Oto or Snail? Which do you like?

[newfishmom]

I had pretty much ruled out snails. I will have to read up on the cory's. For some reason I thought they got to big but maybe I am thinking of something else. My algae problem isn't bad but I don't want it to be either. Thanks for all the replies! Keep the info coming! All help is appreciated. I will be going to town tomorrow. PetSmart has the oto's for $1.00 this week. Will have to check on the cory's.

[caroro]

Petsmarts everywhere have had these $1 sales apparently. Here my petsmart is selling $1 blue Gouramis and guppies. I'm about to go on a buying-spree!

And cories aren't active all the time, usually in the mornings and late afternoons/night they are though.

[newfishmom]

Ok so cory's eat anything and otos just eat algae? I don't have a problem with over feeding and vacuuming is taking care of the poo from my boys. So looks like it will be otos. Maybe after awhile, I will get some otos & corys for the sorority. Will have to study on that.

[Mudman]

This is the ticket! I had been trying to figure out what would be a good fish to put in the tank along with my Betta.

Would these fish have any issues with the Azoo substrate in my tank?

[BartTheFish]

I have a question... How about tetras?

[burn84]

I would say Ottos and Cories. But in a 5 gallon would be either or. No to snails. I hate snails. I am planning to get some Amano shrimps, good rating when it comes to eating algae+snails.

[caroro]

Some tetras are okay, but you're going to have to be VERY careful with which ones you choose. Alot of tetras can be fin nippers.

I've noticed that my cories will eat algae discs but they don't really eat the natural-grown algae. My pleco mostly takes care of that himself.
Personally i wouldn't consider cories a fish that is meant to clean up. They have to be fed like any other fish, but they're handy for eating what ever the other fish don't want.

[burn84]

Originally Posted by BartTheFish

I have a question... How about tetras?

My neons with my Betta are fine. The Neons will just tend to argue with themselves. They dont disturb the fancyskirty Betta fish lolz

[Phoxly]

Originally Posted by BartTheFish

I have a question... How about tetras?

Tetras are only okay in a 10g+ tank, no exceptions. You need atleast 5-6 of them to get them to school and thrive, or they may go rogue and pick on your betta. With enough of them (5-6) they stick to themselves and tend to be more chill/les stressed.

10g tank can usually have 1 Betta, 6 Tetras, and 2 Cory's?

I think with Neon Tetras and Glow-lite tetras you can have up to 7 Neons, or 8 Glow Lites, depending on if you have bottom feeders.

http://www.aqadvisor.com/

[Oldfishlady]

IMO-5g is not big enough for either a proper school of ottos or cory cats...any other fish for that matter.

Both cory cats and ottos are social fish and do best when kept in a proper school of at least 6 or more.
They won't drop dead if kept in lower numbers, but you will not see their more natural behaviors and they can become stressed and stressed fish can become a sick fish and then the whole tank soon can be sick.
There is a difference in fish that thrive or just survive when kept in too small of a tank and social fish that are kept in low numbers.

In a 5g tank with a Betta- good tank mates would be either shrimp or snails provided that they have plenty of hiding places.