Yet Another Stocking Question

[GoldfishAttentionSpan]

My betta has lived alone for quite some time, and I would like to get him some friends. (Probably more for me then for him, hehe.) I *want* to add cories, otos, WCMs, and some ghost shrimp, but I wasn't sure on the numbers, and I don't want to overstock my tank.

I'm not even completely sure that WCMs are ok with bettas, but I think I remember reading that the other 3 fish I listed are generally ok, but some bettas are more aggressive and have to live alone. In the case that Pocky (my betta) gets a case of the meanies and dosen't like his new roomies, I will either get him his own 5 gallon tank, or put him with my other betta in the 5 gallon, with a divider seperating them.

I know that otos, cories, and WCM like to have some of thier own species, and with ghost shrimp, you need at least a few or else you will ever really see them. Is there any way to put small groups of all of them, or would the tank be overstocked? I also don't know if having too many bottom-dwellers would be a problem.

I was thinking:

1 betta
3 otos
3 cories
4 WCM
4 ghost shrimp

This is an established, filtered 10 US gallon tank. I'm not sure what the filter name is, because I have had this tank for many many years and I don't remember. In fact, I think my parents may have had it before I was born, not sure. Its the type that hangs on the back of the tank and has one carbon pad that slides into it.

 

[eschaton]

Well, not counting the shrimp even (as it's argued if shrimp "count" towards tank inches) you want 22 inches of fish or so in a 10-gallon. That's even heavily-stocked for my liking.

Of course, I figured into the estimations you would have common bronze/albino Corys. For a tank of that size, pygmy Corys would be the best, as they only get to one inch in length and have all the Cory attitude we know and love - and shave six inches off your stocking. 16 inches of fish is much more doable.

Honestly, I'd cut out the shrimp too. I love shrimp, but they won't add much to your tank. Ghost shrimp are the garbage-men of the tank, but they mainly compete for food with Corys. A few Amano would be better, as they're about the same size and also eat algae, but it could cut down on the algae supply for the Otos. Cherries and other small shrimp would probably be the best, as they'll certainly eat lots of algae - but most of it will be off of plants and other surfaces that an Oto can't get to. However, depending upon your Betta's personality, they might eat the little shrimp.

If it were me I'd shoehorn an African Dwarf Frog in there somehow as well (probably cut out a WCM, as I seem to remember three is a better number for them than six), but I'm biased.

Finally, you should note that Otos, WCM, and shrimp are all semi-tropical, not tropical. So the tank temperature should ideally be set at 78ish.

Is your tank planted?

 

[GoldfishAttentionSpan]

I have had ghost shrimp before, and loved them. They were just interesting to watch, to me. I can't seem to find any other kind of shrimp besides ghost shrimp.

I am probably going to replace the filter with one suited for a 20 gallon, so it would be over-filtered.

I'm not really too crazy about frogs, and much perfer the shrimp, just a personal preference.

You said 6, but I had said 4 for the WCMs. I could certainly just get three, if that wouldn't bother them.

The tank is unheated, but I live in Florida, so it is usually about 75 degrees.

I will try to find the dwarf cories, but I can't remember seeing them around. I have seen bronze, albino, and peppered cories, and liked the look of the peppered better. I will certainly look into the dwarf cories.

I am probably going to be getting my fish from PetCo, if thier tanks look ok. (Its a PetCo I haven't been to, so I'm not sure.) I got a gift card to there, and was planning on using part of it for the fish.

As for being planted, it is sort of planted. I tried planting it, and things didn't take off. ;; I have a ratty piece of java fern that seems like it might be recovering, and some sort of little nappy plant I will probably take out. I don't know if PetCo has plants, but if something there strikes my fancy, I might get it. I would like a planted tank, but I just have no luck with plants at all. I also don't want to try to mess with adding CO2, if possible.

Thank you for the imput!

 

[eschaton]

Oops...the WCM was a typo. When I typed six I meant four.

As to Cory's, if you live in FL, maybe you can go here.

They have an amazing Cory selection. Last I checked they had pygmy Corys as well. I'm not about to pay $45 shipping, but it might be worth it for a ride to pick up yourself provided you aren't all the way up in Jax or something.

 

[puddle_inc]

i don't trust a male betta with any other fish except a female. and the onyl time i have trusted one with a female was when i slowly introduced them and they got along good.

 

[eschaton]

Also, don't bother buying any plants at Petco. Everything they sell are actually land plants, and rot within a month or so of introduction to the tank.

