How many should I get?

[FoxDragon]

I have a 30 gallon long tank that was home to 4 pleco's that were recently moved to another tank, leaving only one rubber lip pleco and a generous handful of guppies. I want to set up a nice shoal of pygmy cory's in the tank, its a sandy bottom with driftwood and java ferns (but I am thinking of adding some other plants eventually).

What variety of cory would you recommend and how many? I want to stay with the smaller varieties, so I can have a larger shoal without overloading the tank.

[Suckermouth]

Do you mind if they're not bottom fish? I ask because Corydoras pygmaeus is one of the smallest corys, but they do not stick to the bottom! Panda corys are also fairly small, if I'm not mistaken. It'd also depend on the number of guppies how much room you've got left.

[FoxDragon]

The number of guppies fluctuates as they breed and I take them to my LFS for credit or just to get rid of them. The only reason I have them at all is because my mom is in love with them and the tank is in her tv room so it's stocked with her preferences in mind. I am hoping she will enjoy the cory's enough to let me cut down on the guppies a lot.

I don't mind of they don't stay on the bottom at all. The tank is a long so it's not very deep to start with. I've been looking at the panda's, I know my LFS stocks them from time to time. I want to get about 12 or so fish, so they have a nice sizable shoal.

[Richard B]

Although i think C Hastatus is a nicer fish than pygmaeus, Pygmaeus are readily available & a dozen would look great. You might consider an aspidoras species if you can find them? Gracilis are very expensive & hard to find although stunning. Habrosus are quite esy to find but not my favourite.

A lot will depend on your personal preference, what's available & budget.

As an example, i can get Pygmaeus for 90p, Habrosus for a couple of quid or Gracilis for 20+ pounds...