How important is is for Corydoras melanistius to be with the same cory to be happy?

[Threecats]

Currently I have Corydoras melanistius and one Three Stripe Cory in my tank. I was trying to get the same species but Pecto mixed them together. I lost some of the catfish to a disease with the formentioned being the survivors. I was thinking of getting 3 Corydoras melanistius and 3 three stripe corys to make a new school and give both fish a couple of members of their own species. I am finding Corydoras melanistius hard to get locally. I am pretty sure I could get several 3 stripe corys no problem. I also have easy access to emerald corries.I don't plan to breed them BTW. Right now my current corries stay hidden except at night after the lights go out before the loss of their tankmates they were out in the open.. I was wondering if they will school with other cories if they are not the same species.

[catfishchaos]

Most likely they will school with other Corydoras sp, I have a hard time believing that those schools of Corys don't merge and mix in the wild. Obviously finding more

Corydoras melanistius

would be ideal but keeping them with other species is better than nothing in my opinion.

Hopefully someone with more knowledge will chime in!

[Bas Pels]

I once did have a school of mixed Corydoras species, and saw the fish do spend considerably more time with conspecifics than with others. But the species were rather dissimilar.

Perhaps mixing with a similar species does help

[VelcroWY]

We all know that Corys are schooling fish but their definition of "schooling" sometimes stretches out further than some schooling fish. With that said, they don't usually school with different cory species but they also don't avoid other cory species. Depending on the tank size, they may spend more time with other cory species but in a really big tank, it just doesn't seem like they school with other cory species ---- all of that assuming there are more than three. If there's just one, they'll usually tag along with another cory species like a little brother always following his big brother. --- One man's opinion based on his experience/observations

[PaperDoves]

I have four each of peppered and green bronze cories in a 55 gallon. They do seem to know the difference and school more tightly with members of their own species, but also school with each other pretty freely.