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I've got some Peppered Corys breeding and I've been pulling the eggs from the sides of the breeding tank when they lay them. I've placed the eggs in a little hang on tank with some blue meth to help with fungus with an air stone. Once they hatch I suck out the fry with a turkey baster and put them in a bare bottom 10 gal that has a mature sponge filter and heater. So far this part has worked pretty good. I've tried powdered fry food, BBS, and stuff from a dirty filter but the fry always seem to die within a few days, like they are not eating. I've tried lowering the heat, increasing the filtration, and doing larger daily water changes, with no luck.
In searching this forum and others I'm not sure of the best tank setup. Some say sand bottom. Some list very low temps (as in don't really need a heater). Some use infusoria (sp?) for food which makes me think maybe my tank is too clean. Some say shallow water (but then the filter won't work).

My question: What do most of you use to raise your fry to the point you can move them back in with other fish (in other words larger than bite size)?

I've been raising angelfish with pretty good luck but the longest I have had a cory fry live is about 10 days.

Have a thin (5mm) layer of sand. Don't feed BBS too early, I use microworm to begin with. Also use aged water for water changes and make sure any uneaten food is removed.

Sand is a "must have" in my opinion. My first food is sponge filter squeezings, then Hikari first bites, then decapped BS eggs. I use no live food until they can handle live black worms. Your mileage may vary. - Frank

Sand it is then. What is the best type? I've heard play sand (well rinsed), pool filter sand, and sand purchased for aquariums (most pricey). I know it has to be smooth for the barbels.

Also, what about temps for the fry? The adult breeder tank is about 75F, but in my community tanks the corys seem fine in 78-80F. Do the fry do better in warmer or cooler water?

I use RO water for fry tank changes to keep the water soft. My tap water is very, very hard. Later as they grow out I slowly get them used to harder water. But of course I haven't gotten to that point with the corys.

Thanks
Dennis

Play sand would be fine for a thin layer. It tends to be quite fine, so it compacts more than slightly coarser material.

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Mats

Hi Dennis

I'm no expert but are you using pure RO water for the fry tank? If so, watch the pH as it can collapse very rapidly.

Rick

Agree with RickE - you need some KH to keep the pH stable.

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Mats

When I originally setup any tank I use 20% tap water (from a well) with RO. The tap water KH is about 18 and the GH is well beyond 25 (where I quit putting in drops) and the pH is around 8.4. This mixed with RO gives me a KH of 4 or 5 and a pH of around 8.0. If I keep using tap water with water changes the pH can climb to 8.4 while using only RO keeps it around 7.8 to 8.0. till the fry have time to grow out. This works good with my Angelfish fry. Is pH a bigger issue with Cory fry?

Thanks
Dennis

Shouldn't be a big issue what the pH is, as long as it stays stable. Using too much RO water and not enough tap-water could potentially lead to a pH crash, but it sounds like two tablespoons of your water will make it hard enough (that's a joke, but you do seem to have liquid lime-stone in your taps).

Corys or Angel-fish should be about the same in sensitivity - at least the more common corys.

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Mats

I wouldn't fool around with your water at all. C. paleatus will breed successfully in your tap water.
I would breed them in a tank with some sand and Hornwort and remove the breeders after they spawn.
If you are using an outside power filter, be sure to cover the inlet with a sponge prefilter or another method that works for me is to fill a media bag with springy Eheim Ehfifix or blue bonded filter material and insert the intake inside the bag and attach it to the tube with a rubber band. These prefilter alternatives do not clog as easily as sponge types tend to do.

Not having to move the eggs or fry should improve their survival rate considerably. As hard and alkaline your water may seem to be, it is still suitable for breeding C. paleatus. They are an extremely adaptable species.