Would I Be Overstocked?

Boohoo

Boohoo

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Feb 22, 2005
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Bridgewater,Nova Scotia
Once my 55g is finished cycling, I am going to move some of my fish that I have in my 10g, over to the bigger tank. I would like to keep my male betta, 4 pepper corys and 8 neon tetras in the 10g. Would this be overstocked? If so, how many of each would you suggest. I would like to have the 3 species together. My betta currently resides with 4 noens and there is no aggresion on his behalf so there are no problems there. :confused:
 
Boohoo said:
Once my 55g is finished cycling, I am going to move some of my fish that I have in my 10g, over to the bigger tank. I would like to keep my male betta, 4 pepper corys and 8 neon tetras in the 10g. Would this be overstocked? If so, how many of each would you suggest. I would like to have the 3 species together. My betta currently resides with 4 noens and there is no aggresion on his behalf so there are no problems there. :confused:
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Yes that would be overstocked. If you wish to keep those species together, I would suggest a larger tank. Cories like schools of around 6 or more. also, peppered cories can get to about 3 inches in length. That's a whole lot of fish for a small tank like a ten gallon. To be honest, a ten gallon with a betta is usually only set up for one small school of small fish. I think a betta and 7 neons would well stocked.
 
Sounds like you might be pushing it a bit. If your tank is well planted you might be able to get away with it. Your neons will let you know pretty quick if the water parameters go south since they seem to be fairly sensitive...not that i'm suggesting you rely on them for that. Diligence with PWC's and keeping close tabs on water chemistry should keep your fishies happy.

***Edit: Just saw Harlock's post after I submitted mine. Listen to him...he's got WAY more experience than I. Good luck with your tank!
 
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Yeah, that would be pushing it a bit. Mainly because, as Harlock mentioned, peppered cories should grow to around 3 inches. In my mind it's more of a space issue than a bio-load issue... I think the tank could handle it, but for the amount of fish of that particular size, it's not really a good set-up. The betta and neons would be fine, or the betta and a school of smaller corys like pandas or dwarfs, but not both schools.
 
I read what everyone says about neons and I certainly won't and can't argue, but that is what I have been cycling my 10g with. I am currently way overstocked in the 10g and it is almost 7 weeks into the cycle. I have 3 danios, 4 neons, 4 white clouds 1 male Betta and 2 irradescent sharks. So I want to leave the betta in there and the neons. If I don't add any more neons to the current 4 could I put any type of bottom dweller?
 
Neons really need a school of 6 or more to exhibit normal behavior and not be as stressed. If you wished to keep the betta and wanted a schooling fish that occupied more levels of the tank than would the neons, I suggest a betta and 6 pygmy corydoras catfish. Pygmies remain small and unlike their larger cousins will occupy more than just the bottom level of the tank. They school well and like to swim in the middle to bottom of the tank most with even some occasional adventures in the upper level. This combination would give you the betta as a showpiece and the fun behavior of the cory in a package that both fits and fills out a ten gallon quite nicely.
 
Boohoo said:
Thanks Harlock, I was waiting for you to come back. ;)
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Sorry, had to shave and shower. ;) By the by, if I had to choose between neons and pygmies, I would pick the pygmies. Much more personality and a lot more fun to watch. Just another $.02 which brings my total up to somewhere around a dime!
 
I definitely agree with Harlock. Cories are great fish! So cute and fun to watch. Tetras just kinda swim around and die for no reason :D

Tetras are nice in huge schools in large tanks, but they were boring when I had them in a small tank.
 
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