Okay Temporary Stocking?

[Sly13Cat]

As you probably know I have my Betta and 4 Mollies in my 10gal. I wanted to buy some Panda Cories tomorrow but I'm in a pickle. The store that would take the mollies says they can't for about a week (amazing how it's only when you need it

). Also, the other pet store is out of Panda Cories and they get 8-12 tomorrow. 3 will be for the new 29gallon (which isn't mine) so there'll be about 5-9 left. I wanted to buy 4 and keep them with my mollies and Betta for a week until I can return my mollies. I'll do 30% water changes every day and I'll have to bring the temp down to 75F which is good for the Betta, Mollies and Cories. I don't think having it overstocked for a week is that bad because the 10gal was way overstocked for a month or 2 before the fish were moved over into the 29gal.

My second problem is that I think my Betta may have Ich but it's hard to tell because the bubbles from the filter get caught on him and look like Ich spots. I just bought some Ich Guard Tablets and I'm going to add one just in case. Will a week be long enough to cure the Ich if my Betta does have it? I believe it says it works in 24h but I'm not entirely sure.

 

[onidrase]

Panda cories are very shy and only do well in large groups. I'd keep them all in the 29 gallon, 10 gallons isn't enough to keep a sufficient group of them.

no medicines will really cure ich in 24 hours. You need to continue treatment until 3 to 4 days after the spots are totally gone from the fish.

This hobby is all about patience. don't buy fish unless you have a sufficient home for them set up and ready, don't buy them because you think you might have a home for them later. Its not like the fish are going to go extinct before you can get a better tank.

 

[sadguppy]

If you suspect ich, don't add more fish and definitely not super sensitive cories. WAIT - pandas are hardly rare. If you add them now you risk a mini cycle and them dying of ich which can be treated much more easily without catfish present as they don't tolerate salt or meds.

 

[Sly13Cat]

Alright. Well once the Mollies are gone and the ich is cured will the Pandas do fine with the Betta? Would I need to change the temp. If they're not, can I use Endlers? How many?

 

[onidrase]

Like I said, panda cories are shy and only do well in large groups, 10 gallons isn't big enough to keep them properly. You'd never see them. They'd also likely be more prone to disease due to stress.

pygmy cories are a better option. As are micro rasboras and small tetras.

 

[Sly13Cat]

Well we had a lone Panda in a 10gal with other fish and after a few weeks he got very brave and was always out cleaning the substrate. He's alone in the 29gal (Again not mine) and he's quite brave. We're buying him friends tomorrow. I think 6 would do fine with the Betta. But anyways, which cory do you like better? Pygmy or Dwarf? Any pics?

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

As said earlier in this thread, Panda Corydoras are hardly "rare as hens teeth", so why would you go and buy any new fish when you think your Betta has Ich?

In addition, buying any of those 8-12 Pandas that are expected to arrive at the store tomorrow is another risk, it would far safer to reserve them (if the store allows) and then bring them home in a week or two. You have no idea of the condition they might arrive in and for all you know, the whole group could die from the stress of transportation to the store, before then being netted again to be added to another new tank (eg. yours) on the same day.

 

[Sly13Cat]

Good idea. Well I'll just buy Pygmy or Dwarf Cories when I return the Mollies. So which do you think is better.

 

[sadguppy]

They're the same thing?

 

[Sly13Cat]

Well they look different. Could I put Platies or Swordtails in the tank? The grow smaller than Mollies but I wanted to be sure. If I can, how many? Could I use the stocking advisory to find out?

 

[Sly13Cat]

Could I add Platies or Swordtails?
I like the different variations of Platies like the Tuxedo, Orange and Blue One-Spot (Not Red-Wag)
What really interests me are the Pineapple and what amazes me the most are the Red Wag Swordtails like this http/www.tropicalfishauction.com/uplimg/img_A_107062_a01e197538c7b4285a9df1d787bfbe1f.jpg
or
http/ceylonwaterpets.com/Platy/data/images1/102_swordtail_pineapple.jpg

I hope they won't get big or fight with the Betta.

 

[onidrase]

Most sword tails get too big for a 10 gallon, and they're quite active so they should be given the most space of any common live bearer IMO.

platys should also be given 20 gallons minimum being such chunky fish

Both species aren't unknown to fight with bettas, or vice versa.

 

[Sly13Cat]

So I guess it's just the Betta and Some Pygmy/Dwarf Cory. Well I found these stocking ideas on the Aquarium Wiki:

• 1 Male Honey Gourami, 6 Dwarf Rasboras, 4 Venezuelan Pygmy Corys
• 1 Male Sparkling Gourami, 2 Female Sparkling Gouramis, 4 Male Endler's Livebearers, 3 Venezuelan Pygmy Corys
• 1 Male Honey Gourami, 1 Female Honey Gourami, 4 Tail Spot Pygmy Cory, 4 Male Endler's Livebearers
• 6 Pygmy Hatchetfish, 5 Male Endler's Livebearers, 4 Venezuelan Pygmy Corys
• 1 Male Betta splenden, 6 Venezuelan Pygmy Corys

Could I change those to:

• 1 Male Betta splenden, 6 Dwarf Rasboras, 4 Venezuelan Pygmy Corys
• 1 Male Betta splenden, 4 Male Endler's Livebearers, 3 Venezuelan Pygmy Corys
• 1 Male Betta splenden, 4 Tail Spot Pygmy Cory, 4 Male Endler's Livebearers
• 6 Pygmy Hatchetfish, 5 Male Endler's Livebearers, 4 Venezuelan Pygmy Corys
• 1 Male Betta splenden, 6 Venezuelan Pygmy Corys

Because these are some cool stocking ideas.

 

[onidrase]

Personally I think all schooling fish should be kept in groups of 6 or more, including Cory cats.

hatchet fish are very skittish, nervous fish, and are prone to ich, as well as notorious for jumping out of the tank, they're more trouble than they're worth if you ask me.

 

[Sly13Cat]

Okay the only ones that really matter are the ones with the Bettas. The ones that interest me are #1-4 modified to have a Betta. I think 4 Pygmy Cories would do okay in a 10 gal considering they'll see each other more often compared to 4 in a 30gal. But I could have 1 Betta, 5 Venezuelan Pygmy Cories (Salt and Pepper Cories) and 3 Endlers. That seems like a nice stocking with fish on the Top, Middle and Bottom.