Which Corydora?

[Cinnebuns]

KIn all my breeding adventures my panda cories have by far been my most successful line. I have learned so much and done really well in the past year. You should see how many fry I have in my growout tank right now!  Oh wait you can!  Here's a video:

I have been planning a 15 long and would like to add another species of cories. The idea is to raise the fry and juveniles side by side but keep the adults seperate. This means lineages won't matter. 

This is what I'm thinking I want in the species I pick:

1.  On the cheaper side. I would like to be able to move the effectively and the common customer won't pay high prices. 

2.  Similar in size to pandas or smaller. They will be going in a 15 long (24 inches long) so larger ones are out but not limited to pygmy. 

3.  Something of interest to me. I would like something with some color but maybe not too much color. I do tend to like the copper-like tones or small amounts of green or even orange. 

4.  Marketable. If it's too obscure people may not be seeking it out. The entire goal isn't necessarily to make money but I also don't want to be stuck with too many fish. 

What I've considered and decided against:

1.  Paleatus - this was my front runner but a friend who is soon going to be local already breeds hundreds of these. We want to coordinate out breeding with each other. 

2.  Similis - not too common so I'm not sure how it would market. Pricing may be a little high 

3.  Black Venezuelan - too expensive 

4.  Rabauti - my current front runner. Not too common so I'm not sure how marketable it would be. 

Anyone have any other suggestions?

 

 

[DaveO]

May I suggest Orange Venezuelan. Here's one of mine.

[DaveO]

On 1/30/2023 at 3:37 AM, DaveO said:

May I suggest Orange Venezuelan. Here's one of mine.

I should add they are not too expensive and they seem to be popular. Mine have that greenish sheen on their gill plates when the light hits them just right. 

[Theplatymaster]

i would suggest Corydora Habrosus. They get like 1 1/2 inches, and are very similar to pygmy cories, just bigger, you could also just do pygmy cories.

[nabokovfan87]

On 1/30/2023 at 12:31 AM, Cinnebuns said:

3.  Black Venezuelan - too expensive

Definitely way too big for the tank. If you want to see a side by side I can show ya. The blacks are probably 3x larger than pandas.

On 1/30/2023 at 12:31 AM, Cinnebuns said:

3.  Something of interest to me. I would like something with some color but maybe not too much color. I do tend to like the copper-like tones or small amounts of green or even orange. 

There is a new one that is very similar to panda, but has a bit nicer look. Let me try to find it....

Corydoras Duplicareus (or Adolfoi, but they get bigger) or CW049 Corydoras Bicolor.

On 1/30/2023 at 12:31 AM, Cinnebuns said:

4.  Marketable. If it's too obscure people may not be seeking it out. The entire goal isn't necessarily to make money but I also don't want to be stuck with too many fish. 

Yeah, that's the big thing. Even if selling through this forum is a great way to do so, it would be nice to also have a local shop that was interested in them. Is that an option for you? If yes, there are certain species that would be eye catching, like those mentioned above, which would be a bit more up front, but would be slightly more desired when it comes time for sale.

[Guppysnail]

I have found my favorite more common cory are my Melini (bandit) Cory. They have a personality of panda and Pygmy. A touch smaller than panda but “school” midwater racing about like Pygmy Cory. Pricing is consistent with panda Cory. 

Though I do not have any I also adore watching the Habrosus salt n peppers at the store. 

[Lennie]

To me, pygmy cories are not only the cutest cory, but probably the cutest fish I've ever kept. 

They are so cute and unique in my eyes. When I see them sleeping on Anubias leaves all together, my heart melts.

I love Hastatus and normal pygmys look the most personally.

[Cinnebuns]

On 1/30/2023 at 5:19 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

, it would be nice to also have a local shop that was interested in them. Is that an option for you?

I had this idea too. I talked to my LFS. The problem is he breeds a ton himself. There is also ones he would personally be interested in but wouldn't stock because the customers wouldn't pay the prices of a orange Lazer for example. We did come to the conclusion that paleatus would work but the problem is I have a friend breeding hundreds of those already. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 1/30/2023 at 9:58 AM, Cinnebuns said:

I had this idea too. I talked to my LFS. The problem is he breeds a ton himself. There is also ones he would personally be interested in but wouldn't stock because the customers wouldn't pay the prices of a orange Lazer for example. We did come to the conclusion that paleatus would work but the problem is I have a friend breeding hundreds of those already. 

Right.  I would look into something that isn't expensive or that isn't common.  If you specifically want to sell them, that's the way to go.  If you simply want to have another species to enjoy, that's a different thing and just get what you want!

