Corydoras eggs?

[Rube_Goldfish]

I am new to corydoras. I added eight sterbai cories to my community tank out of quarantine on Sunday (five days ago). They spent most of the first four days hiding but starting yesterday started to seem a lot more confident. This morning I found what I think are eggs on the glass. If they are eggs, I guess my easiest option is just let nature take it course? The other inhabitants are cardinal tetras and honey gouramis (and bladder snails). There's some java moss and water lettuce that seems like it might be dense enough to hide fry, but most of the rest of the plants are too new and still establishing (I started the tank four weeks ago and only planted it about three weeks ago.).

The only other thing I can think to do would be to pull the eggs out before they hatch (you can do that, right? If so, how?) and move them to my densely planted ten gallon tank with Otocinclus and Amano shrimp (and bladder snails). Would either if them eat cory eggs and/or fry? What would I even feed the fry? I'm not nearly equipped for this, I think

Edit: wow those photos aren't great!

Edited December 2, 2022 by Rube_Goldfish

[DiscusLover]

On 12/2/2022 at 9:51 AM, Rube_Goldfish said:

I am new to corydoras. I added eight sterbai cories to my community tank out of quarantine on Sunday (five days ago). They spent most of the first four days hiding but starting yesterday started to seem a lot more confident. This morning I found what I think are eggs on the glass. If they are eggs, I guess my easiest option is just let nature take it course? The other inhabitants are cardinal tetras and honey gouramis (and bladder snails). There's some java moss and water lettuce that seems like it might be dense enough to hide fry, but most of the rest of the plants are too new and still establishing (I started the tank four weeks ago and only planted it about three weeks ago.).

The only other thing I can think to do would be to pull the eggs out before they hatch (you can do that, right? If so, how?) and move them to my densely planted ten gallon tank with Otocinclus and Amano shrimp (and bladder snails). Would either if them eat cory eggs and/or fry? What would I even feed the fry? I'm not nearly equipped for this, I think

Edit: wow those photos aren't great!

Looks like cory eggs to me. But looks like they aren't fertilized because they are solid white and not clear

[nabokovfan87]

Definitely looks like it.  Now I want to know everything! 😂

Was this after Waterchange day?

On 12/2/2022 at 9:51 AM, Rube_Goldfish said:

They spent most of the first four days hiding but starting yesterday started to seem a lot more confident.

Oh yeah, that's cool.  New tank, new water, they are acclimated and feel like the tank is a good spot.  THAT's AWESOME.

On 12/2/2022 at 9:51 AM, Rube_Goldfish said:

If they are eggs, I guess my easiest option is just let nature take it course? The other inhabitants are cardinal tetras and honey gouramis (and bladder snails). There's some java moss and water lettuce that seems like it might be dense enough to hide fry, but most of the rest of the plants are too new and still establishing (I started the tank four weeks ago and only planted it about three weeks ago.).

Right now, I wouldn't do anything. Keep an eye for fungus.  The eggs are spread out, which is good.  One get's fungus, it won't necessarily spread all over.

What else is in the tank?  Honestly, corydoras can be very good about ignoring their fry.  Moss balls, plants on the ground is basically what helps.  My fry like to hide in little crags in the rocks and overcrops that seem very minature to me, but for them it's like the grand canyon so to speak.  Seiryu (dip it in vinegar) and things like ohko stone can be really good about having these features.  Slate also.  My favorite method is honestly moss / moss balls (various sizes) and wood.

[Stephan1973]

Funny my bronze Cory’s just laid eggs too clear with black dots.  They are in a 65g tank.  They seemed to spawn after I lowered the temp for 76 to 74.  And had a 50% water change.  I doubt they will survive with the fish I have. I don’t have a tank to put them into and raise so it they make it then awesome if not it is what it is. 
 

only difference my eggs are is little clusters in about 4 spots on my glass

Edited December 2, 2022 by Stephan1973

[nabokovfan87]

On 12/2/2022 at 12:20 PM, Stephan1973 said:

They seemed to spawn after I lowered the temp for 76 to 74.

Yep! that definitely helps.  that's awesome, congrats.

[Flumpweesel]

I find leaving the eggs alone means I get the occasional addition to the community. I don't want the stress of finding homes for whole clutches so that works for me. 

Corys will spawn quite often so if you fancy raising them separately you can get ready for next time

[nabokovfan87]

On 12/4/2022 at 3:27 AM, Flumpweesel said:

I find leaving the eggs alone means I get the occasional addition to the community. I don't want the stress of finding homes for whole clutches so that works for me. 

Corys will spawn quite often so if you fancy raising them separately you can get ready for next time

Yeah. exactly.  Especially as a first time experience, see what happens.

Edited December 4, 2022 by nabokovfan87
wrong words.

