Deciding Between Pygmy and Hastatas Corydoras.

[TimmG]

Hello all. For anyone who has owned or currently has either of these fish what can you tell me about them that isn't explained online when you google their names? Like what are their personalities like? Do they mainly stay hidden? What has been your experience with them?

[Patrick_G]

I have a few Pygmies in a 11gal. They started out very active and would swim at all levels, but slowly they’ve become reclusive. I understand they prefer a school of six or more (I guess they can count!) so I’ll probably be adding more. Hopefully that help them become less shy. 

Edited May 22, 2022 by Patrick_G

[TimmG]

On 5/22/2022 at 2:21 PM, Patrick_G said:

I have a few Pygmies in a 11gal. They started out very active and would swim at all levels, but slowly they’ve become reclusive. I understand they prefer a school of six or more (I guess the can count!) so I’ll probably be adding more. Hopefully that help they become less shy. 

Thank you. I was planning on getting 3 ill try to up it to 5-6 don't want to over do the bio load. 

[dan12boy]

On 5/22/2022 at 2:12 PM, TimmG said:

Hello all. For anyone who has owned or currently has either of these fish what can you tell me about them that isn't explained online when you google their names? Like what are their personalities like? Do they mainly stay hidden? What has been your experience with them?

I have some pygmies and absolutely love them. The more you have the happier they are. 6 would be good for them. They might not be out all the time but they’d be less reclusive. When I move mine to my 75g ima make them 15. 

[Bev C]

yes cories does better with the bigger school for sure ,, I am not much help with the kinds you are looking at  I have had Juli and Panda cories  because that is what my fish guy carrie’s but i went from 12 down to 7    cories and they more reclusive of a school of 7 then when there was 12 .  want to change my tank a little so waiting to get more but planing to get more to make them happier and more outgoing 

[eatyourpeas]

I really like my Pygmy corydoras, but I made the unfortunate mistake of housing them with a Kuhli loach, and he just bulldozes the poor Pygmies at night, injuring some to death. I just added a Chinese Algae Eater to that tank, and now they are out and about more, and swim with Elmer (CAE) and I have not lost another since.

I call them the Biker Gang, as they come and swim to the front of the tank and do this little fin flutter, then they go into smaller groups and gossip for a while, then they get together again. Fun little fish!

[Tazalanche]

Over the years, I have had both in aquariums with neocaridina shrimp, celestial pearl danios, chili rasboras & other nano fish. I tend to have them in separate schools of a minimum of a dozen each, in aquariums ranging from 20L, 30 & 55 gallons. I don't recommend both in the same aquarium. They will try to cross breed.

The corydoras hastatus (tail spot) act more like their larger "cory cousins", staying more on the bottom. I have not had any of these in about 3 years.

The corydoras pygmaeus (striped) will often swim around the middle of the water column, like "normal fish", & regularly hang out on leaves or branches in the lower half of the aquarium. These are my favorite of the dwarf cories. I have a school of them in a 55 gallon aquarium right now.

Edited May 22, 2022 by Tazalanche

[dan12boy]

On 5/22/2022 at 3:19 PM, eatyourpeas said:

I really like my Pygmy corydoras, but I made the unfortunate mistake of housing them with a Kuhli loach, and he just bulldozes the poor Pygmies at night, injuring some to death. I just added a Chinese Algae Eater to that tank, and now they are out and about more, and swim with Elmer (CAE) and I have not lost another since.

I call them the Biker Gang, as they come and swim to the front of the tank and do this little fin flutter, then they go into smaller groups and gossip for a while, then they get together again. Fun little fish!

Don’t CAE get massive? 

[eatyourpeas]

On 5/22/2022 at 12:39 PM, dan12boy said:

Don’t CAE get massive? 

