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I stood witness to the most peculiar thing at the store today. In the bichir tank, I saw delhezis, ornas, and the albinos lining up on one side of the tank, with fish darting about that specific side. I decided to investigate. On a closer inspection, lo behold, the fish were actually being run over by corydoras! Analogous to the cleaner wrasse of the world's tropical oceans, the corydoras (mostly aeneus) were running the length of the bichirs' flanks, nibbling away at the scales of the bichir. Once one had been thorougly checked, the cory shoal moved on to the next specimen. Throughout the whole ordeal, the preadator just sat there, basking. How interesting!



Last edited by Cup_of_Lifenoodles at 15-Apr-2005 02:19

That is a really cool symbiotic relationship! I wish i had answers!

Last edited by Hooktor at 14-Apr-2005 22:08

Wow. This is DEFINITELY one of those "you should have had the video camera at the ready" moments ... if it happens again, FILM IT!!! Because to my knowledge this is totally new ... TFH magazine would probably pay you a nice wedge of money for the video footage ...

I've never heard of Corydoras acting as freshwater cleaner fish before. And I can't think of anyone else who has.


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

I will definitely attempt to get pictures tomorrow, though I don't have a shift.

Last edited by Cup_of_Lifenoodles at 15-Apr-2005 00:11

I have seen my corys do this as well, and my botias do this too. They seem to go over the Bala Sharks in particular and munch off any loose tidbits of whatever.
They also do this to each other, and to the larger fish, pearl gouramis, bala sharks, discus, angelfish.
My YoYos, Bronze Corys, and Queen Botia and Polka Dot Botia all do this regularly.


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Hahhahahahaha so much for "i've never seen any corys do this before" huh?

but anyway, i've only seen my corys do this once. Maybe they were too hungry that they thought other fish juzz might have food stuck to its body hahahhaa

I've heard of this happening before with cories and discus. Who knows what they are after, it is difficult to prove if they are grazing for parasites or not. They might just feeding from the slime coats of the other fish. Maybe they're just picking off loose scales. Still, it would be interesting to know if they were really eating parasites. Only trouble is, if word got out that they ate parasites, even more newbie fish keepers would be after them, only to kill them off.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

not to be sick or anything, but my gouramis eat poop off of other fish, and 75% oif the time dont spit it back out...... yuck.