Quick! Quick!! Quick!!! Help me!!!!

[DormDrax]

Nope he's still alive

I just want fast answers...

I know I said in a previous thread that I was going to wait on more fish... but...
Well... *Bites Nail* I just want more!

I've decided on Cories... getting them from PetSmart, I want the most interesting and weirdest variety.

So Far I've seen Pepper Cories, Albino, and... I dunno..

HOW SHOULD I PICK HEALTHY ONES AND WHAT SIZES? AND HOW MANY?
WHAT FOOD?
Should I get any thing else for them? (Money really isn't an issue I got mostly money this Christmas) Like... more hiding spots? More Gravel? More plants?

Funny enough... here is a direct quotation from my mother... Betta mom's may get a warm feeling haha.

Mom: "Well I mean if you want to get more fish thats alright but Drax seems happy as a Lark by himself! Why chance that he gets killed by these other fish!"

Me: "Thats why Cories would be an ok choice! Their bottom feeders."

Mom: *Points to Drax* "He's on the bottom now looking at that shell..."

Me: "Err..."

Mom: "What if the Cories attack him."

Me: "Thats why you get several Cories."

Mom: "Won't they just gang up on Drax?"

Me: "No no... Drax would be the Alpha fish mom... you get several other fish so the Cories can protect eachother..."

Mom: "*Shakes head* Fine if you want to go today (I don't have a car yet >,> I'm poor ok >,<) we can go. So help ... you if Drax gets hurt. I don't want to see his pretty little tail in shreds!"

Me: *Tries to act all composed and smart* "Mother dear I would float one Cory inside the vase in the tank for like an hour or so and watch Drax's response. If he flares and tries to attack the vase then I'll need to be very vigilant but if he seems curious like he is with the Decor then I shouldn't worry... if something goes wrong then I can always return the Cories."

Mom: *Shakes head* "Up to you... (Giving me that mom look of "It's your choice but I'm not 100% for it.")

Me: "Ah good (Gives my look of "I know what I'm talking about Goldfish Killer.")"

(Me and my mom have realized we are very alike personality wise so we banter alot and have little power struggles, not being mean just... it's like fighting with a female version of myself whose older haha.)



Stats:
Size: 10Gal
Temp: 76-82F (Hey Drax likes it warm)
Cleaning: *Blushes* Probably too clean haha
Cycled: Not fully but I clean alot so don't even mention water quality. I just like tending to the tank! More fish will make the tending seem more... not crazy haha!
Salting: Very lightly
Gravel: Look at the pic...
Plants: Look at the pic... 1 Java, Anacharis (Which has since been floated now and recovering) several large submerged vines).

[Panthera]

Well I would try and go to a LFS if I were you to get the cories. The ones from Petco/Petsmart will just have diseases and most likely give them to Drax, or be dead within a week. I'd go for Peppered Cories if you can find some decent ones, Albino's are a bit too big and from what I've heard are sickly.

If it was me, I'd go with 5 Peppered Cories. They don't cost much and will definitely leave Drax alone. Although I would wait until the tank is cycled to put them in. Good luck!

[DormDrax]

Originally Posted by Panthera

Well I would try and go to a LFS if I were you to get the cories. The ones from Petco/Petsmart will just have diseases and most likely give them to Drax, or be dead within a week. I'd go for Peppered Cories if you can find some decent ones, Albino's are a bit too big and from what I've heard are sickly.

If it was me, I'd go with 5 Peppered Cories. They don't cost much and will definitely leave Drax alone. Although I would wait until the tank is cycled to put them in. Good luck!

Thats the thing... it's my fault the tank is so slow to cycle I clean it too often haha. So there is no chance of spikes from my 'Other Mother' like watching (Coraline Fans should get what I mean).

Hmm... 5!!! Well I hear 1-3 is the best at a time. So I'll go with 3 peppered Cories.

I think there is a ... uh... what is LFS mean? (Derp).

