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My cories just laid eggs. I scraped them off with a card into a cup and put an airstone in it. What do i do now?

uh...wait?


I'd keep a heater with them, just in case

I cant my heater is too big

See if you can put a hot light up agianst it or go to your lfs and get a small heater. and put it in the tank. Or you can get one of those separation nets thingys and put the eggs in the main tank just out of the reach of all the other fish.


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You gotta do more than just put them in water with a light or heater and bubbles. Them's going to hatch, if they were fertilized. What will you feed them?

I did the same thing when some white clouds hatched. If you really want to do this right, you can put some real java moss in the bottom of the tank and wait for the cories to fill it up (then snatch it and trasnfer to a another tank. But, about that other tank....

First, set up a heated, bare 5 or 10 gallon tank using tank water from the main tank, with only a sponge filter running http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=3940&Ntt=sponge%20filter&Ntk=All&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&N=2004+22768.

Sponge filters are low flow and powered by an airpump. It creates little or no current for young fry. It also develops microscopic life on which the fry can feed.

Such a tank needs to be set up weeks in advance. In fact, the sponge filter should run in the main tank for a good 3 weeks to get seeded with good bacteria. If live plants like Java Moss are placed in the new tank (transferred with eggs), more microscopic life will grow that the fry can eat the first few days of their lives, until they are ready for things like Hikari First Bites, BBS, Microworms, or other fry foods. Foods like Liquifry for Egglayers or Wardleys Egglayer Fry Food can be used the first week, as well.

High quality food is critical during early larval development, or you get deformed fry. This is why I feed things like Hikari First Bites as soon as they can eat it, as it is a chock full of vitamins, minerals, proteins and fats (ground powder).

The first two weeks, the fry can be sensitive to water changes. However, if you use an airline tube as a siphon, you can keep the polluted stuff off the bottom, replacing exact same temp back into the tank. With the airline, minimal water is lost.

I used this with goldfish fry that were in the larval stage. Once you get past 10-14 days, they are more tolerant of water changes and water quality is essential. Nitrates should be kept no higher than 5ppm or so.

I inadvertently siphoned out a habrosu cory fry from my 20 long (didn't even know he hatched). I thought the other cories had eaten all the eggs, but they missed at least one. Because I did not have the ability to do the setup described above because of space and electrical outlets (or lack thereof), I simply caught him in a cup from the bucket, and released him into a thicket of Java Moss in the tank from which he came. I hope he makes it. I know by experience, he has a better chance in there, than in a cup like the white clouds I attempted to raise. It simply is not practical without a proper set up.

Diane

Last edited by Cory_Di at 18-Jan-2005 23:34

I've never had problems with introducing fry into an entirely new tank, but it's probably best to take precaution. Your BEST bet would be to get a breeders net and some java moss. Keep the eggs in there, even after they hatch, until they're ready to be transferred to a larger holding pen---a divided off section of the tank. BBS is a staple weaning food, and shall be reccomended here as well.

Thanks Cory-Di, I found this very informative. Why don't you write an article on breeding and raising corys and post it in the articles, so it can be kept on hand for referral.

- I have not raised cories, but I have raised other fry - small amounts. I've learned from my early mistakes, when I took white cloud fry and tried to rear them in containers. One made it 9 days.

I had more success when I had some unexpected company in the form of goldie fry in a bucket of hornwort. I had taken it out of my main tank a few days prior in order to do something and was just letting it sit. My nephew spotted 4 fry (larvae) swimming around.

Unfortunately, mom had a mouth deformaty that made it into all of the fry (genetic). One managed to survive some 5 months and looked just like his mama - including the mouth . He died too. But I learned then, how to deal with them and their needs. Nutrients are so critical and it is great that you can alternate between things like Microworms (which are a breeze to raise BTW) and Hikari First Bites to ensure they are getting a well rounded set of nutrients.

I have cory fry at the moment, but just don't have the capacity to deal with them so I hope they just hide in all the many spots I have, including java moss, and make it. It is not likely tho, but time will tell.

Most breeders use sponge filters exclusively. Fry are ultra sensitive to ammonia and nitrite and that's why you have to plan ahead - way ahead. Even the microworm cultures or bbs take time to hatch so that has to be planned as well. It is alot of work, but rewarding.

I often came home from work at lunch time so that I could feed "Jr" at least 5 times a day. Fry really need all the energy they can get so they grow fast quicker. That gets them out of danger and more resilient.

Last edited by Cory_Di at 19-Jan-2005 18:57