single corys OK?

[fishcatch22]

Hi, all. i've currently got a betta in a 1/2 gal bowl and i'm moving him up to a 2 1/2 gal planted aquarium and was wondering if getting a single cory for a tankmate would be okay because I know they're school fish and I don't want it to get depressed and die.

[monkey_toes]

A single cory is not a happy fish. Kept alone, their activity level drops to just about zero. I would recommend against it.

[wannabefishguru]

try glass ghost shrimp, maybe two.

[monkey_toes]

Some, but not all, bettas will kill small shrimps. I would prefer to see you move up to a 10 gallon and get a half dozen cories.

[fishcatch22]

that i'm able to do now 'cause I just got a great used 10 gallon tank in great condition.

[monkey_toes]

that i'm able to do now 'cause I just got a great used 10 gallon tank in great condition.
Sweeeet. Get that baby cycled and heated before you add your betta and cories, and you should have a long-term peaceful community.

[fishcatch22]

Sweeeet. Get that baby cycled and heated before you add your betta and cories, and you should have a long-term peaceful community.my signature says it all ;)

[Zen4t5]

Too late now I guess. Corys are species specific when it comes to schooling. You should get all the same cory for schools.My peppered corys were noticibly happier when i went from 3 corys to 5 corys. Really busy guys now.

Oh I think the 8 X-ray overstocks your tank.

[fishcatch22]

Too late now I guess. Corys are species specific when it comes to schooling. You should get all the same cory for schools.My peppered corys were noticibly happier when i went from 3 corys to 5 corys. Really busy guys now.

Oh I think the 8 X-ray overstocks your tank.well, my cories school together quite well, and my fishes have enough room to establish their own territories. :mad:

[Zen4t5]

Hey if the corys work. That's great. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

You are overstocked though. You have about 18 -21 inches fully grown in your 10 gal. Some of your fish still might have some growing to do. Not to mention snails are part of your bio-load. I guess if you put the work in maintanence and water changes it should be fine. Just be careful, a 10 gal tank can be very unstable. Upgrade to 20G will fix alot.

[fishcatch22]

Hey if the corys work. That's great. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

You are overstocked though. You have about 18 -21 inches fully grown in your 10 gal. Some of your fish still might have some growing to do. Not to mention snails are part of your bio-load. I guess if you put the work in maintanence and water changes it should be fine. Just be careful, a 10 gal tank can be very unstable. Upgrade to 20G will fix alot. (sigh)I guess it is a little overstocked... well, it is well planted, and I never asked for the snails!:(also, I think it won't be too bad, because each of my types of fish inhabit different parts of the tank, so they don't compete for floor space too much.

[Zen4t5]

The overstocking has to do with surface to air ratio not territories. I also know people who have overstock tanks and for the most part they are fine. They do have to do more work to maintain it. Be careful, one guy I know, his whole tank crashed and killed more than half his fish. He now pays attention to stocking rules. Like I said before if it ain't broke don't fix it, but there is a lot of hidden dangers with overstocking. Something might happen a year from now with no warning. I wish you the best of luck.

[fishcatch22]

don't worry, this isn't my first aquarium.

[Rsquared333]

Yes you are overstocked, so do the best thing GET A BIGGER TANK!!!!

No better excuse!!! I am always looking for excuses to upgrade (my girlfriend gets pissed though) LOL

[fishcatch22]

I know I should but they just got acclimated, and I'm only one guy, and I get some money, but not that much money.(i'm only 16, you know, with no steady salary, though I do make some money on the side by mowing lawns in the summer)it already has a lot of plants, and you know more plants means more exhaled oxygen, and my lighting is great. I also installed a large, long airstone and my fish are all healty, active, and show no signs of stress.

[Zen4t5]

I hear you. This is not a cheap hobby. Not to nit pick, but you should take out the airstone. It releases Co2 back into the air. The plants need it to breathe. The plants start dying and add waste to your tank. The plants should provide enough oxygen without the airstone. The whole point of us telling you these things is to save you time and money on something bad happening down the road. Where it all could have been prevented by little things in the beginning. I understand you can't get a bigger tank right now. Maybe there is a way to increase your bio-load, like add another filter. Google it or start a new thread. There got to be a better cheaper way.

[fishcatch22]

now that I have gotten a lot of responses I can say that my x-rays and cories were hypothetical. :rolleyes: I just wanted to know if I was gonna overstock it. check out my new stocking plan! would it work out?

[monkey_toes]

:rant2: If you want to know …

[monkey_toes]

:rant2: If you want to know …
… just ask. :rant2:

[fishcatch22]

well? would it?

[kuhliloach]

i have cory that lives with a paradise fish in a ten gallon tank. i dont no wut happened but some how they now think that the paradise fish is a cory and the cory thinks the PF is a cory, wut an odd couple!