YeW Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 Hi Guys - I'm curious about something. There's been 1000 posts on here (ok, a slight stretch) on zebra plecos and the like. There seems to be a whole world of Corydoras available (the whole genus) and yet no one (except Alan - and one or two others) appears to be interested. Additionally - while any "new" locariid seems to cause a massive fuss, species that are already here like whiptails and Farlowella (excuse my possible wrong spelling) get little to no press at all. Is there something about a fancy bristlenose that I'm missing? Or is the grass just that much greener? Dont get me wrong you guys arent alone in this (there's plenty of cichlid folk who drool over the next Pseudotropheus that comes along while snubbing lombardoi .) But I think Corys are pretty snifty (as far as catfish go) and was wondering whether you guys could fill me in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duck Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 im a big fan of corydoras but there arent many fancy types that i like available in here.. when they do become available....they are rather pricey. im slowly expanding my collection ... 9 species of cory and 1 brochis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mianos Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 I think the main thing is how exotic the fish in loricariidae genera look. They are very different. I have seen a quite a few corys and a few zebra plecos in real life while travelling and I will never forget the impression the medium sized zebras in a display tank made on me. They are fantastic looking. I have also seen the small ones for sale but they were not nearly as impressive. The other catfish that comes to mind would be the royal panaque (sp?), they had one of those in Zurich and it looked awsome. Aparently they are not as shy as the zebras as well. We are lucky to have the gibbiceps here as it's a great looking fish as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anchar Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 I am also a fan of Corydoras spp. and used to have quite a few different species. My favourites were C. barbartus. I recently picked up some long-finned albino corys that I adore too Unfortunately I don't keep many now due to lack of appropriate tank conditions for them. I think that maybe the corys get overlooked in the same way that the dwarf cichlids do...obviously size does matter to the majority merjo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlakeyBoyR Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 Some of the corys are absolute stunners and I'd take them over bristlenose any day of the week. I dont understand why there arent more varieties available in LFS. You see albinos, bronze and peppered corys but that is about it. The shop I work at ordered in some "panda corys" but people just glanced over them and stuck with peppered. I have no idea why, the panda corys are awesome. I cant even think of anyone who breeds corys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duck Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 im in market for more panda ...where do you work and how much are they selling for? the reason why most lfs stock bronze and peppered is because they are cheap!! $3 each while panda cost at least 4-5x more. aquapets has some rare species every now and then. auburn has quite a wide range and sls once in a while has some nice cories Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brett4Perth Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 I am sure it is just the politics of envy, thrill of the chase, etc. Found in all walks of life, not just fish-keeping. Sorry to rain on your parade merjo, but I don't think it is size that counts!! Perhaps more the tease, that desirable object that is just out of reach. Enough cliches Cheers Brett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anchar Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 Brett! merjo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catfishLegacy Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 Yew, that is exactly the way I feel about the "rare" catfish. I'm an absolute catfish nut, but I fail to see how ANY fish can be "worth" $900+. I know value is in the eye of the beholder...blah blah blah...but there are sooo many cheap-er fish available that are just as good, if not better. I have 5 different species of Ancistrus and I wouldn't swap them for any mere Hypancistrus, Baryancistrus or any of the other overpriced fish available. Don't have any Corys right now (no space), but the last time my interest peaked in them I had 11 different species They're great...might pick up a few "Peru neon gold Corydoras" when I can find them again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grave Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 I believe it all boils down to the importers if they can buy them at a good price we get them if not bad luck .the route of all evil controls every thing.MONEY Thats life Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mezzacam Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 Whiptail catfish lover! I currently have 1 at the moment (Not sure of the name but it just appears to be a common one) It has 1 eye and has grown it's lyretail back really nice (It's about 4cm) I'm definately going to get more once i upgrade the planted tank to a larger one. I'm loving those long nosed type Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boots n all Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 Yes it is the thrill of the chase, the hard to find and finally the acquisition, Now the real fun begins, can you induce them to spawn? can you do what most others only think about doing? it’s the challenge to say the least. Now if you can get them to spawn they only have 15 to 30 (depending the species) in a spawn and lets face it when you spend the big dollars you would like to think you can get decent money for the fry whilst cory’s can have hundreds in a spawn and are commercially bred, no real challenge to it if they are commercially breed? That last line may ruffle a few Scales Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ged Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 I don't think it matters what species it is. I always get a thrill when they spawn whether it is the first time or lots of times. I love Corydoras spp. Gerard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catfishLegacy Posted March 19, 2005 Share Posted March 19, 2005 Boots, there are many Loricariidae species that are commercially bred, and there are plenty that are not. Theres quite