First Aquarium Fish

[tori.lock]

If I was going to get an algae eater I was going to go with an otto, but I don't think one would have a big enough effect. I might as well just scrub the tank walls myself.

Rather than a small school of tetras I was thinking of a male betta with about 3-5 small cories. I saw an aquarium with them paired, and them seemed to get along, is this normally true?

[kangster]

ottos are a schooling fish and need to be in groups to feel secure
although i have seen many people keeping a single otto in their tanks sucessfully
and sometimes people have trouble keeping ottos alive
i have ABN pleco in my 10 gallon and if you are up for the frequent PWC, he is a good algae eater...although most of the people here would disagree with keeping a pleco in a 10 gallon tank
he sure is a poop machine...

[Animal_fanatic]

Don't get java ferns for a ten gallon. Idk maybe I've just had extremely bad luck but after my java fern was placed in a ten gallon I had a diatom bloom, two mollies die, and really really really ugly water all in that week. The lvls of the water stayed fine, but I just took out the java fern and the water seems to be clearing.

You might try Anubias plants and either mollies platies or guppies in the ten gallon or tetras. They're fairly easy to take care of.

[bmg07]

for decor in my 15 gal most of it is cool rocks and caves

[tori.lock]

I should just start a new thread because this one is so old, but I have yet another question about the cories.

If I have just two, what would be the smallest tank you'd recommend if it was only them, and possibly a third cory or a betta? I realized moving a 10g back and forth each semester and for breaks would be a pain, and I was thinking if I could house just two small cories, that might be better.