When I got mine, I had some clear intentions, but after 2 years and not being able to spawn them.... some species are a puzzle.  Being able to offer that to your area, especially nice ones that people don't have, it'll work out.   The store owner, do you recall if they have any of the species I mentioned?  The cool thing about duplicareus is that they are small, same size as panda.  There was another I found, similar, but even smaller. (mentioned in the description on planet catfish)

These ones. https://www.planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?species_id=2329
 

[Cinnebuns]

On 1/30/2023 at 2:33 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

Right.  I would look into something that isn't expensive or that isn't common.  If you specifically want to sell them, that's the way to go.  If you simply want to have another species to enjoy, that's a different thing and just get what you want!

When I got mine, I had some clear intentions, but after 2 years and not being able to spawn them.... some species are a puzzle.  Being able to offer that to your area, especially nice ones that people don't have, it'll work out.   The store owner, do you recall if they have any of the species I mentioned?  The cool thing about duplicareus is that they are small, same size as panda.  There was another I found, similar, but even smaller. (mentioned in the description on planet catfish)

These ones. https://www.planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?species_id=2329
 

I'm pretty sure Rabauti fits. I've actually never heard of it before so that leads me to believe it's uncommon. It's also the coloring I like and similar size to a panda. I literally almost just pulled the trigger and ordered them from aquatic arts until I remembered it's winter and I'm in minnesota.  I just saw they were in stock and who knows if or when they will be again with how aquatic arts stocking goes. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 1/30/2023 at 10:53 PM, Cinnebuns said:

I literally almost just pulled the trigger and ordered them from aquatic arts until I remembered it's winter and I'm in minnesota.  I just saw they were in stock and who knows if or when they will be again with how aquatic arts stocking goes.

They have heat packs! I wouldn't hesitate unless you're talking snow outside.  Here it's in the 20's, there I would imagine you have some snow!

Panda females I think are usually listed at 1.5".  I was trying to check what on earth they have the black's listed at, but apparently they don't have any size listed.  I'd have to catch / measure.  They have the Rabauti's listed at 2".  That put them in-between panda and trilineatus, which is nice given the tank you have for them.   How many were you thinking to start with?

[Cinnebuns]

On 1/31/2023 at 1:17 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

unless you're talking snow outside

There's always snow outside this time of year in MN. 

On 1/31/2023 at 1:17 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

Panda females I think are usually listed at 1.5".

Aquatic art lists them a 2" and the rabautii at 2.2" .  I tend to think the 2" listed on pandas is more accurate for long fin than standard fin. 

 

On 1/31/2023 at 1:17 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

They have the Rabauti's listed at 2"

I do think aquatic arts lists the sizes too big and this is more accurate than their listing. Same with the panda listing they have. 

 

On 1/31/2023 at 1:17 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

How many were you thinking to start with?

I was thinking either 6 or 9. But, now they aren't offering their 6 pack as of today but only 9 or 12. 6 was what I was kinda hoping tbh. 

[Cinnebuns]

Looking into it more, the first pic aquatic arts has of rabauti looks nothing like their other pics or other pics online of them. 

Now I'm considering habrosis or pygmy. For some reason I've been really resistant to either of them and idk why. 

[Cinnebuns]

Ugh. I'd really like something the color of black Venezuelan or a copper kinda coloring like in the pic aquatic arts has for rabauti but idk if I will be able to get that 

[anewbie]

On the expensive side i believe i liked eques best; followed by orange laser and green laser. On the cheaper side I like sterbai and on the super cheap side I love pygmys.

 

Having said this there are 100's of species of cory and there are some that are over $100 a fish that look kind of amusing and other weird cat fishes that look like cory but aren't cory.

Why do i like eques because they are friendly and 'out going'. Why do i like the laser cory because they are nice looking. Why do i like sterbai because they love warm waters (but are rather skittish like the aenus (orange/green laser and such). Why do i like pygmy because they ahve super duper interesting behavior.

Habs are small like pygmy but boring. If you want a small cory get the real thing for their behavior.

[nabokovfan87]

On 1/31/2023 at 1:37 AM, Cinnebuns said:

Aquatic art lists them a 2" and the rabautii at 2.2" .  I tend to think the 2" listed on pandas is more accurate for long fin than standard fin.

Yeah.... I saw that. Definitely a measurement to the end of the body, not the tail.

I am going to catch out my big one just to see how big she is. She's gotta be close to or over 3.

On 1/31/2023 at 2:22 AM, Cinnebuns said:

Ugh. I'd really like something the color of black Venezuelan or a copper kinda coloring like in the pic aquatic arts has for rabauti but idk if I will be able to get that

Dark substrate brings that out. Pandas can get that way too. Based on the pictures I saw on planet catfish, the photos and name on AA don't seem to be the same corydoras.

Common name rust vs. rusty corydoras.

I have the same concern with the black ones on Dan's fish, picture is just off to me.

On 1/31/2023 at 1:37 AM, Cinnebuns said:

I was thinking either 6 or 9. But, now they aren't offering their 6 pack as of today but only 9 or 12. 6 was what I was kinda hoping tbh. 

Get the 9. Hopefully no losses, but that covers you.