Any potential tank mates for a 10g?

[dhjaksu]

Ive been worrying about this because I'm about to buy some pygmy for my 10gal Betta and was wondering if maybe dwarf or panda Cory's might be a better option.

really pygmys are the only ones small enough for a 10 gal and a lot of people recommend a 15 gal even for them. habrosus you could push with a 15 gal but not a 10. anything larger than that (including pandas) need a bare minimum of 20 gallon.

if it helps at all out of my 7 bettas all of them are fine with pygmy corys

 

[Essjay]

I would also be reluctant to keep cories in 10 gallons. The dwarf species (pygmy, habrosus and hastatus) need a shoal of at least 10, which is a lot of fish for 10 gallons.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

As a pygmy keeper, I think a smallish group of dwarf cories are the only cories that could work in a 10-15g tank, since they're smaller with a lighter bioload than panda cories or larger.

But the issue is them with a betta. Even if the betta is super chill (and there is never a guarantee that the betta won't suddenly become UNchill at some point and massacre tank mates - do a search on here for "my betta killed.." and see the results for yourself) is that the dwarf species of cory are shy and easily spooked. Having to share their space with a much larger and predatory fish isn't going to bring out the best in their behaviours. You never know if the betta will accept/ignore/try to kill them until you try it, so there better be some careful observation and a back up plan/tank in case it doesn't go well.

But again, even if it does seem okay, I bet you won't see the pygmies schooling around, spawning and sitting and relaxing in the open the way you would if they were in a species only tank, or with another small peaceful nano species.

 

[outofwater]

He tends to play with the betta. He will swim all the way up to top water and pop a couple bubbles in the nest and run away, betta gives him chase then returns to the nest.

That's not playing. Your betta is protecting eggs, and the cory is doing what cories do. I don't know why - and I don't think anyone does with full certainty - but it's standard cory behavior to suddenly "come up for air " even though they're not anabantoids or anything like that

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

That's not playing. Your betta is protecting eggs, and the cory is doing what cories do. I don't know why - and I don't think anyone does with full certainty - but it's standard cory behavior to suddenly "come up for air " even though they're not anabantoids or anything like that

This is true, I meant to point this out too. All cories are known to make the odd fast dash to the surface, seem to gulp air, then go back down. I've watched my pygmies, bronzes and sterbais all do it. If he touches the bubble nest, that's just a coincidence, not toying with the betta.
I have heard that if your cories are making that surface run more than usual (which is an occasional thing) to check things like tank temp and oxygenation, but that as long as it's sporadic, that it's just something they do. That's been my experience too.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Do Cory Catfish Breathe Air? - An Interesting Behavior

Cory catfish swim to the top and gulp air with their mouths. Are they breathing? Do cory catfish breathe air?✅ Find out the answer in this article.

www.aquariumcircle.com

 

[Luna0341]

really pygmys are the only ones small enough for a 10 gal and a lot of people recommend a 15 gal even for them. habrosus you could push with a 15 gal but not a 10. anything larger than that (including pandas) need a bare minimum of 20 gallon.

if it helps at all out of my 7 bettas all of them are fine with pygmy corys

Is does help! Thank you. Sometimes too much information is worse than no information. I keep reading how if I put pygmy Cory's in my Betta tank she will kill them. It's got me worrying weather or not to try it. And of coarse every internet warrior is an expert so it's hard to tell what's what.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

really pygmys are the only ones small enough for a 10 gal and a lot of people recommend a 15 gal even for them. habrosus you could push with a 15 gal but not a 10. anything larger than that (including pandas) need a bare minimum of 20 gallon.

if it helps at all out of my 7 bettas all of them are fine with pygmy corys

Is does help! Thank you. Sometimes too much information is worse than no information. I keep reading how if I put pygmy Cory's in my Betta tank she will kill them. It's got me worrying weather or not to try it. And of coarse every internet warrior is an expert so it's hard to tell what's what.

But even if those bettas are not attacking the pygmies, how happy and safe do the pygmies really feel? They can't tell us, and they have no choice in being there. But I'd be curious whether they really show the full range of their behaviours, since they can't be kept in large groups when they're a highly social fish that benefits from groups of 20 plus, and are also known for being more easily spooked when kept with much larger, potentially aggressive fish.

 

[outofwater]

Do Cory Catfish Breathe Air? - An Interesting Behavior

Cory catfish swim to the top and gulp air with their mouths. Are they breathing? Do cory catfish breathe air?✅ Find out the answer in this article.

www.aquariumcircle.com

Thanks for posting this, so after all they do "breathe" air, although different than the known labyrinth-equipped fish.

I love cories, fascinating little creatures.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Do Cory Catfish Breathe Air? - An Interesting Behavior

Cory catfish swim to the top and gulp air with their mouths. Are they breathing? Do cory catfish breathe air?✅ Find out the answer in this article.

www.aquariumcircle.com

Thank you for this! Has reminded me that our member who was pretty knowedgeable about cories had said before about the air breathing having something to do with their intestines, and it's why catfish and plecos can survive for a much longer time out of water than most fish. Appreciate seeing articles about it!

 

[dhjaksu]

But even if those bettas are not attacking the pygmies, how happy and safe do the pygmies really feel? They can't tell us, and they have no choice in being there. But I'd be curious whether they really show the full range of their behaviours, since they can't be kept in large groups when they're a highly social fish that benefits from groups of 20 plus, and are also known for being more easily spooked when kept with much larger, potentially aggressive fish.

if pygmys dont feel safe they school together. if they spent the majority of their time spread throughout the tank in the open and not really interacting with each other you can assume they feel safe. mine are all unbothered by my bettas and only school together when being moved between tanks or when I am doing water changes, they technically also school when spawning which i notice about every 2 weeks