Get Another Fish? Please Help!

[LauraMarie]

I am new to the fish world but am totally loving it! I bought a Betta in Jan. that I was keeping in a 1.5 gallon tank and about 2 months ago added a Corydora catfish. The lady at the store who helped me pick out a compatiable fish to go with my betta failed to mention that the Corydoras like to be in sets. The two of them are very funny to watch and get along just fine, I'm just wondering if I should get another one to keep it company. Feeling bad for them in their little tank, I recently (about 2 weeks ago) upgraded them to a 5 gallon tank with filter and heater. So I guess my question is, should I get another cory? I don't want to over crowd my little fish tank or put too much stress on the tank/existing fish by adding another player. Mainly, I just want everyone/fish to be happy Please help!

 

[FWFishLover]

what you need to get is a new tank, cories like to be in groups of even numbers to pair off at a minimum of 6 cats.
to acheive this succesfully you will need to get a 10g.
but its obvious you never cycled so i STRONGLY suggest returning all your fish and buying the 10g and fishless cycling it fully then add fish slowly.
and put the betta in the 5g alone but not until that tank has been cycled

 

[LauraMarie]

Your response seems slightly harsh. I am smiply asking for help as a newcomer to this, not a brief on the tasks I've done wrong. I see what you are saying about the cories and I think that you are right. I went to the store and asked for help,this it what they sold. After reading up on them myself at home I discovered that they liked to be in groups. I did not purchase them because they were "cute" and I thought it'd be fun. lol! This is what they have sold me so this is what I am dealing with. Taking them back or getting a 10 gl tank is not an option for me, so should I add one more cory to make it happier or just let the thing live a life alone with a betta. As far as my Betta and cory being together I have no plans, right or wrong, to seperate them. They get along great, he is the most passive betta I have ever seen.

Thank you for the tip on cycling it is not something I am fimilar with and will do my homework to pursue that avenue.

 

[Twinklecaz]

I'm no expert but I would have thought by now that youve "fish-in" cycled without knowing it anyway.

Again, I really don't know much but if they seem happy together (surely fish are like people and come in different personalities???) then maybe they are and if it ain't broke don't fix it? I;d worry that adding another Cory would make the Betta feel left out and then it might attack.

I am more than likely talking out of my backside though

 

[FWFishLover]

Your response seems slightly harsh. I am smiply asking for help as a newcomer to this, not a brief on the tasks I've done wrong. I see what you are saying about the cories and I think that you are right. I went to the store and asked for help,this it what they sold. After reading up on them myself at home I discovered that they liked to be in groups. I did not purchase them because they were "cute" and I thought it'd be fun. lol! This is what they have sold me so this is what I am dealing with. Taking them back or getting a 10 gl tank is not an option for me, so should I add one more cory to make it happier or just let the thing live a life alone with a betta. As far as my Betta and cory being together I have no plans, right or wrong, to seperate them. They get along great, he is the most passive betta I have ever seen.

Thank you for the tip on cycling it is not something I am fimilar with and will do my homework to pursue that avenue.

i was not trying to be harsh yet realistic
bettas are the perfect fish for a 5g but cories are not suitable for a 5g as they like more fish in their shoal which requires more room.
believe me i started out exactly like you, i got the wrong fish for my tank and didnt cycle. i know its hard but you have to make sacrifices for the sake of the fish.
so i am saying that you indeed do need to remove the fish from your tank and start a fishless cycle. to have a succesful tank, cycling is key. right now you are in a fish-in cycle and this is very harmful. from my experience bettas and cories are rather hardy fish but a fish in cycle is dangerous to any fish.

i suggest you start up a cycled tank (your 5g) with just a betta.

so if you decide to take my advice and return the fish you can go to the Beginners resources pin (topic at the top of this forum section) and click the link for fishless cycling info, which will take you right on track for a succesful tank

 

[NinjaSmurf]

I agree with checking out the resource section, but not to getting rid of your fish and starting a fishless cycle, from the sounds of it you are at least in a fish-in cycle, if not done with one, no point in returning the fish.

As for adding more, I wouldn't. Although cories do like to be in groups, it would cause more harm than good adding anymore. If you are able to get another, bigger tank, then I would look to getting more (and in reality a ten gallon tank isn't all that bigger than a five foot print wise)

As of now, what kind of water changes are you doing? Oh, and what type of cory do you have?

