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Apisto chasing corys

fyrefish

Member
Messages
54
Hey,
I've had my solo female apistogramma panduro in a 33gal tank for a while now (on her own) and today I decided to add 6 albino cories. I really like them, they're really cool fish and settling in quite well. However, the apisto seems to be chasing them. Not as in hunting, but kind of chasing them away when they go near her area, as well as following them around and kind of 'nipping' them. She isn't actually biting, just quickly dashing at them until they scatter. I've done a lot of research, and corys are supposedly great with apistos, especially as I only have 1. Is this just because they are brand new? She doesn't harrass her mystery snail tankmate. Will the corys learn to avoid her territory?
 

fyrefish

Member
Messages
54
Ok, looking at it a bit more, the corys are trying to just lay down on the sand, but the apisto scares them back to the middle/top of the tank, even if they aren't in her 'area'.
 

fyrefish

Member
Messages
54
The lights have all gone out, most of the fish are now resting, no chasing at the moment. The apisto does look a bit pale, but I will have to give them time I guess. One of the fish actually jumped out, but luckily I managed to get it back in within 10 seconds. It was quite a tiny hole too, but I have covered it with carboard for the time being. I can't even tell which one it is, hopefully it will be ok.
 

Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,201
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
... "I've done a lot of research, and corys are supposedly great with apistos ..."

Obviously you have not read much research here. Most reports say it is a bad idea. You have made 2 mistakes:

1. Adding corys to a tank with a territorial cichlid that considers the entire bottom her territory.

2. Adding corys after your apisto has established her territory without re-arranging the decor to remove her territory.
 

MacZ

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,958
Location
Germany
I agree with the others that combining Corydoras and dwarf cichlids doesn't work out well.

And here are my 2 cents about dwarf cichlids (not only Apistogramma) and Corydoras:

- Most Apistogramma usually will chase the Corydoras, the chance the catfish are physically attacked is high and sometimes a Corydoras might lose an eye.
- Mikrogeophagus are usually quite chill with Corydoras except when breeding. Then they are stressed out a lot and will attack the catfish. Have seen more than one female falling ill from stress and dying quickly. This might happen with Apistos, too, but they will take longer to get into dangerous condition. Gives you more time to separate them.
- Dicrossus can work with dwarf corydoras (C. pygmaeus, C. habrosus, C. hastatus), but they are definitely mutually competing for food.
- Pelvicachromis do not even know Corydoras from their habitat, so they first ignore them. With breeding season that changes and the cichlids will become extra aggressive.

So... yeah, bad idea to combine them.
 

anewbie

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,365
My nijjensi learned to accept the sterbai in the tank (not a good idea but it is how things worked out); they've been together for 3 years now and it seems to 'work' but i really don't recommend it. The sterbai don't understand territory - when they would breed (this no longer happens since the male died); they would approach the sterbai and they would quickly leave but it is of course stressful. Sterbai in general (in my experience) are quite timid relative to some species of cory - at least the ones i've kept. eques for example show no timidity.
-
If i were doing things over - and when i move and re-adjust my aquariums - i would not keep the sterbai with any species of apisto but i might run an experiment with pygmy - mostly due to how things worked out with pygmy and kribs - just a curiosity. After i move i'll have a lot more tank space and not be restricted by hoa rules - so if things don't work out i'll be able to to move things around or obtain additional tanks as needed.
-
Anyway the after several years together there been no damage I've observed between the cory and nijjensi - BUT the nijjensi love to follow the cory when they are breeding and eat the eggs....
 

Soonie

New Member
Messages
9
I used to have a pair of borelli opals that succesfully lived with 6 jullii cory's in a 55 gallon tank, but there was a LOT of hardscape and plants that separated territories and such. But then again borelli are some of the smaller apistos and they never bred in the tank, so I can't speak for when breeding does occur.
 

fyrefish

Member
Messages
54
I do feel I may have made a mistake, the aggression has toned down slightly but I will still need to do something about it. I really like the corys, and I don't want my stocking options for a classic community tank to be limited by one apisto. I've kept her because I am quite attached to the fish, but I don't really have any room to make a separate setup for her, or the corys. If I have to find her a new home, I will probably replace her with a ram or something similar. I have kept a ram before, they are quite cool and mine was very peaceful. I have tried rearranging some things around, but it hasn't really been enough to change her 'territory' as I don't want to move my plants which have just started to establish some larger root systems. Another option I could do is set up a quarantine tank for the apisto for a few days, to let the cories settle in to the new tank without being harrased. I would proabably also do more rearranging, and then reintroduce the apisto, I do feel that this could help, If I try and completely remove her territory which she has established for months, it could make a difference. Is this worth trying, or should I just try and rehome the fish. I want to make it work, but I don't want to create a stressful environment for the cories or the apisto.
 

MacZ

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,958
Location
Germany
I really like the corys, and I don't want my stocking options for a classic community tank to be limited by one apisto.
Might be it's just me, but a "classic community tank" (i.e. combining fish regardless of compatability) has never been a good idea in the first place. Not for you, not for anybody else and very much not for the fish.
I've always been in opposition to that whole concept. Except well researched biotope/habitat communities which usually work smoothely and rarely need to be a compromise.
Is this worth trying, or should I just try and rehome the fish. I want to make it work, but I don't want to create a stressful environment for the cories or the apisto.
Just rehome the Apisto or the Corydoras. Make a decision. Patching things up after the damage/mistake is done rarely leads to really satisfactory results.
 

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