# Normal cory behaviour?



## InfraredDream (Jun 24, 2010)

Hello,

I just got 4 julii cories 2 days ago. Never had them before, but in love with them for quite some time  So I don't know what is "normal" for them and I read different opinions - from not very active to extremely active. They were all calm and not moving much in the store, but it was bare bottom, so maybe that's why. At home it took them 2 hours to adjust and they haven't stoped moving eversince  They are eating well (algae waffers). What bothers me is that they move up and down the glasss a lot, not just stick to the bottom looking for food. Is that normal or is a sign of stress?
Also, their gils are pink/red, I saw many pictures and it seems that is normal, but I just want to make sure.

Thanks in advance!


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## wsl (Apr 21, 2010)

Give your corys a few days to settle. They're nervous at first, so they'll likely swim around huddled as a group for a while. Once they get used to the tank, they'll stay mostly on the bottom. I'm not perfectly sure about the gills, but I think it's normal.


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## jobber (May 14, 2010)

The corydoras of any sort will explore and swim up and down the column of the water for the first few days. They will settle down after they finish their exploration and excitement of being in your fish tank--it's just a sign of them excited in your tank. keep an eye on the gills as they are not suppose to be "too" pink or "too" red--but since they are jullii, a bit of pink will show through the lighter parts of the non-spotted places near the gills. Monitor it. Do a test of your water parameters. 

How you know your corydoras have settled in. They will begin digging profusively in your substrate looking for food. Don't be fool by them, they'll always be showing you they're hungry. Feed a tablet (make sure they can finish within the hour, then take the leftover food out) once a day since you only have 4. Best practice once they get bigger, is 1 tablet/pellet when you turn on your lights, and once again an hour or two before you turn the lights off.

If they become too inactive and just like to hide, it means there may be something wrong with the water or they're not comfortable with their setting (water change needed, more hiding spots, more shaded areas,...)

After a few weeks or months, if one or two of them are doing the swim up and down your tank, they may be in spawning mode. 

good luck with your cories!


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## bigfry (Apr 21, 2010)

jobber604 said:


> ...After a few weeks or months, if one or two of them are doing the swim up and down your tank, they may be in spawning mode.
> ...


Ditto. Especially if you see the female is so plump and there's one or two males following her around.


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## Luke78 (Apr 24, 2010)

For substrate , i personally have sand they love sifting through it.So much, that they have moved it around for their own preference Gravel or other substrates can be hard on their barbels.I learned this the hard way after i noticed some of my sterbai corries were missing a few.They also love to hide and have some kind of cover (Driftwood/almond leaves/some rock structure/large plants etc).A little flow of water doesnt hurt either as they coast through it constantly.


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## InfraredDream (Jun 24, 2010)

Thank you very much for the input. They are not that exproring today, started eating from the sponge filter intake as well as checking the plants as well - TOO cute  I love these guys!

The gills are just a bit pink, when they stop for a while on the bottom, so I can really see them  And I did test the water yesterday, it was fine. 

As for males/female, maybe mine are too small as I don't see to see any difference.
Do you think they really have the chance to actually spaw? Or just get into the mood? As I read they are quite difficult to be breed.

Thanks a lot again!


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## jobber (May 14, 2010)

they will spawn if fed a well diverse diet of shrimp pellets, algae wafer, hikari sinking wafers....it's the diversity in food and the amount of available food source which can trigger them to spawn. they usually spawn or show signs of spawning after a good regime of high protein intake for a few days....along with a few days of water changes. enjoy them first and let them spawn without any sort of induction.

if you notice them begin to dart to the surface of the water for air, it means there is a lack of oxygen being diffused in the water. if you are running a HOB filter with a bit of a waterfall, it should be fine.

good luck with those lil fellas....aka 'adoras. scurrying around the bottom of the tank like a pack of mice....

http://www.seriouslyfish.com/profile.php?genus=Corydoras&species=julii&id=274


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## BossRoss (Jun 17, 2010)

cory's are awesome... get some sinking shrimp pellets and they will love it! water flow is good too... my julii's love to swim against the powerhead ouput. A little pink around the gills is normal.


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