 

[OldMan47]

Welcome to the forum LauraMarie.
Your present stock level is close to the maximum for your tank. A single added cory might be OK but it is going to put you close to being overstocked in the 5 gallon, depending on the species of cory you are working with. As others have already noted, you are likely in a fish-in cycle situation which means you need to avoid adding any fish until it is done. After the cycle is complete is plenty soon enough for adding that extra cory.

 

[LauraMarie]

thank you for all the advice, it really helps alot. I have completed reading the section about cycling and will be getting a water testing kit later today. the tank has been up and running for a few weeks now so i have likely completed a fish in cycle already? lol i really wish they would tell you this stuff when you are buying the fish/tank. i read and re-read the directions that came with the tank 10 times before doing anything and it says NOTHING about cycling. it just sayings to let the tank sit for 24 hrs. and then add the heater, sit another 24 hrs and your good to go! i want to do the right thing for them but no one tells you when you're buying them! As far as adding more fish, I have a peppered cory (and betta). I am not really interesting in getting another one, i dont want to over crowd the tank or add to much stress on the filter but am concerned for the happiness of the existing cory. i have had this cory since feb. so i'm past the point of returning it. both fish appear to be happy (ie swimming around a lot and eatting)

 

[chrisbassist]

you start by saying it's been a few weeks... then you say you added the cory in feb, a couple of months ago...

if iot's been a couple months then you MAY be cycled, but you won't know for sure until you test the water, if it's been a few weeks, then you won't be fully cycled and adding more fish will cause LOTS of stress on fish.

I have another question, how often are doing water changes and how much water each time?

mistakes are allowed, but do try and follow some advice from here. some people here really know their stuff

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

you start by saying it's been a few weeks... then you say you added the cory in feb, a couple of months ago...

if iot's been a couple months then you MAY be cycled, but you won't know for sure until you test the water, if it's been a few weeks, then you won't be fully cycled and adding more fish will cause LOTS of stress on fish.

I have another question, how often are doing water changes and how much water each time?

mistakes are allowed, but do try and follow some advice from here. some people here really know their stuff

The OP said they had a betta in a 1.5 gallon (January); they added a Cory; and then 2 weeks ago upgraded to a 5 gallon - hope it clears up confusion about the weeks/months situation.

 

[LauraMarie]

Dipsy is correct. I got the betta in jan and had him in a 1.5/2 gallon tank. (i guestimate the size, i'm not sure how big it is exactly, but it did have a heater in it to help with the temps) i had the betta for about a month and then added the cory in, i thnk, the second week in feb. when i bought the cory i explained to the women who worked there what kind of tank i had, the temp that i kept it at and that i needed something "betta friendly" as i was interested in keeping them together.

i was having a very hard time keeping that tank cleaning. i was doing 30% to 50 % water change every third day and had to do a complete water change about once a week or so. the water changes was not only a lot of work for me but seemed to put a lot of stress on my peppered cory; the betta seemed unphased by the water changes. soooooooo......

i shopped around and bought a 5 gl tank with a filter. i set the tank up according to the directions and added my fish. I have had the 5 gl going for approx. 2.5 weeks now and have not changed the water. At this point I'm afraid to touch the thing! lol! the fish seemed a little out of sorts when i put them in the tank and got a little better every day. these past 2 days they appear to be back to themselves. (activly swimming around and have a good appitite) The water is still very clear and the filter is running at just as well as the first day. i did make some minor adjustments to the filter so im not sure if thats effecting it or not. my betta fish had a hard time with the filter intake and got stuck to it once. luckily i plugged it in and pulled up a chair to watch it the first time to make sure that everything was working ok. he seems strong enough to swim around but likes to wedge himself between things. he tried to wedge himself between the intake and the glass and it sucked up his tail, scared i started unplugged everything like a mad women! so i have no clue if he could have gotten away but i wasnt willing to risk it. i stuffed a little piece of new, clean kitchen sponge into the intake and that fixed it. second the current was crazy strong for the size of my tank. it blew everything, including the fish around. both fish seemed to be struggling with the current. i got some tips on the Betta section of this forum to make a homemade "current killer" it worked great and booth fish seemed to like that better! so now what do i do.....

 

[OldMan47]

Your test results will tell us how close you are to being cycled LauraMarie. Once we have that information we can be much more effective at helping you have a nice trouble-free cycle. I find it terribly inaccurate to try give advice with only the idea that a fishless cycle would provide.