Redoing the 10g, well a little bit- need help

[wolf_eyes]

I've been thinking about this for a long time but I think it's finally time to do it. My peppered cories are getting close to the 2 inch range and i really don't want to stunt their growth so I will be taking them to the local fish store. I know this is the best for them because I can't get a 30g to keep them, though i would love to, believe me. I wish I had known more about fish when I got them so I wouldn't have to deal with this, but .... that's what you get when you don't research and buy first.

Water is perfect: 0 ammonia, 0 nitrate, and 5ish nitrate and testing this constantly. Tank has been set up for 2 months now. The tank is moderate/heavily planted with sand substrate. I do weekly/biweekly water changes of 30-50% and the filter is a aquaclear 20 with twice the normal amount of filter media for the bacteria (biomax and filter floss used w/ sponge). Picture of the tank attached, pardon the diatoms :)

I would like something to take their place in the tank but I'm not sure what. Current tank mates are:
5 harlequin rasboras
1 female betta.

These are the things I was thinking of adding:
1) 3 kuhli loaches- I figured the filter can support them since it's supported the corys and they usually only get to 3". While I really like this idea I'm not sure it's the best.

2) I think the LFS has corydora hasbrosus but I will have to double check with them. If so, would 4-6 of these guys be possible?

3) Lastly, the one I think would probably be best (though not sure) is to add 1-2 more of the rasboras and get some shrimp. There are some good hiding places in the tank for the shrimp so the fish shouldn't cull their numbers too badly. If I go with this option I'll try ghost shrimp out first before getting some cherries.

So yea, I'm open to other ideas as well if you have them.

[Naturestee]

How many peppered cories do you have? If it's just a trio I would think they'd be ok. Or the smaller cory species would be fine. IMO I'd want a bigger tank for kuhli loaches so they have more room to play.

I love my shrimp, but FYI my female betta that I got with them ate all that she could find. She died mysteriously a few weeks later and then I got more shrimp. You could test first with ghost shrimp like you said, but the ones I see in stores are usually a lot bigger than my cherries are.

You could also have an apple snail. Mine are more fun to watch than I thought they'd be. I didn't think they'd move quite that fast! Look around for some of the nicer colors. One of mine is a lovely baby blue. You can also get purple stripes, pink stripes, etc. from some places although you'd probably have to order them. Also, my LFS carries spixis which are similar but stay a little smaller and are yellow with dark brown stripes. Very pretty but not really as active as the apples. Neither eat plants. Apple snails are only a good idea if your pH is above 7 and at least somewhat hard though, otherwise their shells can start to dissolve.

[troy]

Yep you easily have 4-6 of any of the 3 dwarf corydoras species in your tank. you could add a few shrimp as well if you want to. As Naturestee said the betta might eat the shrimp.

[wolf_eyes]

i have 3 peppered but they get to like 3.5-4.5 inches, or so I've read.

I tried an apple snail one time before and it sadly died in my tank. It might have been the person at the petstore because they kept bashing it with the net to try to get it loose from the glass. My water is 7/7.2 so it's borderline for them.

Thanks for the help! It's really aiding me in my decision.

[Naturestee]

Aw, poor snailie. They come/fall off the glass easily if you just pull on the shell gently. No need for a net. Sometimes they're really stressed if they come from tanks with nippy fish in them too.

My peppered cory was the same size as my bronze cories, just over 2 inches. The article here says 3 inches. So maybe that would be pushing it in a 10 gallon but not too badly.

[lobsternoob]

I've been thinking about this for a long time but I think it's finally time to do it. My peppered cories are getting close to the 2 inch range and i really don't want to stunt their growth so I will be taking them to the local fish store. I know this is the best for them because I can't get a 30g to keep them, though i would love to, believe me. I wish I had known more about fish when I got them so I wouldn't have to deal with this, but .... that's what you get when you don't research and buy first.


Excellent that you really care, a lot of people don't do research first, but you live and you learn. No one starts as an expert and you are not alone buying fish that aren't suited maybe for your tank. More people than you would ever imagine do that. and i think even the best of fish keepers lose stock from time to time. Good on ya for being an owner that really cares about their fish, and their well being. I personally have never seen a peppered cory at 4.5 inches, but I would love to.

I have to agree with the people saying Betta's with shrimp can be a prob. I housed a friends Betta in my 3g shrimp tank for a few days while he was moving and found a few shrimp that were minus their front end. Didnt really mind, cause my ghosties breed like mad and i use a few of them (rarely) as a feeding supplement. I still have a big ol ghost in my cichlid tank they just can't catch him! And he cleans up amazingly well.

I had the same exact problem with buying a snail, the person that helped me at a chain store beat the heck out of it trying to get it off the glass and cracked the shell. I told him that smacking it with the net wouldn't work well. I did not buy it after that, and talked to the manager, because it was badly beat up. I felt bad for the snail, but maybe, and hopefully it recovered. If not well, they reproduce in amazing amounts and frequency. Wow, I felt bad for a snail LOL!

When i did finally put what i bought as white mystery snail in my tank, I have had a heck of a time controlling the population. when i get a bunch of small ones i use a piece of cucumber and lights out, grab as many as i can and give em to the LFS. They can either sell them or let their so called fantail goldie "assasins" eliminate them. yes they have a giant snail prob but they're happy to take mine, and need fish that will eat them, i guess big fantails do so.

Ramble ramble ramble, sorry I go on forever, I'm done now.

[Mvjnz]

If you go with kuhlii I'd definitely get more than 3. I got 3 once and never saw them, despite there being lots of hiding places and lots of room.

So at least 6 I'd say, but in a tank that size you can get 10, assuming there's nothing else living on the bottom of the tank.

[troy]

10 kuhli loaches in a 10g is too much. IMO you shouldn't go with kuhli loaches for your tank.

[Mvjnz]

oops I got the tank size wrong. Yeah I'd agree, no kuhlii loaches.

Small cories would be fine tho.

[wolf_eyes]

Ha ha I got really confused there at first .... "10 kuhlis, really?"

Yea I had a feeling the kuhlis were pretty much out of the question. I've only seen them here in savannah and not back home in nevada so I was really looking forward to owning them. Ah well there's always ordering them online and drip acclimiating when i get the big tank.

Well hopefully the LFS knows what type of corys they have, some of the people there aren't the greatest knowledge wise.

[Wild Turkey]

I agree dwarf corys or shrimp. You made the right decision wolf, the peppered do get up to 4" (females) and really, even with 2" corys i notice major differences in activity between say a ten gal footprint and a 20Long. Thats not to say they arent "happy" in the ten gal, but i dont think 3-4" corys would be.

[wolf_eyes]

Well corys were brought to the store. They didn't have hasbrosus or at least the fish that looked like them could have possibly been really small baby peppereds. I got 2 more rasboras and some ghost shrimp. Im a little bummed to see my tank without them but they need what's best for them.