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How many should you have in a school?

Djrichie
"Don't Panic"

Djrichie
"So Long, and Thanks For All The Fish" Douglas Adams

Lol I just replied to your black diamond cory post. But anyway, I believe it says a dozen in a school. They are small so it shouldnt be hard to accomodate 12 of the little guys.

yeah was searching the net for info and could not find the ratio anywhere. Do you think they would school with the black diamonds corys or as that wrong. Thanks

Djrichie
"Don't Panic"

Djrichie
"So Long, and Thanks For All The Fish" Douglas Adams

I am not sure.... they do look alike...but certain variations of cories have different "signs" and "signals" to help each other school tightly and make sure they understand each other. I have noticed my pandas and trillis rarely mix schools....but I am not sure about the smaller, mid-dwelling cories.

I'm tring to put together an order for the galaxy tank.

55 us Gal. Planted
Have 32 Galaxy
3 nano dwarf thats all LFS could get me

thinking of the more nano corys
15 Malaysian Rainbow Shrimp - concerns about eggs

Djrichie
"So Long, and Thanks For All The Fish" Douglas Adams

Add more cories of the same type. The dwarf cories usually do better in larger schools, or atleast thats what I've heard. A school of 12 would be awesome. IMO I'd go with atleast 8, of the same kind.

Do you know the scientific name of the cories you have? There are several types of "dwarf" cories.

*Kristin*

All of the smallest Corydoras spceies are more avowedly social than their larger cousins and should be kept in a minimum group of 8, preferably more. If you'replanning on something like pygmaeus or hastatus then 12 is a good number to start with. Be advised that these two species are much more midwater than bottom swimmers, though, even though they feed off the bottom. These two species have evolved to be mimics of certain Tetras, with which they swim in the wild (though I'm puzzled as to why they should choose to mimic another harmless fish species when the usual reason for mimicry is to mimic a poisonous or other dangerous creature to gain protection by bluff).

Among the ones that stay on the bottom, the smallest are Corydoras cochui and Corydoras habrosus (which again should be kept in a group of 8 minimum, and 12 is better still), closely followed by Corydoras panda. Keep all of these in a good sized group and you'llbe rewarded with frantic frolicking about the aquarium and the patter of tiny fins.

My 14 Pandas are very DEFINITELY happiest in a good sized group. I've noticed them perk up even when moving from a group of 8 to a grup of 12 - the liveliness increases measureably. Which is why there's now 14 of them - courtesy of new arrivals.

If you want an aquarium that is going to be a non stop source of frantic mayhem, get a large but shallow aquarium and put 40 Pandas in it. Regardless of what other small companions they share that setup with, 40 Pandas are going to be a RIOT.


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002