"spiral_72" wrote in message
oups.com...
Whoa! That's a lot of different species of Corydoras. (looking at your
first link)

Do the females swell noticeably when they are ready to spawn?

I have read several different methods for breeding Corys but it doesn't
sound like there's anyway to tell when they are "properly conditioned."


I have to admit that the last Cory spawn I was paying attention to would
have been about 30 years ago, but I seem to recall that the females were
slightly plumper (downward rather than from side to side). Their belly
was also a lighter colour from the swelling (though that won't help you
with albinos ;~).

Three weeks on a high protein diet given several times a day and you can
consider them conditioned (imo). To induce spawning (if you need to),
you can jiggle the temperature, water hardness or lighting (in order of
increasing difficulty).

In Axelrod/Shaw's book, Breeding Aquarium Fishes (which incidentally has
C.paleatus larger than C.aeneus by 1/4", but who are you going to
believe.. them or me? ;~), both Corys breed in the same manner (spawning
size is 2-1/4"). Female's belly may get pink prior to spawning.
Conditions are 70 to 80F, 10dgH. Condition the sexes separately. They
talk about slowly raising the tank temperature to 80F and then letting it
drop overnight to 60F (seems a bit extreme to me, I would not drop it
below 68F). Then be ready with fry food for the 150 or so wigglers in
about 5 days (or less depending on water temperature). hth
--
www.NetMax.tk