Hastatus - Easy?

Anthony · Post by **Anthony** » 03 Nov 2003, 09:26

What is the experience out there with keeping Hastatus?
Is it easy to keep? Is there anything to watch out for?

Thanks.

Background:
I have 50 of these C. Hastatus. 1cm + - juvenile. Was ok for the first 1-2 months. But now I'm experiencing deaths at about 1 every 2 days. They seem to look ok one moment and then quickly go downhill (leading to death in less than a day). They are ok physically (no red gills/streaks, good fins). The symptoms are like staying at the bottom, not moving, prior to deaths.

Been feeding them JBL Novotabs, Hikari catfish tablets and some well washed tubifex, frozen bloodworms.

The (1 yr+) 30G tank is filtered by a 2215, low light plants on a sand+gravel substrate (which I'm keeping thin). There are about 20 other small size cories in there, B.Splenden, Arcuatus, Similis, Trilli, Leucomelas and Concolors, Davidsandsi, Loxo. .. and 1 zebra oto, SAE.

Sorry, no water parameters but I keep it well maintained and use smell and alage as an indicator among others.

Post by **Coryman** » 03 Nov 2003, 16:38

This is a species that require very clean well oxygenated water and are happiest in the company of other similar sized fish, preferably small tetra's.

They also require small foods, I am not sure about either the Novatabs or the Hikari catfish pellets. A lot of Catfish orientaded foods are algae based which are not much use for Corydoras. I also keep and breed C. hastatus and C. pygmaeus, I feed them on a variety of foods such as sifted Daphnia, newley hatched brine shrimp or the same in frozen form. and finely chopped earth worms. They also get crushed Tetra Tabimin, which for me is one of the best and easiest to feed. The tablets crumble into small pieces easily and sink without the need to pre-soak. A good quality flake is Ok but it will also need crumbling to a small size and will need pre-wetting to ensure it will sink.

As I said they need very clean waater and I recomend changing at least 50% each week, the water changes will often induce regular spawning.

Ian

Anthony · Post by **Anthony** » 04 Nov 2003, 06:38

Ian

I'll keep an eye on the clean water. I may not have kept it clean enough.

As for the food, have you ever seen them feed in mid water or surface (instead of at the bottom). I'm just thinking of whether they can compete for food with other small tetras/rasboras in my next planted tank.

Thanks.

Post by **Coryman** » 04 Nov 2003, 19:56

When you have C. hastatus in with small tetra's and its feeding time , if you use a Tetra tablet and crush it between finger and thumb some will sink straight away and a little will float for a short time.

The Tetra's will go up to the surface to feed on the fl;oating particles and the mhastatus will go to the bottom and feed.

Ian

Anthony · Post by **Anthony** » 27 Nov 2003, 15:55

An update.

Been changing 40% water every week. The Hastatus is still dying about one a day. Now I'm left with 6 (from 50).

During this period of 2 months, I lost 2 C. Melanistius and 1 C. Leucomelas which had been with me for 1+ year. Each had a big red patch on their stomach just after the gill plate. A few of the dead Hastatus do have red coloration on their body though it is hard to tell if that is normal due to the size. The rest of the cories look quite well.

Any suggestions?

Post by **Coryman** » 27 Nov 2003, 23:27

Do you kept an eye on water conditions such as nitrates, sudden changes/surges can occure and trigger problems. I would increase the water changes, the red blotch seems to be related to water condition. Do you know the pH - GH - KH of the water if not I would recomend that you have it checked or purchase the necassary kits to do it yourself. Without this info it is difficult to pinpoint the cause of you losses.

Ian