They do. He is only 1.5" and will potentially grow to anywhere between 6" and 11" in size. I am planning on a larger tank for him, probably a 75 gallon, and this is the time where I get to plan for it so I can do it right. 🙂

[Guppysnail]

I have Pygmy. 
They were so/so active I added a larger piece of wood they started hide behind it and under it. I removed it they became active again. I put the wood on the opposite side of the 20long from the side they prefer. Now they do not hide. My observation from different things they have had in the tank are…large objects they cannot see around seemed to frighten them. Almost as if they feared a predator around the corner. Same experience with large leaf plants that obstruct view. Mine are always active and visible now utilizing small leaves plants Java fern, guppy grass, anubias nana and nana petite Ana anacharis. They also enjoy a dwarf red tiger lotus. They use the leaves as hammocks to have their town hall meetings prior to zooming about. The lotus they did not like center field so I placed it on the back wall now they love it. Mine are most active 74-75. Higher up to 79 they were less active. I have not gone lower than 74. Hope that helps. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 5/22/2022 at 11:21 AM, Patrick_G said:

I have a few Pygmies in a 11gal. They started out very active and would swim at all levels, but slowly they’ve become reclusive. I understand they prefer a school of six or more (I guess they can count!) so I’ll probably be adding more. Hopefully that help them become less shy. 

What else is in the tank with them?  I've got a mass of 20+ pandas and I swear there's like... 5 in there at any given time.  When food comes they all swarm out and I check on things when I do my WCs.  I know they are doing fine, breeding, happy, but it's just funny how they love to hide. 

You can also check at night, or dusk/dawn, and see if they are a bit more active.

These varieties have different personalities, so I'm very curious how they compare in your experience.

 

On 5/22/2022 at 11:30 AM, dan12boy said:

I have some pygmies and absolutely love them. The more you have the happier they are. 6 would be good for them. They might not be out all the time but they’d be less reclusive. When I move mine to my 75g ima make them 15. 

😂

On 5/22/2022 at 2:15 PM, Guppysnail said:

Mine are most active 74-75. Higher up to 79 they were less active. I have not gone lower than 74. Hope that helps. 

I've noticed this as well.  What is the flow like for your pygmy cories?  Do they tent to swim in flow when they get in the mood to do so?

[Guppysnail]

On 5/22/2022 at 5:44 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

What else is in the tank with them?  I've got a mass of 20+ pandas and I swear there's like... 5 in there at any given time.  When food comes they all swarm out and I check on things when I do my WCs.  I know they are doing fine, breeding, happy, but it's just funny how they love to hide. 

You can also check at night, or dusk/dawn, and see if they are a bit more active.

These varieties have different personalities, so I'm very curious how they compare in your experience.

 

😂

I've noticed this as well.  What is the flow like for your pygmy cories?  Do they tent to swim in flow when they get in the mood to do so?

Flow varies. One side is always medium. One side med sometimes high. Sometimes I even run the power head. For most of the time they enjoy medium to moderate flow sometimes play in high. When I have turned the flow to slow they hide. I’m “guessing” trying to “be the fish” 🤣 they know in current they are faster than most predators but slow might even the playing field….totally guessing 

[Patrick_G]

On 5/22/2022 at 2:44 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

What else is in the tank with them?  I've got a mass of 20+ pandas and I swear there's like... 5 in there at any given time. 

😂 do you occasionally see something like this in the tank??

 

[nabokovfan87]

On 5/22/2022 at 4:45 PM, Patrick_G said:

😂 do you occasionally see something like this in the tank??

😂 nooooo!  They are in a temp QT setup.  It's got two pretty decent size pieces of mopani in it and I mess with them every so often just to give them a change of scene.  I have a 29G tank "setup" but it has to move and then I'll have some nice decor for them to run around in.  I will have to keep an eye out for that though. LOL. 

There is most definitely a Sheriff and her Deputies in the cluster though.

On 5/22/2022 at 11:12 AM, TimmG said:

For the record. I vote these. I like the little design on the tail.