just trying to get some info on breeding albino corys.

hops523 · Post by **hops523** » 02 Feb 2006, 18:05

Hello all, I am trying to start to breed albino cories, and I just have a few questions. I have tried to breed them before in a community tank, but they did not spawn. I have a 15 gallon tank that I would like to use this time. My first question is how many should I start with should I just get 2 males and 1 female of should I get a school? My next question is is it ok that instead of sand I have medium sized pebbles that dont have any sharp edges? what kind of filter should I use? Should I add any fake plants at all? Or rockwork of any sort? My last question is if the corys decide to spawn, after they lay the eggs should I put the eggs in a breeding net that is in the same aquarium, or should I just move the parents so I dont have to touch the eggs and they wont fungus?

If you could help me with some of these questions it would be appreciated.

Thank you for reading

FuglyDragon · Post by **FuglyDragon** » 02 Feb 2006, 19:42

I have 2 females and 2 males in an 18 x 18 x 9 tank.
Filtration is via a sump but any type of filtration will do.
tank has a sand bottom, with 2 small pieces of driftwood and a couple of crypt plants.

My water is ph 6.8 Kh 3.0 24C

They spawn regularly, especially after a water change.
I remove the eggs (using my finger) and drop them into a net breeder floating in the same tank, they hatch after about 3 days and 2 days after that I start feeding them JBL NovoTom (very fine powdered flake) which I mix with a small amount of water before pouring into the net breeder. I leave them in the net breeder for 2 - 3 weeks untill they are large enough to release into a grow out tank where they get fed JBL Novo tabs.

I often have 2 or 3 net breeders hanging in the tank with different 1 or more spawns in each.

They used to spawn regularly in one of my display tanks which was heavilly planted with a gravel bottom but I never bothered to gather the eggs.

hops523 · Post by **hops523** » 02 Feb 2006, 21:06

So what would be the minimum tank size? I have a 15 us gallon and a 10 us gallon, I would rather use the 10.

So does it matter if I have plants or ornaments in the tank?

So how exactly do you get the eggs out? Do you just grab them or what? Sorry I am new to breeding corys.

And when you feed them does the food go through the net since it is so tiny?

Kana3 · Post by **Kana3** » 02 Feb 2006, 23:40

I think my Cory Breeding tank is 33 litres, that's about your 10 gal. So that's plenty of space. I have a decent sized Dwarf Amazon Sword, and that's a favourite laying site. Otherwise it's the glass, or annoyingly, the bottom of my Floating Fry Enclosure! I have pics of my setup and Fry over at http://aquaticbabble.forumup.org/viewfo ... aticbabble

Collecting eggs is not always necessary, Cory's don't 'hunt' food like some other fish. However, it won't stop them accidently sucking up a wriggler whilst they're sniffing for food. But by collecting, you can control the feeding better, thereby improving the quantity and quality of your fry.

I have a little piece of clear perspex, that I often use to scrape eggs off the glass. And sometimes I need to cut the Pump, so that the current doesn't sweep them away whilst I do this. For the plants, I just snip off the leaf, and drop that straight in the Hatching Enclosure. If you don't chew your fingernails, then that's another good egg collecting tool.

The eggs are pretty tough, so it's hard to damage them. Although I feel, it may increase the possibility of damage, the longer you leave them, as they develope. So gather them in the first day. Getting them off your fingers can be a bugger tho', they're so sticky!

You can get different gauges of netting. I do get some leakage (I know, because my other fish hang around the down-stream end). You can wet the food first, to ensure it sinks to where the fry can reach it. My Airstones ensure dry powdered food leaves the surface fairly quickly.

I wish you all the best. Nothing beats your first batch of Cory's!

hops523 · Post by **hops523** » 03 Feb 2006, 01:26

ok thanks. Just one more question, I have two types of breeding contraptions, one is hard plastic like the one you have in your pictures and the other is a net, which would be the best to use? When I put the eggs in there should I stick them to the plastic or should I just set them in there at the bottom? The only problem with that is if I use the net it might not be sturdy enough and the eggs might just float. What do you think?

OOps forgot to add one question, the filtration in the main tank where I would be breeding them what should it be? I have a pump and a couple airstones would that be good enough? Or do I need some thing stronger?

Kana3 · Post by **Kana3** » 03 Feb 2006, 09:17

In regard to Fry enclosures, I think it's largely personal taste. I prefer the plastic ones, because every couple of days I can pop the Fry into a container, scrub out the plastic enclosure, then replace all as was.

But I've found the plastic enclosures are not always good for water flow, and the water can foul easily. So I've cut windows, and silicon wedding veil mesh over the windows. I place my enclosures to 'catch' the tanks water current.

An alternative to this is to regularly lift the enclosure, not quite out of the water, and then settle it back down. This will flush the stale water out.

I just drop the eggs in, or stick them to the sides (just to get them off my fingers!). If they're on leaves, I snip the leaf off, and drop them in too.

As to filtration, a standard filter sponge on your pump should be fine. I also pop an airstone in each Fry enclosure. It helps in getting dry powder food to sink.

FuglyDragon · Post by **FuglyDragon** » 03 Feb 2006, 20:17

The eggs are very sticky, just gently run your finger tip over them and they will stick to your finger. Any that fall to the bottom I suck up with my turkey baster (the most useful tool in my fish room !!)

I find if I leave the eggs to hatch in the main tankl i get very low survival rates, probably due to lack of suitable food. In the net breeder where the food is concentrated the rate is probably around 75%.

Good luck