[Rube_Goldfish]

Sorry for the delay in responding, but I did read everything everyone wrote here; thank you. Per the advice here and, frankly, a lack of a real better option, I decided to take a laissez-faire approach and just observe. Over the weekend, I could have sworn I saw most of the eggs darken somewhat to a sort of "milky tea" color, and I thought I even saw some small dark dots inside (embryos?), but truth be told, I may have just been seeing what I wanted to. Either way, I wasn't able to get a decent picture - I guss I'll have to invest in a macro lens attachment for my phone. As of this morning (Tuesday) all, all the eggs are gone: hatched, eaten, who's to say? I looked for a long time but did not see any fry, though the eggs were fairly close to a Java moss mat and a big clump of dangling water lettuce roots, so maybe some fry escaped to cover, but I'm not really optimistic. I guess time will tell!

On 12/2/2022 at 2:56 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

Definitely looks like it.  Now I want to know everything! 😂

Was this after Waterchange day?

No, actually, just dumb luck! The tank was set to 80°F (for the benefit of the cardinal tetras; since turned down to 78°F), and I haven't done a water change since before the cories went in, over a week before the day of spawning. Maybe it rained that day? I don't remember now and I'm not sure where to look it up. The other thing is that four of the eight cories are a couple months older and came to me already mature.

On 12/2/2022 at 2:56 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

What else is in the tank?  Honestly, corydoras can be very good about ignoring their fry.  Moss balls, plants on the ground is basically what helps.  My fry like to hide in little crags in the rocks and overcrops that seem very minature to me, but for them it's like the grand canyon so to speak.  Seiryu (dip it in vinegar) and things like ohko stone can be really good about having these features.  Slate also.  My favorite method is honestly moss / moss balls (various sizes) and wood.

The other fish are cardinal tetras and honey gouramis. I got into the hobby right after the marimo moss ball ban, so I don't have any of those, but in addition to the Java moss mat and water lettuce (among other plants) I do have driftwood intertwined with what my LFS called seiryu stone but what I think is actually ryouh stone. Either way, lots of not-so-grand canyons, as you say.

On 12/2/2022 at 2:56 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

Oh yeah, that's cool.  New tank, new water, they are acclimated and feel like the tank is a good spot.  THAT's AWESOME.

Thanks! I decided to take it as a thumbs-up from the cories on the tank!

Edit: oh yeah, I forgot to mention that my LFS said they'd buy healthy 3-month old sterbai cories, so it might be worth my while to try a little harder with a future spawn!

Edited December 6, 2022 by Rube_Goldfish
Added comment about potential for selling offspring

[nabokovfan87]

On 12/6/2022 at 1:44 PM, Rube_Goldfish said:

No, actually, just dumb luck! The tank was set to 80°F (for the benefit of the cardinal tetras; since turned down to 78°F), and I haven't done a water change since before the cories went in, over a week before the day of spawning. Maybe it rained that day? I don't remember now and I'm not sure where to look it up. The other thing is that four of the eight cories are a couple months older and came to me already mature.

That's really warm for corydoras. I would check planet catfish for temp ranges on your particular species that you have. I think the highest within range is 76, sometimes 78 but not a constant temp. Unless you're talking very specific species.  Just something to check. Sterbai should be fine at 78.

Likely the drop in temp was the result. Their way of saying thank you. 🙂

Keep an eye out, especially at night for fry.

Edited December 7, 2022 by nabokovfan87

[Rube_Goldfish]

On 12/6/2022 at 6:59 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

That's really warm for corydoras. I would check planet catfish for temp ranges on your particular species that you have. I think the highest within range is 76, sometimes 78 but not a constant temp. Unless you're talking very specific species.  Just something to check. Sterbai should be fine at 78.

Likely the drop in temp was the result. Their way of saying thank you. 🙂

Keep an eye out, especially at night for fry.

Planetcatfish gives their temperature range as "75.2-82.4°F" and says that they are one "species of Corydoras that does not seem to mind higher temperatures." Since I was keeping the cardinals at the higher temperature, it was one (of many!) reasons I choose the sterbai over some other species. And they actually spawned at 80; I lowered the temperature afterward. But in any case, yes, I think they'll probably be a little more comfortable at 78.

Edit: In general, though, yes, that's pretty warm for cories. I didn't know about searching for fry at nighttime, but that makes sense. I'll report back with any sightings!

Edited December 7, 2022 by Rube_Goldfish
Added second paragraph

[nabokovfan87]

On 12/6/2022 at 5:01 PM, Rube_Goldfish said:

; I lowered the temperature afterward. But in any case, yes, I think they'll probably be a little more comfortable at 78.

You're fine. I realized after the fact that you had sterbai. I think the tetra and the Cory will do just fine at 78.

[Rube_Goldfish]

Short version: how dangerous are snails to corydoras eggs?

Long version: So far I haven't done anything but observe, but while my sterbai cories are spawning pretty regularly, I have seen no fry. Either they're disappearing into the hardscape and foliage (possible; there is a pretty overgrown Java moss mat close to where the females keep laying the eggs) or the eggs and/or fry are getting picked off by the other inhabitants of the tank (much more likely, I think; I could have sworn I saw a cardinal tetra intercept an egg before it even made it to the glass!).

