Bandit Cory Cats (C. Metae)

[nelo]

So last July I found three C. Metae in a LFS mislabeled as Skunk cories, and I bought them, since they were cute and I only had bettas up until that point. One died, and I know they should be in a group, so I ordered five wild caught ones from aquabid some months ago. Another died, though I can't tell from what group. So, basically I have six adults now living a 12gal tank. They're very shy, hide in their cave mostly, but they are mostly wild caught so I can see why.

End of January, they started laying eggs. I wasn't trying to breed them. So I just left the eggs in. They hatched, grew. More eggs were laid. And more. And more. And without me even trying, I have a lot of babies now, and even just last night they laid more eggs, and some of my older babies are about 2 months old and getting pretty large, and my tank is now totally overstocked but I bought and am cycling a 10gal currently at the very least.

So, a few questions.

How long until they should be full grown?

Would anyone be interested in buying, or know of something else I could do with them? The pet stores around here are chains and the one that isn't sucks, so I won't sell to them. If I could find a good pet store in Orlando or Jacksonville, I'd sell to them, but I don't know of any. I got mine first ones from Lakeland, but that's quite a bit away, and they never label them right... went back another time to see one labeled as a panda, even though they had pandas in stock too and they don't look THAT alike...

I had my heater set at 73. I think that might have been making them want to breed, so I just now turned it up to 75. So you think they might help deter them? Or since they've been breeding for 2 months, do you think they'll stop anytime soon?

How many do you think would be comfortable in a tank, per gallon? Normally I'd give them 2gal per fish, but I know cories produce less waste, and I really am lacking for space at the moment.

I am really hoping to find them good homes, because I love my baby catfish, but I just have so many!

[MatsP]

So last July I found three C. Metae in a LFS mislabeled as Skunk cories, and I bought them, since they were cute and I only had bettas up until that point. One died, and I know they should be in a group, so I ordered five wild caught ones from aquabid some months ago. Another died, though I can't tell from what group. So, basically I have six adults now living a 12gal tank. They're very shy, hide in their cave mostly, but they are mostly wild caught so I can see why.

I think they are all wild-caught if you find them in the shops - of course, some people breed them, but not on commercial level.

End of January, they started laying eggs. I wasn't trying to breed them. So I just left the eggs in. They hatched, grew. More eggs were laid. And more. And more. And without me even trying, I have a lot of babies now, and even just last night they laid more eggs, and some of my older babies are about 2 months old and getting pretty large, and my tank is now totally overstocked but I bought and am cycling a 10gal currently at the very least.

So, a few questions.

How long until they should be full grown?

Growth in fish is very variable, and fish sort of grow their entire life [although slower when they get bigger], so "fully grown" is hard to define. But somewhere around 3-6 months to "saleable size".

Would anyone be interested in buying, or know of something else I could do with them? The pet stores around here are chains and the one that isn't sucks, so I won't sell to them. If I could find a good pet store in Orlando or Jacksonville, I'd sell to them, but I don't know of any. I got mine first ones from Lakeland, but that's quite a bit away, and they never label them right... went back another time to see one labeled as a panda, even though they had pandas in stock too and they don't look THAT alike...

I do sell mine to the LFS that I go to - but of course, that doesn't match the description you give... ;)

I had my heater set at 73. I think that might have been making them want to breed, so I just now turned it up to 75. So you think they might help deter them? Or since they've been breeding for 2 months, do you think they'll stop anytime soon?

Mine have bred at around 26'C -> 79'F thanks to the new converter tool at the top of the page, so I expect 75'F isn't going to stop them much.

How many do you think would be comfortable in a tank, per gallon? Normally I'd give them 2gal per fish, but I know cories produce less waste, and I really am lacking for space at the moment.

Depends on lots of factors, but I would say about one fish per 2 gallon is close to "right" for this type of fish.

I am really hoping to find them good homes, because I love my baby catfish, but I just have so many!

Absolutely, and it should be possible...

--
Mats

[MChambers]

You could probably find a home for them on craigslist, but the risk would be that you'd find folks who don't really know anything about keeping fish, especially corys, so you'd have to screen them somehow.

[nj2tou]

I love cories and if I had a bigger tank, I'd buy some from you. Why don't you list them on aquabid, where you got yours from? Isn't there a forum on here for buying/selling/trading?

I got my two Metae from one of my local aquarium shops that just listed them as "assorted cories $5" I thought they were pandas until I came on this site and was corrected and learned A LOT! I had NO idea there were sooooo many species of cories! LOL!

I was thinking of trying to find at least one more, but I really don't want them to breed and they seem to be fine - they swim around together and pal around with the pandas and paleatus. My paleatus breed constantly, but fortunately (not for the eggs!) they all eat them so I don't have to worry about being overrun with babies. When they were in my overgrown smaller tanks, one panda and 2 paleatus survived.

I just got a trinileatus (which they called a julii) and a schwartzi from the same "assorted cories" shop. I have two baby trini's, so the adult one won't be lonely, but I need to find another schwartzi.

Oh, and I only had bettas until I bought the first two as well! No, I take that back - I had an otocinclus, but one of my bettas ATE him! Should have put it in with my cool, calm collected king betta - he never bothered anyone and was beautiful.

[nelo]

Thanks for the responses. When they get a bit larger, I'll check out selling them through UltimateBettas first (since I know the people there), then here, then aquabid. I'm hoping not to get to aquabid, because the site sort of intimidates me if I'm the seller not the buyer, lol! I'd also maybe like to trade some for pygmy cories, because I want some.

...and they're still breeding, still laying eggs. Actually, breeding behind me right now. They're so ridiculous. Hopefully my 10gal should finish cycling soon, so I can put them there.

Since the older ones are 2 months now, they should be big enough soon-ish... though I worry about selling them in the middle of summer, it's already getting so hot here.

Which reminds me, I'd also have to learn how to ship fish.

But it's still better than craigslist...

Thanks for answering my questions everyone. I think I'm going to like this forum. Especially if I ever have to room to get different kinds of catfish.

[nj2tou]

Well guess what?! This morning I was looking around my tank for the little ghost shrimp I got and lo and behold - a fry! It is sooo cute and TINY! A fraction of an inch high amd maybe a quarter of an inch long. Much smaller than the panda baby I spotted several months ago. He was foraging on the bottom, so I quickly got some frozen daphnia and turkey basted it to the bottom. Hopefully he'll find some. I fed the others bloodworms and emerald entree, so hopefully they'll leave the daphnia for the baby and ghost shrimp. It's a paleatus, btw - I could see the markings on his tail fin already. woo hoo! Let's see if he survives.

[nelo]

Lol, good luck. My cories, including the fry, just get algae wafers, sinking cichlid pellets, and crushed up flake food. Which remind me, I need to buy more flake food.

I don't know about your cory fry, but if it's anything like mine... it will survive!

[nj2tou]

Well, I just came home from running some errands and saw him again - soooo cute! He's actually about a half inch to 3/4 inch long, but still TIIIIIIINEEEEE! The other fish seem to be leaving him alone. His mama is absolutely MASSIVE compared to him! It'll be fun watching him grow. When I first saw my baby panda, he was already a decent size, but still little enough to be really cute, yet nowhere near as tiny as this. Pretty cool

[andywoolloo]

my corys like NLS Grow and anything else really, but when are teeny weeny I give them that.

aren't they so cute! so miniature!! I love how the babies look next to the adults too!