Keeping multiple species of corys?

[sammy2875]

As I've said in the forum before, my local pet store has a very low amount of fish. I've been checking everyday for a few months for a new Cory since I asked the question "Can I put one more Cory in my tank?" because there was another bronzed one like mine. After hearing the good news that I could, infact squeeze another little friend in there, the fish was already gone . Everyday I go back to check and there is still no Cory's. Finally, I went back and they had something called the mellini Cory. I'm really confused as what to do because I really do want to expand my collection of Cory's but I dont want to make the fish I already have more unhappy by introducing a stranger. What should I do?? Any advice?

[mona o]

I'm not sure I get what you're asking correctly. Are you thinking about buying only ONE single Corydoras melini? Or a whole group of them?
Since you haven't mentioned anything about thank size or how many fish you've already got in there, it's a little bit difficult to answer.

Buying a group would be fine by the Corys you already have at home. They woun't "argue" or fight or anything, Corys like to be kept in large groups, and other Corydoras species are totally fine by them. Of course they like their own sp. the best, but the next best thing is another Cory sp.

But... keep in mind that most Corys woun't spawn or breed if there's other species than their own in the same tank. Sometimes they don't care if other Corydoras sp. is present, but other times a species only tank is the solution. You haven't said anything about wanting to breed your Corys, but I just thought I should mention it

[This Old Spouse]

I have a 20g with bronze, long fin pepper, trilineatus and peppered cory, and they just spawned a week or so ago. Not even sure which ones I'm raising just yet, but they're doing well. The day after, I retrieved a bunch of eggs from my 55g that has agassizii, albino and delphax. A couple hatched from that spawn too, so I have a fry tank that's VERY interesting. I'm hoping they all grow up so I can figure out what they all are.

[sammy2875]

Sorry if I didn't specify before, I have a ten gal tank with only 3 individual Cory's. One is an emerald Cory, Sterbai Cory and Lazor Cory. For months I've been looking for more of their kind so that they could be with their own species as I learned they don't get along with other species as well as their own (although my little guys seem happy with each other) I just want what's best for them. Like I said, the other Emerald Cory I wanted was gone when I got there and there is currently two melini Cory's. I would get both of them, but I don't want to over crowd my 10gal!! Its such a tough situation ... And my fish had spawned while I was out of town and unfortunetly the fish ate all the eggs which is really too bad, I would have loved to raise my own baby frys.

[mona o]

... And my fish had spawned while I was out of town and unfortunetly the fish ate all the eggs

If 3 single, different Corydoras sp. is what you have in your tank really spawned, I would say it was the best solution that they ate their eggs!
There is no reason why you should raise mixed-breed fry, or encourage the breeding of hybrids or "bastards". It's a shame to create hybrids. This is the one VERY good reason why one shouldn't keep single specimens of Corydoras together.

"Natural species is a history of Nature, hybrids are just whims of Man!"