Transporting a Corydoras: bagging, acclimatisation, moving
Corydoras : Its fin spines can pierce bags: use a double bag or a rigid container. Stressed corydoras can release toxins, so transport them in a generous volume of water.
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In short: 4 to 7 cm as an adult depending on the species, around 100 L for a group of 6, water between 22 and 26 °C. A peaceful, gregarious bottom fish, it sifts the sand in a group and gets stressed with fewer than six companions. Its barbels wear down on sharp or dirty substrate: fine sand is mandatory, and take care with salt and copper, which it tolerates poorly.
Bringing home or moving a Corydoras
A 6 cm Corydoras travels in a double bag — one-third water, two-thirds air — inside a cool box or opaque bag: darkness soothes, insulation protects from swings away from its 22 to 26°C comfort zone. Split the group of 6+ across several bags: less ammonia per bag, fewer losses if one fails.
Acclimatisation: the critical step
Once home, float the bag for 20 minutes so the water reaches the tank’s 22 to 26°C, then add tank water in small doses over 30 to 45 minutes, and release with a net without pouring bag water into the tank. In this species, a botched transfer is paid for in bouts of barbel erosion on unsuitable substrate. Lights off for the first day: a newcomer hazed under floodlights starts with a handicap.
Moving an entire aquarium
A successful move rests on three precautions: fish in covered buckets, the filter never dried out (damp cool box — it houses your bacteria), and a same-day restart using original water saved in jerrycans. The tank itself travels EMPTY: glass stressed by a few leftover litres cracks at the first corner.
Frequently asked questions
How long can a Corydoras handle transport?
Properly bagged, a Corydoras lasts several hours unharmed — and up to a day in a professional oxygenated bag. The real battle, past two hours on the road, is holding the temperature.
How do you acclimatise a Corydoras safely?
Float the bag 20 minutes, add tank water gradually over 30 to 60 minutes, release with a net, lights off the first day — and never pour bag water into the tank.
The guides that apply to you
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How to acclimate new fish with the drip method: equipment, drip rate, duration and special cases for a smooth, stress-free transfer into the tank.
- Heatwave and aquariums: how to cool the water without thermal shock
During a heatwave, aquarium water can top 30°C: a fan, pausing lighting and a bottle of ice cool the tank without a sudden, harmful thermal shock.
- Home Renovation and Paint: How to Protect Your Aquarium From Toxic Fumes
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- A Pinch of Salt in the Transport Water: Why It Reduces Fish Stress
Adding non-iodized salt to the transport bag or bucket limits stress-related electrolyte loss, according to a study on farmed fish transport.