In addition to this 55 gallon community tank, I also a running ten gallon that was my quarantine tank. I never shut it down after the latest fish made it through quarantine about a month or so ago, because I was planning in turning it into some kind of live food project, but I never did. The parameters are identical in both tanks. The ten gallon tank has a very well established hang-on-back, bare bottom, plastic plants, and a bunch of bladder and mini ramshorn snails.

So if I want to boost the chances for these cory eggs, would they be better off with me transporting them into think Java moss in a clearly dnagerous tank, or onto glass in a tank with snails that might eat them (the eggs, I mean)? Or do snails not present that much of a threat to eggs?

[Lennie]

hey Rube,

I'm sharing this as some people helped me regarding my community tank cory spawning question. Maybe you find something helpful there

Also, when I was watching Cory's live stream, I remember him mentioning he keeps snails and like them, as maybe for Dean for example, as he is a breeder, losing 100 eggs to snails out of 900 is not a good option, meanwhile when you keep them at home for fun and don't mind some getting eaten, then this would not be the biggest issue. But they will probably eat some of the eggs, yes.

Here is the discussion regarding snails eating eggs, in case you missed it!

cheers,

[nabokovfan87]

On 1/23/2023 at 2:03 PM, Rube_Goldfish said:

So if I want to boost the chances for these cory eggs, would they be better off with me transporting them into think Java moss in a clearly dnagerous tank, or onto glass in a tank with snails that might eat them (the eggs, I mean)? Or do snails not present that much of a threat to eggs?

Java moss in a jar with an airstone, basically..... specimen container also works.  The only real issue is temp.  So you can use an internal breeder box, paint skimmer, or something similar and float that in whatever tank you want to until they are a bit bigger.

[Rube_Goldfish]

On 1/23/2023 at 5:47 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

Java moss in a jar with an airstone, basically..... specimen container also works.  The only real issue is temp.  So you can use an internal breeder box, paint skimmer, or something similar and float that in whatever tank you want to until they are a bit bigger.

So a DIY hang-on breeder box for eggs, then the fry would be safe in a bare bottom tank with snails?

[nabokovfan87]

On 1/23/2023 at 2:49 PM, Rube_Goldfish said:

So a DIY hang-on breeder box for eggs, then the fry would be safe in a bare bottom tank with snails?

That's the Dean version.  He uses backer bar on the upper rim to get it to float.

Small snails will get in there and go to town.  Bigger snails I would think avoid it.  Especially floating and moving around, they likely won't bother.  The fry will be ridiculously small, with a head and a tail and need cover (moss, yarn, plants, wood, something) and that will let them have surfaces to graze on as well.  You dip in the powder food, that goes on the thing, then they graze on it.

I can't guarantee the snails will ignore the basket, snails are snails, but ultimately it gives you the option to give those fry the best chance possible.  It's a lot more manual work on your part with feeding and cleaning, but if you want a bigger hatch, moving the eggs somewhere and hatching them is how you do that.

 

On 1/23/2023 at 2:49 PM, Rube_Goldfish said:

DIY hang-on breeder box for eggs,

A jar or specimen container would be external to the tank, so no snails.

On 1/23/2023 at 2:29 PM, Lennie said:

Also, when I was watching Cory's live stream, I remember him mentioning he keeps snails and like them, as maybe for Dean for example, as he is a breeder, losing 100 eggs to snails out of 900 is not a good option, meanwhile when you keep them at home for fun and don't mind some getting eaten, then this would not be the biggest issue. But they will probably eat some of the eggs, yes.

I don't think Dean is on Team snail.  He might be, but I think he does have some nerites in some tanks.
 

 

[nabokovfan87]

Ironically, Dean does discuss snails and eggs in fry trays (not his) in the video.

Edited January 23, 2023 by nabokovfan87

[Lennie]

On 1/24/2023 at 1:54 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

don't think Dean is on Team snail.  He might be, but I think he does have some nerites in some tanks.

What he meant was, for someone who is a breeder like Dean, potentially snails eating eggs is not optimal as breeding is like a job for him. But for a home aquarium, losing 1 egg out of 10 eggs to snail  maybe constitutes a less of a problem for many people who is doing like a few tank at home just for the hobby purposes, especially considering the benefits of snails! 

Edited January 24, 2023 by Lennie

[Rube_Goldfish]

On 1/24/2023 at 2:53 AM, Lennie said:

What he meant was, for someone who is a breeder like Dean, potentially snails eating eggs is not optimal as breeding is like a job for him. But for a home aquarium, losing 1 egg out of 10 eggs to snail  maybe constitutes a less of a problem for many people who is doing like a few tank at home just for the hobby purposes, especially considering the benefits of snails! 

That's where I'm at. I'm definitely not planning a career change to fish breeder! I mostly just want to boost the chances of survival for the eggs/fry, see some baby cories, and if I can sell some back to the LFS and pay for food or something, that's just icing on the cake. I just didn't want to pull eggs off the glass in one tank to just end up essentially feeding them to snails in a different tank!