Corydoras in coldwater tanks

There has been much debate and concern pointed out to me concerning putting corydoras in coldwater tanks. This is my verdict on this after a little research.

In my findings so far there are very few corydoras that will appreciate/tolerate cooler waters : - (This list will be added to when I find more - or more pointed out to me!!)

Corydoras paleatus (Peppered Corydoras) - wild caught only!
Scleromystax barbatus (formerly c. barbatus) 15-19C

ALL others should be kept as tropical at around 24C. Some will tolerate higher temps, but by and large 24C is perfect.
Peppered corydoras have been bred and bred and bred so that they can now be considered as more tropical than c/w. Only wild-caught specimens would truly appreciate cooler temperatures, and I seriously doubt that any of us here has a wild-caught specimen!!

We should not tolerate corydoras being kept in coldwater tanks and certainly not anything below 22C for c. paleatus (peppered).

As a rule: -

OK here is a list of the more common corys and their MINIMUM temperatures.

Ensure that your water NEVER goes below this if you are going to keep these catfish.
I do have to add that these fish would still prefer a temperature no less than 24C. This is my stance and will defend it to the hilt!!
(Data predominantly supplied by Planet Catfish) In degress Celsius

c. adolphoi  - 20
c. aeneus    - 21
c. aggassizii  - 22
c. ambiacus  - 20
c. arcuatus    - 22
c. delphax    - 21
c. elegans      - 22
c. leucomelas - 25
c. melanistius - 22
c. metae        - 21
c. panda        - 22
c. trilineatus    - 16  This is what you all believe to be c. jullii

Please do not put these fish in any lower temperature than this, and if anyone is suspected of doing so shoulld be reported to a moderator, preferrably me as this is not fair to the fish and to me is the same thing as raising a stingray in a 3' tank!!!

On the advice I have been given on here I have since switched my coldwater tank set up to tropical and bought a heater for my zebra danios, whitecloud mountain minnows and peppered corys, set to 22 degrees.  

All these fish had been sold to me as ones that would tolerate a cooler temperature  :o.

I get all my advice from here now!!!

I did read that thread Megs, and thankyou for heeding the advice given. Your fish will thank you for it in their increased activity and general happiness.

If people want a corydoras for a coldwater tank then get scleromystax barbatus (formerly corydoras barbatus) as these really do appreciate cooler waters of around 16C.

Its the advice given to beginners by shops (me included before i knew any better) that corys, (bronze, albino, peppered, dwarf,) are all fine in coldwater and kept with goldfish as ideal tankmates.  di

Yes, I've known small (usually pet) shops give this advice all the time, and they always come out with the classic 'I've always done it and it's never harmed them' when challenged about it.

They will learn to adapt (or die!!) but they would never be truly happy in a coldwater tank. That is what we try to do - keep fish in as close to their natural habitat as possible so that they are as happy as we can make them. We are responsible for their well-being!!

as i've said many times in this board, it is our responsibilty as fish keepers to provide our pets with a healthy and natural environment as we possibly can
in the case  of mixing goldies and trops, we have to realie that one or the other will be in a totally alien environment...................not only temperature, but things like parameters, feeding (they have quite different dietry needs), care, medications etc.
just to reiterate what jason has already said, we, at fishcrazy will never, ever advocate the mixing of coldwater and tropical fish

I never realised some people were being advised (or told its perfectly okay) to keep corys in cold water set ups   :'(

oh it happens lots, there was a big debate when i added some to my goldfish tank, and guppies, plec, errrr what else did i put in there, all on the sayso of my local pet shop, who assured me they were fine,  the thing was they were all fine, well ok one of the guppies got eaten, but nothing died because of the temperature and the corys i still have to this day.

What i did notice most was when i decided to get rid of the goldfish, the filter really wasnt up to up, how much happier the trops were, whereas i never realised they were behaving abnormally before, I would now though,  di

with regards to the bad advice by petshops, unfortunately this has always been a problem, and, i suspect it always will, but even worse, there are some websites who do the same and because some poor inexperienced individual read it on the web, they think that is gospel

Thankyou Cory-maniac for your resourceful information it has truelly helped me as i was going to get a cory for my coldwater tank but now i know that i would be trully harming this type of fish if i was to do so.....

[quote author=Goldene link=topic=10540.msg149756#msg149756 date=1122399538]
I wouldn't have bought my hillstream to go in my goldfish tank

i think wot julie was saying, is that the hillstream, although coldwater likes fast flowing turbulent water as it comes from fast flowing streams in china, whereas on the other hand, her goldfish (fancies) like still calm water, and are much more sedate in their behaviour

great that you changed your mind about the cory mate

I had too hillstream loaches with my goldfish and they both died, loved to get in the filter though, which makes sense now ive read what edds put, it would be the water rushing through it that they liked.  di

If ever this debate appears in the coldwater section again, please refer to this sticky thread.

Glad to see that this is already making a difference after just one day!!