# Surprise - Pygmy Corys



## gregpxc (Jul 11, 2010)

So a couple weeks ago I was watching my tank when I noticed a single moving fry of some unknown fish. Upon further scanning of the bottom I started seeing many similar fry. As my tank only has 3 chinese algae eaters and 3 pygmy corys I came to the conclusion (after some googling) that they were Pygmy Corys so now I have some questions.

One - I was getting ready to put some fancy guppys in there (before the pygmys started breeding) but now I am scared they will eat the pygmy fry, should I be worried about that?

Two - Will the pygmys become uncomfortable and stop breeding if I introduce new fish?

Three - is finely crushed flake food good for them? (I am convinced that I have two generations of fry because I have some that look like small adults and some that still have the spots)

Four - Is getting pygmys to breed common? I was really excited and thought it was uncommon but now I am not so sure.

Thanks for any advice you can offer up. As of right now these little guys have it made since the tank is purely bottom feeders. (I lost my GBR to an unknown cause a while back =[)


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

Awesome!

One - Yes

Two - Possible

Three - Yes, I use a Magic Bullet blender to mix up food for my Oto fry. Turn it into a powder form. Mix a little powder with tank water in one of the test kit tubes.....Works like a charm.

Four - Not sure on pygmy's but cories can be rather easy to spawn.


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

First off congrats! Your fish must be happy.



James0816 said:


> Not sure on pygmy's but cories can be rather easy to spawn.


I think easy should be qualified. By newbie standards no fish can really be counted as easy to breed except for livebearers like guppies and mollies. Some experienced fish keepers have to try for years to get the 'easy' fish to breed.

If you have stumbled upon a setup that works and are into the idea of breeding don't be in a hurry to mess with the balance. Just remember dozens, or even hundreds of fry are probably going to need a bigger tank as they grow and new homes later on. If you are not ready for that then I know it sounds harsh but getting eaten small might not be a bad thing, a few might still survive.

Pet shops usually want fish of a certain size but you might be able to sell or give them away privately while they are still fairly small.

Any pics?


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## gregpxc (Jul 11, 2010)

No pics =/ my camera got stolen, it was so nice too lol

Anyway, I'm totally up to breeding them. I am fully capable of getting rid of extras. There's a ton of LFS that will take them and I would have no reason to charge either. I also have several tanks to spreadthem between until then =] 

Do you guys know roughly how many fry they'll have and how often? I like when they are on schedule. I had a guppy that would give birth every 28 days on the dot same time even. Will they be that scheduled, or is it less predictable? This is of course assuming that I don't mess with anything.

Also, I thought I'd mention that some of the older fry have started pairing off and moving into caves around mom and dads cave. How old are they when they start breeding?

Thanks guys and pics will come as soon as I can get my hands on a camera.


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

Keep us updated then! How big are the biggest fry?


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## gregpxc (Jul 11, 2010)

The biggest are a bit bigger than half the adult size. The smallest are just a bit bigger than newly hatched. That's why I think I have two generations of fry in there.


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

I just looked up about breeding corys, didn't realise how quick the babies grow.


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## gregpxc (Jul 11, 2010)

What did you find out? Lol it's impressive how fast they grow really.


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## Chillwill007 (Aug 20, 2010)

Nice I have been wanting some pygmy cories. do you know which pygmy species u have


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## gregpxc (Jul 11, 2010)

I'm not sure what their species is exactly since I didn't know there were more than one. I googled "breeding Pygmy cory" and the first link seems the same as mine.


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

What I saw said they are at shop size in 4 weeks, but that was not specificly about the Pygmys, don't kow if they are the same.


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## gregpxc (Jul 11, 2010)

4 weeks seems reasonable, maybe even less. They are probably ready when they get adult coloration. I got pics too, they are from an old camera. I'll put them up when I get home later.


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## gregpxc (Jul 11, 2010)

Sorry for the long wait, here are some pictures

There's a fry in the middle - still has the speckles (there are probably two this size still)










Here are some others. Again, sorry for the poor quality.

Mom and Dad - Mom rarely leaves the cave and she looks fat again










Some of the grown up fry



















and a fry with mom and dad - they like to hang out by their cave, they never stray far unless dad leaves the cave










So there you go. Some of them are a little bigger now and I have counted about 9-11 grown ones and 2-3 fry.

I have read that the parents don't have a lot to do in a cory's upbringing but the fry don't go far from the main rock unless dad is out of the cave as well. I find it very interesting. As of late, though, they have started to find their own caves and some of them have paired and started playing "tag"


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

So cute!


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