the inch/gallon myth; regarding fish at different levels..

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Mr. Gone

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Aug 24, 2005
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hello to all, first post here. out of all the fish forums i currently peruse, this is my favorite, because its the most thorough.
okay i've been reading a lot on tank sizes. i recently acquired and re-sealed a 15gT tank w/bio-wheel set-up. first i'm going to plant it, and get the water conditions stabilized for that. but when i'm finally ready i was thinking 6 neons & 4 corys.
i'm not yet sure on which type of cory. i was wanting corys that max out at 2inches. i really like panda corys, but...they're a little pricey, and i can't get them locally. so that's out. was thinking 3-lined corys, but since they're commonly sold as jullis, they're pricey too. i've seen so-called 'spotted cory' but thats sort of like saying 'striped zebra'! :joke: so i don't know exactly what they are or how big they'll get......so i haven't finalized what species of corydoras yet. any suggestions?

that's really a small aside to my main question. will this tank be overstocked?
i absolutely do NOT want to overstock. my enjoyment in fishkeeping has always been observational, so i want happy little schools of joy!
however, i was thinking this would be okay because of the EXTREME generalities of the fish/gallon rule. neons and corys arent particuarly large/thick, nor do they produce much waste in relation to their mass. i wouldn't think psychological stress would happen as they inhabit different parts of the tank (i realize corys do occasionally snatch air from the surface) am i right in this?
also, of course, the planting of the tank would not only make the environment more comfy with hiding spots, it would also help with filtration. not that that is an excuse to slack in water maintenance. staying on top of water maintenance has never been a problem for me, i enjoy it. caring for the fish is why i like keeping them in the first place.

so...would this set-up provide a thriving condition for the fish, or do i need to modify my plan?

thanks in advance.
 
Most spotted, or speckled, or salt and pepper, or peppered cories tend to stay on the smaller side and would be a safe bet. That sounds like a decent stocking scheme for that size of a tank. With weekly water changes and live plants water quality should not be an issue at all.
 
Yes cories do occasionaly got to the surface for air. I've read that they can do this anywhere from 2 to 40 times an hour. Although if they were doing it constantly I'd be concerned...Mine only pop to the surface occasionly.


If you can't find a good selection of cories in your area, try http://www.thatpetplace.com/LiveFis...SH/PgNo/1/Class/Corydoras+Catfish/Search.aspx

They have a good selection and I know several people that have ordered fish from them and they come very highly recommended.
 
i think that would be fine. in fact, i think that you could get one more centerpiece-type fish, such as a dwarf gouramie or a killifish, if you want
 
As for cories going to the top of the water. They do not get oxygen from the water itself but have to go to the surface to gulp air to be able to breathe. As they get older they are able to take in more air each time and not surface so often.
 
Zman, cories can get O2 directly from the water. But they also use their auxiliary breathing organ to "gulp" air because they tend to live in mucky, low-flow waters and they need to adapt to low oxygen levels.

As long as it is not a hex tank, it sounds fine to me. Just avoid Emerald cories because they get bigger.

You are right in not following the inch/gallon rule. It is really quite useless:)

As for cory suggestions, it kind of depends on what you like:) I like panda cories. Or, if you can find them and are interested, I recommend pygmy cories (not "dwarf" cories, but true pygmies"). Corydoras pygmaeus is the name. You'd need more of them (larger groups are a must) but they're a lot of fun. I'd get about 8.

Here are some pics of mine. Notice that they are on tiny glosso:
pgymyglosso.jpg
 
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FreddytheFish said:
i think that would be fine. in fact, i think that you could get one more centerpiece-type fish, such as a dwarf gouramie or a killifish, if you want
Click to expand...

hmm.... not interested in another species in there, but i would gladly add another cory of whatever type i decide to build a school of. does anyone else think this would be alright?

..i guess i wasn't quite clear, now that i re-read my post it looks like i'm asking if corys go to the surface or not. i wasn't. i know they do, but i appreciate those who tried to answer my un-intentional question :duh:
but on that note....they don't breathe the air through a special organ like anabantids, they breathe it through their guts. scroll to 4th paragraph


iamgroovy, thnx for the link, but i really don't want to order them if i can avoid it.

leopardess, those wee-ones are so cute!! i like panda's really well also, but no one sells them locally, and they tend to be around 5$ apiece anyway. i'm on a tight budget, so i'm trying to get cheaper fish, and spend more of the available budget on getting the tank set up nicely.

i figured-out what the lfs is currently selling as 'spotted' cory:
Corydoras Leucomelas

i like these a lot. (i think its the cute little masks) and they're pretty cheap(same as bronze/albino) but my wife likes 3-lined corys better. i like them also, but i've read that they're commonly sold as jullis, so they command a larger price tag.

again, would one more cory be pushing it when they get adult-sized? (for reference that would mean=6Neons+5Corys in a planted 15gal T)
 
Mr. Gone said:
again, would one more cory be pushing it when they get adult-sized? (for reference that would mean=6Neons+5Corys in a planted 15gal T)
Click to expand...

I think that would be fine, I would just stick with one species of cory however, they seem to be partial to their own kind :D

Leopardess, what are those plants in your pic? Very pretty!!
 
I do think 5 is on the high end.

Holly, it's just glossostigma elantinoides:)

Edit: woah, wait a second. Is this a 15g tall? If so, the cories would be quite squished. Three is about all I'd do. The footprint on that tank is not very big (which is why I didn't suggest it if it was a hex tank).
 
Holly9937 said:
I think that would be fine, I would just stick with one species of cory however, they seem to be partial to their own kind :D
Click to expand...

i was going to stick with one species, i don't like the look of mixed schools for most types of fish. (none come to mind) but now...........

Leopardess said:
woah, wait a second. Is this a 15g tall? If so, the cories would be quite squished. Three is about all I'd do. The footprint on that tank is not very big (which is why I didn't suggest it if it was a hex tank).
Click to expand...


i said 15g T in my first post, a plague upon you all for getting my hopes up!!! ;) really i'm just glad it got straightened out

only 3? but will they be ok as a group of only 3? or should i not get corys? :sad:
i want them to thrive, will that be likely with only 3?
what exactly do you mean by 'squished'?
 
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