*Doubts*
Your right... I'm just recovering from the Anarcharis infestation of unknown white things (That have since vanished.).

Maybe more fish would drive me crazy... but at the same time... I want to have more fish to care for!
I think I'd have to go for Petsmart... but the guy whose always there... is REALLY nice and I've mentioned before PROBABLY wouldn't sell me a sick fish he'd probably give me a healthy one. (Why?) he's the one who pushed me to get a 10gal for Drax. Yeah he was being a salesmen but still thats the opposite of 'He only needs a vase' tactic haha.

*EDIT*

OH! Would I need a ... bubbler or something to make the water breathable?

[shinybetta]

You could get albino cories from petco. They get decent sized and are very bold. You could do four. And I don't think they will die if boughten from petco. I have never lost a cory and that is where I buy all mine. Just look for ones that are rummaging, active, and not afraid of people.

[vaygirl]

You really should wait. I know that's not what you wanna hear but it's the truth. Corys need an established tank and they can be sensitive to changing water conditions. Plus they won't tolerate any salt, so you have to work towards getting the salt out of there.

Have you gotten a testing kit yet?Ii you absolutely HAVE to have them, then at the very least get a master kit while you're out so you know for sure what your water is doing rather then guessing what it's doing. They will have a much better chance at health. But honestly my advice is... Don't rush things! :)

[DormDrax]

Originally Posted by vaygirl

You really should wait. I know that's not what you wanna hear but it's the truth. Corys need an established tank and they can be sensitive to changing water conditions. Plus they won't tolerate any salt, so you have to work towards getting the salt out of there.

Have you gotten a testing kit yet?Ii you absolutely HAVE to have them, then at the very least get a master kit while you're out so you know for sure what your water is doing rather then guessing what it's doing. They will have a much better chance at health. But honestly my advice is... Don't rush things! :)

*SMACKS... with feather duster*

Oh please no this is the stuff I want to hear.

Well... *Recalling* At the most there is probably just 2TSP's of salt for the 10gal's still in there. I plan to water change it out though in the coming cleanings.

I'll have the water tested at PetSmart. (They test for free apparently).
The guy there (Who I pester alot) knows my situation maybe he can tell me if my tank is cycled already (HECK it could already be cycled and I just don't know it haha).

I want to get Peppered cories... Albino's oh I don't know I'm weird about colorless fish.

Like Drax's eye... I think it's only still marginally bad because of all my water changing... I don't think I wait long enough for the water to stop fizzing. Because as the days go by, it gets better... then I clean... and it gets bad again. I need to stop cleaning so much... well and wait longer how long should I wait from... filling jug from Tap, (Adding conditioner) and putting it in the tank?

[DormDrax]

So...
Perhaps what your saying is that I should REALLY just wait? Maybe till spring when I'm out of school for the summer. Otherwise my mom has to feed them during the week, and I'd do cleaning and water changes on the weekends when I often come home.
Just I'm so hyper about the idea of having a few more fish >,<

Making my mom do all the work?
Not really, I'm starting to think she really likes the fish tank and likes fiddling with it just not on the OCD level as me.

[dr2b]

I agree with Vaygirl, you should wait until you have an established tank. If you are changing the water often, it can stress them out or change the water parameters too much/frequently and be hard on them.

[DormDrax]

Originally Posted by dr2b

I agree with Vaygirl, you should wait until you have an established tank. If you are changing the water often, it can stress them out or change the water parameters too much/frequently and be hard on them.

If I was to take a water sample to PetSmart and have them test it (They say they do it for free) can they tell me if my tank has... Established?

[dr2b]

I really recommend you get a testing kit (API master kit is the best IMO). Things can change in an instant sometimes. To cycle and establish your tank, you need to test daily and small water changes daily since there is a fish in the tank while cycling. Once your tank is cycled, it is established. But even then, you need to have the testing kit. YOu can't always make it to Petsmart or Petco in time to test the water if you have to.