breeding Pepper Corries

[SearunSimpson]

Does anyone know how to breed these things, or what will encourage them. Mine are always doing the T-dance up against the glass and sometimes against leaves, but there isnt an egg to be found anywhere. I'll watch them for the eggs to be placed, just incase I'm missing them and they are getting eaten, but there arent any. I've had these guys for a year myself, so they're at least a year old (not sure how old they were when I bought them from my lfs), so they should be mature enough.
Just wondering why (s)he might be shooting blanks at all.

J

[lauraleellbp]

Water parameters would be my first guess? Check out www.FishBase.com and see what their preferred hardness and pH are?

Many cories need a PWC with slightly cool, soft water to trigger their breeding. Sometimes they need a special plant or substrate to affix the eggs, as well.

Could just be that they're young and haven't figured things out quite yet, either, or on the other end that they're too old and thing aren't working that well any more...

[plaakapong]

First off hi all, this is my first post, though I have been lurking for awhile.
Have you found any small, egg-size, white spots on your glass? I have what I believe to be 2 males and one very tired female that won't stop breeding. They eat the eggs as soon as she places them on the glass leaving only the sticky white spots that adhere them to the glass. Normal behavior from what I read. You can see the eggs on her ventral fin(see pic) while they're doing their dance as she's about to place them. I'm not sure if they've been getting them fertilized? I managed to scrape a few off the glass without breaking them and they just shriveled up after a few days.
Have you visited planetcatfish?

[hooha]

some cory breeders put a bunch of ice cubes into the tank at night to drop the temperature, in the morning there's a bunch of eggs laid.....

[mistergreen]

1. conditioning... feed them lots of high protein live or frozen foods
2. A water change will trigger it or placing a few in a breeding tank..
the rush of fresh water/cooler temp triggers it.

[susankat]

To breed cories you need 2 males and 1 female. Peppers are one of the hardest to breed as they are very bad at eating there eggs. Best to put them into a breeding tank (I use a 10 gal ) get them into top condition, by feeding good quality foods, and doing water changes every few days. Then do a 25% water change with cooler water daily until they start laying eggs. As soon as the eggs are laid remove the adults and put back into main tank. Keep good filtration on the breeding tank and an airstone near the eggs to keep water flow on them. You can add methylene blue to help from getting fungus. Keep your water temp 77 - 79 and in 48 hours the eggs should start hatching. Don't feed for a couple of days they have to use up the egg sac. Then start feeding micro worms, baby brine shrimp and such 3 or 4 times a day. Do a couple of small water changes a day after feeding (I use an airline for this) After they start growing good you can cut back feedings to a couple of times a day and water changes to every couple of days.

Hope this helps

[valerietheangel]

I believe cories do take a little longer than other fish (cichlids, livebearers) to get to breeding age, but I would think that yours should be mature at 1+ years.

[SearunSimpson]

Yeah, I dont know. I've been watching for the eggs incase they do/are getting eaten, but there aren't any in the first place. Just just do the dance and that's it.

[mooner]

Try more the three if you can. I have about eight adults of any species I keep. Better chance of getting a trio. I have bred Peppers, Pandas, Pigmy's, Greens, and Adolfo's. All in planted tanks. i just do weekly WC's and if I really want to trigger them I use live worms. I imagine my Pigmy's breed the most, two to three times a month. My water is is hard and PH is 8. I've raised many and traded. Three to four days after hatch they readily take brine shrimp. I collect the eggs by hand right off the glass or plant. They are very tough. Once feeding them brine shrimp, I do 50% WC daily and keep them in a hang on specimen container(large) floating in the parent tank with an air stone. At about an 1/2" I move them to a 10 gallon and then a 40 to raise to adults.

Be careful what you ask for, once you got about three hatches going and more are being laid you will have your hand full

Chris

[mooner]

Originally Posted by plaakapong

First off hi all, this is my first post, though I have been lurking for awhile.
Have you found any small, egg-size, white spots on your glass? I have what I believe to be 2 males and one very tired female that won't stop breeding. They eat the eggs as soon as she places them on the glass leaving only the sticky white spots that adhere them to the glass. Normal behavior from what I read. You can see the eggs on her ventral fin(see pic) while they're doing their dance as she's about to place them. I'm not sure if they've been getting them fertilized? I managed to scrape a few off the glass without breaking them and they just shriveled up after a few days.
Have you visited planetcatfish?

Great pic, Try a plastic drinking straw cut at a 45 deg to get them off if they seem soft.

Chris

[plaakapong]

^^^^Thanks mooner,great idea! I'll give it a try.

[waterfaller1]

What are pepper cories? I keep 4 corydoras habrosus. I got them a few months ago and they were very tiny and the same size. One has shot up past the other three, is this the female most likely?

[mooner]

Originally Posted by waterfaller1

One has shot up past the other three, is this the female most likely?

Yes, females can be 1.5x to 2x larger than the males.