... And my tank's right next to desk and computer. Might have to seperate them to different tanks

Anyway, good luck and let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks. Will do.


- Atlantis

[apistomaster]

Hi Atlantis,
I would set up the spawning group to include both females. When Corydoras are set up in groups only a portion of the females lay most of the eggs. Often in a small group, only one of the females actually spawns so if you use both of those you have I believe your chances are going to be better. It is nice to have more males because the their competition seems to excite the females but even a reverse trio is easier to spawn than a pair. It may also be helpful to separate the male from the females for a week of conditioning before bringing them together in the spawning tank.
I prefer a thin layer of sand over the bottom, potted plants and some wood in my spawning tanks.

[Atlantis Child]

Well it's been settled that they'll be just a pair.

The rounder but less colored female (named Hope) jumped tank. Literally. I'd moved her to be 5 gallon yesterday to join my female betta for treatment for bacterial infection. Last time I saw her in my cat tank she looked frayed, so I scooped her. Dunno if it was fin rot or she was beeing harressed. All fish in that tank are peaceful, though I could be missing something. Didn't look like either though.

Man this sucks! I don't know what's up. Tank conditions are great with regards to nitrate and all as I really believe in regular water changes and testing.

And these corys are so hardy.


- Atlantis

* On a happier and nonrelavent note, at the pet store where I work the Angelfish bred and laid many eggs! Unfortunately no eggs made it till this morning due to parental eating, though I'm guessing the african catfish had something to do with it.

I wasn't there, but the pair were still in mating mode. Cleaning places off and being protective of their little corner.

If they spawn again I'll take some eggs home to raise indepedent of the parents. I doubt the babies will survive been raised in a pet store, being cared for by parents or not, but I'll leave some there as well.

I've toke needlenose gar eggs home in the past when they were mating in a tank there as well. 5 of 7 were good eggs, and hatched. Tiny little buggers. Unfortunately they died off one by one during a weeks time. I had to leave them in my sister's care as I went away, and she wasn't up to it. Didn't expect them to live, but did have some hope.

I love babies.*