Stocking Order - Betta And Corys

[Lacuna]

Hello!

I am coming towards the end of a fishless cycle, with ammonia and nitrites currently at 0 after 24 hours. I have never kept fish before so am completely new to this. My tank is 10 UK gallons and I want a betta and about six pygmy/dwarf corys. Set up is sand, a few pebbles and ornament, annubia plants, two java moss balls, and java moss on bogwood. I am going to get some taller plants as well in a week or two.

My question is what order should I get the fish in? I wanted to get the corys first as bettas are territorial and may accept other fish more readily if they are already in the tank. I am also worried the good bacteria in my filter will start to die off with a relatively small bioload of one fish. But, I have also heard that corys are delicate and like a mature tank. My tank is completely new, and although it will be cycled, it is not mature.

What fish should I get first, and how many? And how long before I can add the rest?

Many thanks

 

[JustKia]

The point of a fishless cycle is that you can then add almost full stock at the end of the cycle.
If you only add one or two fish you end up with the bacteria dying off. If your filter is cycled to process 5ppm of ammonia then that's the bioload it can sustain.
I say "almost" full stock because you will invariably get some die back and also you don't want to end up overstocked once your fish are grown.
Most of my fish (including corys and neon tetras) went into an immature tank. You just need to be extra vigilant, keep an eye on those water stats, etc.

 

[Lacuna]

Ok, thanks. I'll add the corys, keep checking the water, and then add the betta after about a week or so. When my tank finishes cycling that is

 

[shane87]

i had corys befor ei got my male betta and he didnt bother them . i moved the cories out into my new tank and left him in the old one, but then i had to move the corys bk and he did nothin but attack the bigger one