a few that have never been bred in captivity...its the SAME with Corydoras. I'm attempting to be the first person to breed Black lancers (Bagrichthys macracanthus) in captivity...I don't think any of the Zebra crew would be impressed though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted March 19, 2005 Share Posted March 19, 2005 I think cories are a bit of an aquired taste. They sort come in three price ranges.. There are cheapies (bronze, peppers, albino bronze etc...) and just about every person who keeps an aquarium has some of these so they don't cause a lot of interest. Then there is the mid range group. For example C sterbai, that are not too difficult to breed, but are not very proliffic and hold their price. They are no cheaper now than they were 20 years ago. There are a lot of species in group ($10 to $30 range that are only available every so often. it's not price that governs availability, that is pretty constant. they are just not produced in big numbers. ) To my mind, this is the group the esperienced breeders should be playing with. Every chance of success and should be no problem introducing other fish lovers to these species via club sales, auctions or even the LFS. Then we have the exxy buggers. The real challange!!!! Obtainable onely rarely, difficult to keep alive till mature, then refuse to breed . I have wasted a lot of $$$$$$ on this group,,,,,for very little result! Never give up !!! So few people ever see a "Neon Green" cory even as a juvenile, let alone adult! Or a "Gold Line" or "Red Line" or robbinae or mellini that they have no idea how stunning and appealing these fish are!!!! As for the Sturisoma species, falowella, and other whips? I don't think the the Zebra plec fans even know what you are talking about. Alan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted March 19, 2005 Share Posted March 19, 2005 ???????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YeW Posted March 19, 2005 Author Share Posted March 19, 2005 Hi Alan - As for the Sturisoma species, falowella, and other whips? I don't think the the Zebra plec fans even know what you are talking about. I agree with you here . Wondering why more locariid fans don't use these species for practice? The difficulty is certainly greater than your average bristlenose and perhaps closer to some of the "fancy" locariids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catfishLegacy Posted March 19, 2005 Share Posted March 19, 2005 Good on you Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevkoi Posted March 19, 2005 Share Posted March 19, 2005 Then what about Otociculus sp? The rarer varieties of corydoras only ever seem to attract the experienced hobbyist. Not many shops will carry them because they do not move unless they have the clients for the rarer varieties. Albino, bronze, peppered retail for anywhere between $3-$6. This is as much as the average "tropical fish tank" hobbyist will pay for them. The exotic corydoras can sometimes have to retail between $15-$40ea depending on species and where they are buying from and this price range means they are only for the experienced hobbyist looking for the unusual. As an example, a shop can turn over 200-300 albino, bronze and pepppered in a month. Possibly turn over 60 or so C.sterbai and C.trilineatus in the same time. The same shop has C.melini, C.metae, C.agassizi, C.elegans, occasionally C.nanus, C punctatus, C.barbatus, C.hasbrosus, C.pygmaeus ...... They'd be lucky to move 10 of each species a month. They just sit there and have to be maintained and fed... people go "Oooo nice fish!" then they go on any buy the cheap albino corydoras. The only reason why I can phantom why they are still kept in the shop is because the owners/management like their catfish. I suppose the corydoras don't have the "Poster fish" status the pleco type fish have and people buying into the rare pleco market have this 'warped' idea about breeding them and making them a tidy sum in return. No one even talks about breeding corydoras!! Corydoras end up being keepers fish rather than breeder's fish. On a different note, ALL corydoras and brochis species are allowable imports. Any species can be obtained thru legal channels at any time. There's no incentive to breed them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duck Posted March 20, 2005 Share Posted March 20, 2005 its about time to bring more corys kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted March 20, 2005 Share Posted March 20, 2005 Fiddle sticks !!! We have a green 'C aeneus' here in Aus that is no longer imported because it is not mass bred in Asia. A much nicer fish than the mass produced "Bronze" of the commercial world. What happened to the 200 "Green aeneus" that I took south and gave away to "breeders" three years ago ???? In the hope that we could establish this colour variety here in Australia !!! It has been here since 1956. Do we have to rely on 4 dedicated cory breeders in Qld who only breed a few hundred fish a year to maintain this cute fish in this country ??? Are we aquarists or just fish keepers ???? Alan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boots n all Posted March 20, 2005 Share Posted March 20, 2005 l told you my last line would ruffle a few scales, catfishLegacy, godd luck with Black lancers breeding program. Your right Alan cories are an aquired taste. l have seen the Neon Green, Red, Gold and a fourth colour that l cant remember, there is a commercial breeder here in Vic producing all four colours of the Neon cories(well the last time l spoke to him) and l am guessing that there will be some fry(for only the second time) at the EDAS Auction coming up soon, these would have to be the most striking of the Corys l have seen yet and have the ability to be the corys poster fish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duck Posted March 20, 2005 Share Posted March 20, 2005 where in sydney can i find neon corys? aenus black would be a nice addition too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catfishLegacy Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 And for those who think Corydoras aren't tuff enuff, heres a few species to change your' mind: Corydoras barbatus: a brooding, "dark" catfish. Corydoras narcissus: an enourmous, troublesome bully. Corydoras zygatus: No doubt designed by lucifer himself, beware of this fish and its evil, magical power Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canberra Alex Posted March 28, 2005 Share Posted March 28, 2005 check out this List with pics of Corys not hard to find one to like Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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