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oppinions on planned buddies please

1K views 19 replies 4 participants last post by  Fin2you 
#1 ·
So I did a remeasure of my tank and it's actually a 10gal not 12gal like I was told by my friend who I bought it from.
Anyways so my plans for Fin's buddies are;
2 spixi (zebra) apple snails, 1 black mystery snail, then 2 or 3 pygmy cory catfish.
But I'm wondering if that's too much for my tank? Yes it's heated & filtered, no live plants but lots different sizes & styles of fake, a cave & plenty of room for another cave if recommended.
here is a link to my online photos, when I tried to add a picture to another thread it was really tiny!
http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2308233760055689198LFLFRa?vhost=pets
 
#2 ·
I would go with 1 apple, 1 mystery and 3-4 cories, as they do better/prefer larger groups.

Keep in mind snails tend to produce a lot of ammonia (apples are large snails) and can reproduce quickly and overrun the tank if not careful.
Make sure to supplement their food quite a bit since your tank isn't naturally planted.
 
#3 ·
thanx Myates!!
I read that the zebra snails only get about 1.5" same as the mystery, but I don't want to overpopulate, or crowd!
 
#4 ·
Okay.. for some reason was thinking there were zebra printed apple snails lol

You can get one of each, just make sure to keep up on the water changes each week- about 50% with siphoning if there are no live plants. BUT if the zebras are nerites, those tend not to breed in freshwater, but again, looking at the bio load they produce.
And 3-4 pygmies of course :)
 
#5 ·
there are zebra Nerites as well as zebra apple, These are the ones that have been offered to me by someone who has them locally I think they breed them as they aren't very common here in Alberta. http://www.theshrimptank.com/aquatic-snail-species/asolene-spixi-snail.html.
50% water changes are my normal weekly routine already, with just the betta!
Oh ya I was already planning on supplimenting algea tabs & catfish wafers!
I have no clue how long b4 our local store gets more mystery snails in, as they're a special thing, so maybe I'll just go with the 2 zebra apple snails as they've offered me a good deal ($3/1 or $5/2)
 
#6 ·
I would strongly suggest just getting one nerite, so you can have 6 pygmy cories. That way, no baby snails and much happier cories. :) I don't like apple snails as they get huge and make so much mess.

If you do want pygmy cories, I strongly suggest changing your substrate to sand, as they will struggle with that gravel you have.
 
#7 ·
ok so...
there were only 2 Salt & Pepper Paleatus Cory left in the store. I brought them home. I will see how they do, and if they maybe need a couple other friends I can go back when they get another shipment.
Also got the coolest colored Zebra snail, it's really dark with slightly darker stripes.
for their tummy's I bought NutraFin Max Sinking pellets & Algae Wafers.
right now they're aclimatizing to the tank temp.
 
#8 ·
Those are pretty big cories - I wouldn't house them in a ten gallon. They need more room to swim than a tank that size offers. I would return them.

If you do choose to keep them, which I don't advise unless you can upsize the tank footprint, you will need four total. Neither more nor less.
 
#9 ·
really? the info the store had is that they'll only get 1-1.25" long :( and this is the most reliable aquarium shop we have. Hmm guess I'll just have to get a bigger tank b/c I'm not giving up Salt & Pepper (I know I know what can I say original names are my families specialty!)
For now I'm sure what I have is ok these guys are only 3/4" long and everyone is settling in just fine, I almost want to say Fin (betta) & Salt & Pepper are playing. No chasing just swimming around and even touching each other though Fin usually backs off if both cory's approach him at the same time. & the snail (yet to be named) is crawling around the bottom & the front of the tank.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Yes they are one of the larger species of corydoras compared to the relatively common ones like C. Aeneus. (Bronze Cory) as bronze cories only get to 1.5 inches - 2.5 inches while C. Paleatus cories can attain 3 inches in length and are very active, as Bombalurina already said, these fish actually should be placed in a tank with a larger footprint than you could provide. When you stated you were going to get Pygmy corydoras my initial though was that you could easily fit 6 inc there, but when you stated that you got C. Paleatus I was quite alarmed that you re keeping them in a 10 gallon, as they ideally should be in groups of 5+ as they are schooling fish And there fore become quite inactive when in schools less than that, you can't have a proper school of 5+ without reaching your maximum stock level I'm afraid. Another alternative would be 3-4 Otocinclus instead reaching 1.5-2 inches maximum

Here are a few alternatives to C. Paleatus

Corydoras Hastatus
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/profiles/dwarf-cory/
http://theaquariumwiki.com/Corydoras_Hastatus
http://www.seriouslyfish.com/profile.php?genus=Corydoras&species=hastatus&id=272

Corydoras pygmaeus
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/profiles/pygmy-cory/
http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/Corydoras_pygmaeus
http://www.seriouslyfish.com/profile.php?genus=Corydoras&species=pygmaeus&id=333

Corydoras Habrosus
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/profiles/salt-and-pepper-cory/#top
http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/Corydoras_habrosus
http://www.seriouslyfish.com/profile.php?genus=Corydoras&species=habrosus&id=904
 
#11 ·
I am back from the store, it turns out these little guys were mislabled. they are a pygmy cory of a spotted color variety. they showed me in a breeding tank the adults & they are between the 1.25-1.5". they will have a new shipment from another breeder or in 3-4wks they may have some of their store-raised fry. so anyone know what the latin name of these guys are?
 
#12 ·
#13 ·
sorry couldn't figure out how to edit my last post, the store manager called me and told me they are: Corydoras Habrosus. Appologised for the mix up and have offered me either a refund or store credit for the price of the cory's. I've said I'll take it in store credit to get more cory's when they have more available. so I think I'll get 1 more of these guys and 1 red laser I think they're called. I saw a picture of them yesterday and thought they looked cool, again shipment due Monday
 
#14 ·
red laser wont school with habrosus corydoras, they ideally should be in groups of there own kind and not 2 of one kind 1 of the other, as they wont feel secure, theyll be better off in a group of 6 of there own kind
 
#15 ·
that's why I love forums with people who have actual real life experience with different fish! K will get 2 maybe 3 more (I like the idea of odd #'s!) of these little guys!
My betta community tank is coming together so well, thank you!!!!
 
#16 ·
your welcome, I'm glad to help. there is no way that I'm never going to discourage someone from keeping the dwarf species of corydoras, they are a very rewarding species of fish. I love mine so much. Be sure to have regular updates on how they are doing!
 
#17 ·
reading more info on them, I think I have a male & a female. 1 is "brighter" & "wider" than the other.... LOL hmmm will have to watch for eggs
 
#18 ·
I don't think that they'll breed p, just becuase you have a male and a female doesn't guarentee eggs, they usually only Breed in schools of 6+
 
#20 ·
New Pygmy Corys coming today!!! & I've met someone local looking for an Airpod for a trade of some snails... I have an airpod I won't be using so, I can't wait to get over there for the trade. He's got Spixi, Mystery & Trumpets. I'm going to be sharing these with a friend, not sure if I will actually keep any of them. maybe a 2nd spixi. I just learnt that Spixi's will attack Trumpets, so my friend can have them!
 
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