Starting a Cory tank, betta as a side attraction.

[LyzzaRyzz]

Hello there! I have fallen in love with the Cory, and after a impatient, failed attempt, have decided to do it right this time, even if it takes a long time!

So, i need you guys help with making a cory tank. I have the tank, the heater and the filter, but i dont want to mess this up again!

I have access to bronze, green, albino, and pandas...Im friends with a girl at my LPS, and she breeds cories, and has volunteered to back my cory project with babies!

and my LPS doesnt carry love plants, sadly, and cannot order them. If i manage to finagle a ride, i might be able to get to petsmart, but im not sure if thatll even happen..

[Mavi]

Don't mind if I tag along on this thread do you? I'm looking to do the same thing!
I'm going to upgrade my bettas home and introduce some gentle companions for him! :)
I'm in love with panda cories! And I want them to thrive in my tank! :)
I was also thinking an apple snail or two, depending on what they require, and i don't know much about them, but if platies are a gentle fish who won't rip my bettas fins, I'd like to get some of them too!
Can anybody help? :)

[animallover]

Hello to you both! I am also trying to ask about my 4 "Julli" catfish with the Betta. I have the tank with 6 silk plants,1 other plant, 3 ornaments and a Betta log. Its a 10 gallon,heated,filtered and smooth round rocks. I put a picture on Photobucket of how it looks now, but so far no one has replied.Of course I made it harder because I have no link,just telling you all to go there and type in animallover001,click user profile! Aggh, I got to get that linked right! Any who,I already got some GREAT advice in my other posts on it. Feel free to look at it-its here called Hidey Places.... I don't know anything about snails sorry! Oh, the tank should be at least a 10 gallon,filter and heater. Have the corries in a group of at least 3/4 (4 with the majority of opinions).Silk or real plants,sand I think is better but not sure.Good luck!!!

[Bombalurina]

What size is your tank? In a ten gallon or less, I'd go with pandas (noticeably smaller than the other species, though not as small as the pygmy varieties). They are more susceptible to stress (not dramatically, though), and harder to breed, but they are so cute and you could have six in a ten gallon rather than 4 of the larger ones. In a 20 gal or larger, I'd have two groups of 8, I think. :)

My tips:
- use a sand substrate. Cories LOVE sand and it is the safest substrate for them.
- If you can find terracotta pots broken in half, driftwood caves or rock caves, these are all great. I have a driftwood cave and my cories spend all their time in it, when they aren't zipping around looking for food or just being crazy.
- feed them a good diet with meaty cory pellets - they aren't like plecos and can't live on just algae.
- if you can get live plants, that would be great. Mine love anubias especially (they love to lie in the leaves), and java moss is always good. If not, some silk plants with broad, flat leaves are nice. Acumen Aquatics (if you have facebook, search for them) have some really nice ones).

I hope this helps! :)