So, I've decided hat I want for my birthday [ in feburary] is a 10 gallon tank with a male betta and a flock of Cory cats!
So, to start it all up, I grabbed me two tiny Cory's from my LPS, and a small 10w heater and a small critter keeper.
The Cory's are about an inch long, because their young, not Cause their dwarfs.
I got a green one and an albino!
I'm just wondering what's normal behavior? I've never had Cory's before, and From what I've read, their bottom dwellers, usually calm, but mine are not!!
The green one hasn't stopped moving, and right now the albino is chilling, nibbling some food, but he was just as hyper!
As a note, the water they are in is the same water from Thier tank from the LPS...
Here are some basic things for cory keeping:
- make sure you have at least 4, preferably 6 (that will fully stock you with nothing else in the tank)
- they prefer a sand substrate. Gravel can damage their barbels.
- try to get all one species, so from now on just focus on greens and albinos. They are happiest in groups of their own species.
- They like to have places to hide. Mine adore anubias on driftwood.
Okay, here's my delLema. I found out Cory cats like cooler temperatures than bettas, 70-76, and my tank is 78 for my betta. I realize that right now, getting more cories isn't in the immediate future, so my two will have to pack together[ which Thier already doing].
I have access to a four gallon glass tank, with small river stones as substrate, and a heater I believe will make it around 78 degrees.
Would this be acceptable? Please tell me what I can do!
Cories need a large footprint for swimming since they are bottom dwellers. They also need to be kept in groups of four or else they get stressed out which makes them more prone to illness. They are also pretty sensitive to water parameters. A four gallon wouldn't work for them because they couldn't have a proper shoal or enough swiming room. I would put them in the 10 gallon and if you're worried about the temp move the betta to the four gallon. In my experience the temperature isn't such a huge deal. My cories live at 79 degrees F and they're doing well. One of them is going on 2 years now and he's spawned several times in that tank.
Cories need a large footprint for swimming since they are bottom dwellers. They also need to be kept in groups of four or else they get stressed out which makes them more prone to illness. They are also pretty sensitive to water parameters. A four gallon wouldn't work for them because they couldn't have a proper shoal or enough swiming room. I would put them in the 10 gallon and if you're worried about the temp move the betta to the four gallon. In my experience the temperature isn't such a huge deal. My cories live at 79 degrees F and they're doing well. One of them is going on 2 years now and he's spawned several times in that tank.
Right now the two are barely an inch. The four gallon would be just temporary, til I get the 10 gal set up and cycled.
I'm so worried about my little cories, as I didn't realize, [or research enough, shame on me] how much they needed, they were totally an impulse buy!
So would the four gallon work for about two weeks?
Okay, here's my delLema. I found out Cory cats like cooler temperatures than bettas, 70-76, and my tank is 78 for my betta. I realize that right now, getting more cories isn't in the immediate future, so my two will have to pack together[ which Thier already doing].
Hmmmm, under my research Cory cats prefer 76-80? I am not sure where I got that but I remember that the Betta and Cory share temperature preferences.
Right now the two are barely an inch. The four gallon would be just temporary, til I get the 10 gal set up and cycled.
I'm so worried about my little cories, as I didn't realize, [or research enough, shame on me] how much they needed, they were totally an impulse buy!
So would the four gallon work for about two weeks?
I'm not certain how well it would go but if that's what you have to do then just do it. If you make sure to keep up on the water changes in the four gallon while they're in there they should be fine. I didn't realize the 10 gallon was uncycled. It would be worse to put them in the 10 gallon and do a fish in cycle with them in there than to have them in the four gallon with proper water changes. You'll still need to get 2 more when the tank is finished cycling though so they can have a small shoal. Albinos and green cories are usually the same species of cory so when you get two more they can be either green or albino and they will still school. Species matters more than color.
I'm not certain how well it would go but if that's what you have to do then just do it. If you make sure to keep up on the water changes in the four gallon while they're in there they should be fine. I didn't realize the 10 gallon was uncycled. It would be worse to put them in the 10 gallon and do a fish in cycle with them in there than to have them in the four gallon with proper water changes. You'll still need to get 2 more when the tank is finished cycling though so they can have a small shoal. Albinos and green cories are usually the same species of cory so when you get two more they can be either green or albino and they will still school. Species matters more than color.
Yeah, I will probably be getting two more of each, and a male betta...the betta will come much later though..I am worried about the cories cause they seem to be lying belly up on the surface of the water but when you come close they dart around and go to the bottom..I'm aging water now, but where I am I don't have water conditioner til tonight!!
Ugh I so hope they don't die!
And if they do, I'm waiting to get new ones...no more jumping the gun for me!
Yeah, I will probably be getting two more of each, and a male betta...the betta will come much later though..I am worried about the cories cause they seem to be lying belly up on the surface of the water but when you come close they dart around and go to the bottom..I'm aging water now, but where I am I don't have water conditioner til tonight!!
Ugh I so hope they don't die!
And if they do, I'm waiting to get new ones...no more jumping the gun for me!
That's not really normal behavior. I would get water conditioner as soon as you can and hopefully that might help. I hope your cories are okay.
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