Pictus or Corydoras?

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robham777

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Jan 9, 2013
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I don't have any first hand experience with either catfish, but am looking for an active group of readily available fish for a SA community. The tank is 210 gallons 7x2x2 and will house 4 green severums, 2 chocolates, 6 festivum, 6 silver dollars and possibly the catfish shoal. Some of the cichlids may be split off over time as they grow or become quarrelsome, currently all the fish are approximately 2". Other suggestions and any thoughts are appreciated.
 
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Could do a massive school of cories, like 10 or 15 or more haha. Just make sure you have sand or smooth rocks as your substrate, the barbels get cut up on regular sharp gravel. Make sure food can get to the substrate and they won't starve.

I would pick something like the bronze or emerald green cories. I think they are brochis now or something? The females get up to 4". Most cories will also live up to 15 years! One of mine is 6 now.
 
I had both and I like them both but I gotta say that ime the pictus are super active and will dart around. Cories are more laid back and calm so I would look at some videos and see what you like. Or if you can't make up your mind maybe get both like 6 pictus and about a dozen cories.
 
Could do a massive school of cories, like 10 or 15 or more haha. Just make sure you have sand or smooth rocks as your substrate, the barbels get cut up on regular sharp gravel. Make sure food can get to the substrate and they won't starve.

I would pick something like the bronze or emerald green cories. I think they are brochis now or something? The females get up to 4". Most cories will also live up to 15 years! One of mine is 6 now.
The substrate is pool filter sand. I looked at some cories today, but the problem is all are just listed as corydoras 3 for $10 so with so many different species I have no idea what I am looking at. I think the larger ones they had were melini or false bandit cories, but am not sure.

I had both and I like them both but I gotta say that ime the pictus are super active and will dart around. Cories are more laid back and calm so I would look at some videos and see what you like. Or if you can't make up your mind maybe get both like 6 pictus and about a dozen cories.
The darting around of the pictus was my main concern with them. I want something that does not spend the entire day under a log, but am not sure if I will get annoyed with all the darting around. Combined with the silver dollars it may be too much. I did think about just getting some of each.
 
I would recommend Brochis splendens.
Too big to get eaten,attractive and active without being scatty and annoying.
If you do get some sort of Cory,get more than 10.
I used to have 20 something in my tank and they were great to watch. When I had 6,not so good. The more you get, the better they act.
_20160602_210922.JPG

Have you considered Hoplo's?
They are peaceful and active catfish.
_20160604_155225.JPG
 
The substrate is pool filter sand. I looked at some cories today, but the problem is all are just listed as corydoras 3 for $10 so with so many different species I have no idea what I am looking at. I think the larger ones they had were melini or false bandit cories, but am not sure.

The darting around of the pictus was my main concern with them. I want something that does not spend the entire day under a log, but am not sure if I will get annoyed with all the darting around. Combined with the silver dollars it may be too much. I did think about just getting some of each.

If you're concerned about the darting around then I would get a big school of cories. I like the emerald Cory
 
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I would recommend Brochis splendens.
Too big to get eaten,attractive and active without being scatty and annoying.
If you do get some sort of Cory,get more than 10.
I used to have 20 something in my tank and they were great to watch. When I had 6,not so good. The more you get, the better they act.
View attachment 1251052

Have you considered Hoplo's?
They are peaceful and active catfish.
View attachment 1251053

I've had brochis splendens before, and they are really cool. My favorite cory.
 
I am adding 2 more festivums and my 2 chocolates tonight from my 125. The tank has only been set up for a week with 4 festivums from my 36 and so far no readings for ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate. I threw a couple of bags of cycled ceramics in the sump, and will move an ac110 over if I need to. I also need to get my qt ready since it has been idle for months, if I end up with 20 cories may have to switch the 20 for a 29. Is there an issue mixing cories if I can't locate a suitable quantity of the same species?

Stanzzzz7 Stanzzzz7 thanks for the suggestion, I will swing back by the lfs tomorrow and see if they have any hoplo. Without looking specifically for them, I probably would have assumed they were loaches and not paid them much attention since I would prefer not to mix continents. Are they ok in groups?
 
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