There are a few things you can have in the tank (like Java Moss and Java Fern) without C02, though a soda-bottle reactor where you put the tube into the filter is cheap to make and fine for a 10-gallon tank. Planting is just a good idea for any semi-nano because plants absorb a lot of nitrogen from fish waste, boosting the carrying capacity of the tank.

 

[GoldfishAttentionSpan]

i don't trust a male betta with any other fish except a female. and the onyl time i have trusted one with a female was when i slowly introduced them and they got along good.

I'm confused, it sounds like you mean permanently, not just for breeding?? Maybe I misread...

Unfortunately the cory place is way too far away from me. I am more along the panhandle then the penninsula.

Ok, I will skip the Petco plants.

 

[GoldfishAttentionSpan]

Ok, so would 4 ghost shrimp, 3 WCM, 3 pygmy cories, and 3 otos be ok with a 20 gallon filter?

 

[LisaLQ]

I'd skip the otos, purely to take down the number of fish, and you already have the cories to clean up the bottom and the shrimp to clear the algae. Otos are highly sensitive to poor water so dont do well in overstocked tanks, even just slightly overstocked ones.

 

[GoldfishAttentionSpan]

I'd skip the otos, purely to take down the number of fish, and you already have the cories to clean up the bottom and the shrimp to clear the algae. Otos are highly sensitive to poor water so dont do well in overstocked tanks, even just slightly overstocked ones.

Yeah, the more I read, the more I thought I might skip the otos... I'm not always on cue with my water changes, so I would probably kill them.

 

[fishboy619]

just a quick question, what are WCM?, i cant find them on the net, in a 10 gallon and choices you want, i would chose 1 betta,3 coryies, i would go for pygmy corys or maybe pandas.i would try 2 shrimp at first as some bettas like them over for dinner,if they survive for a month or so, add 2 more. personally i liked the ADF idea but i read you dont want them.like someone said before, leave out the otos, they are very weak with water conditions and IMO died quite easily.

 

[eschaton]

I'd skip the otos, purely to take down the number of fish, and you already have the cories to clean up the bottom and the shrimp to clear the algae. Otos are highly sensitive to poor water so dont do well in overstocked tanks, even just slightly overstocked ones.

Yeah, the more I read, the more I thought I might skip the otos... I'm not always on cue with my water changes, so I would probably kill them.

Ghost shrimp don't really eat algae though, so if you're going to not have ottos, you need something to eat the algae. Given the petco selection, snails are your only real option. Get a mystery snail of some sort. They're not the best algae-eaters, but they do graze on tank walls.

just a quick question, what are WCM?, i cant find them on the net, in a 10 gallon and choices you want, i would chose 1 betta,3 coryies, i would go for pygmy corys or maybe pandas.i would try 2 shrimp at first as some bettas like them over for dinner,if they survive for a month or so, add 2 more. personally i liked the ADF idea but i read you dont want them.like someone said before, leave out the otos, they are very weak with water conditions and IMO died quite easily.

WCM = White Cloud Mountain Minnow

 

[GoldfishAttentionSpan]

Well, after a trip to Petco, I am now the proud owner of a mystery snail named Sluggo, and 3 WCMs (currently unnamed). They didn't have ghost shrimp, though they did have bamboo shrimp, but I hadn't researched those, so I decided to wait until I researched them, because at 7 dollars a shrimp, I want to know what I'm getting into! They were out of cories, except a couple albinos, which they were having to treat for ich.

I was very very pleased with the advice the guy there gave! I asked him a couple questions I knew the answer to (thank you knowlegeable fish forum community!) and he passed my test with flying colors, lol! I asked him how big of a tank I would need for 4 black moor goldfish, and he told me 55 gallons for them being full-grown (and he explained that they get very big, need room to swim, don't mix them with short-finned goldfish, etc.) and he knelt on the floor to greet my dog before he greeted me, which I always like!

Oh, but my dog is very dissapoitned that I wouldn't bring him home an oscar- they had thier oscars in a bottom tank, and they were big and dark and moving, so my dog noticed them. He put his little corgi paws up on the bottom edge below the tank, and just watched them, wagging his tail. The fish all flocked to his face and tried to eat him through the glass, lol. (btw, the pup in question is the one in my siggy). I want to get him is own tank and put it low to the ground for him to watch, but I am afraid it would get knocked over. Maybe I could move one next to a chair.... we'll see!

Oops, sorry to get off topic! Anyway, I might go back in a few weeks and get some cories for my 10 gallon, and a snail (golden inca snail sound ok?) for my 5 gallon tank. I didn't think I would like the snail too much, but hes actually really cool! I just love this snail!