Green cory - I feel like an idiot!

[driftwoodhunter]

I set up a 125g tank a few months ago. One of the fish I put in it was a green cory - moved from a 40B I broke down. After the first week, I never saw the cory, which wasn't so strange as I never would've seen it in the 40B if it wasn't for a rock bridge/cave I made that I could see through. That's where it would spend it's daytime hours. It never swam out where I could see it - I don't know if they are shy by nature, or if it was stressed & scared because it was the only one of it's kind.

So I looked and looked for the cory, but I assumed it died and the other fish ate it, because I haven't seen it in over a month. I was watching the tank tonight after feeding spirulina brine shrimp, and what pops out from within a cluster of rocks but the cory, wriggling out & about, then disappearing again within the rocks! Now I feel terrible, because I haven't been putting any food in the tank for it, and I never bought it tank-mates because I thought it died. When I first bout it a year ago, I didn't know they liked to be in groups. Now that it's in the 125g I have room to add more. Do you think it's been too long and would be intimidated by more corys, or would it be relieved & less stressed to have company? I was thinking of two more, to make a total of three. I don't know if I have enough rock/plant cover for more corys to be comfortable...

[Jeffww]

It'll be fine with company. Fish don't get mental disorders like prison in mates. It also probably has plenty of detritus and wasted food to eat. Don't worry.

[JoeD323]

Honestly, in a 125, I'd say you could EASILY support a shoal of about 50 of them. In large groups, cover becomes completely irrelevant as they become much more confident and discontinue hiding and prefer to scour the bottom all day long in search of food. Also, a schooling fish never stops being a schooling fish, no matter how long its been separated from the school.


Joe

[jeremyTR]

Get like 5 more, they'll be happy.

[jeremyTR]

Originally Posted by JoeD323

Honestly, in a 125, I'd say you could EASILY support a shoal of about 50 of them. In large groups, cover becomes completely irrelevant as they become much more confident and discontinue hiding and prefer to scour the bottom all day long in search of food. Also, a schooling fish never stops being a schooling fish, no matter how long its been separated from the school.


Joe

Or this. That would definitely be awesome.

[driftwoodhunter]

lol - I could do 5, but not 50. I already have 41 other fish in there...I should add that the substrate is natural tumbled riverbed gravel - totally smooth, but irregular and kinda huge - I hope it's going to be ok for the corys, and not wear down the barbels...a concern another trusted and expert forum member here mentioned as possible. (those are 2" Columbian Tetras in the background)

[Chlorophile]

Originally Posted by driftwoodhunter

lol - I could do 5, but not 50. I already have 41 other fish in there...I should add that the substrate is natural tumbled river beg gravel - totally smooth, but irregular and kinda huge - I hope it's going to be ok for the corys, and not wear down the barbels...a concern another trusted and expert forum member here mentioned as possible. (those are 2" Columbian Tetras in the background)

That looks like a good substrate to me.

[driftwoodhunter]

Well, that fishy will be happy to hear it's going to get some long-lost relatives visiting soon - the kind that never move out ; )