5.5 VS 10 Gallon Debate

[Amaranth]

After a year without fish, I’m finally getting back into the hobby. I’ve previously kept bettas (loved them), neon tetras (hated them), tiger barbs (fun little fish!), and albino cories (love!). After asking my family to care for the barbs last summer while I was in the Czech Republic I returned to find one skeleton, one completely missing fish, and one half-dead, listless barb. I didn’t really want to go through the effort of cleaning and restocking the tank at that point, so I tore it down. Since I recently got my own apartment, I’d like to set up an aquarium again.

I’ve kept the fish mentioned above in a 5.5 gallon tank (not together!), so my plan was to reuse that aquarium and get a male betta. However, I was cleaning last night and discovered a 10 gallon in my parents’ basement. That got me thinking “Well, maybe I could use this and get the betta, and some cories!” I have a few drawbacks with the larger tank – I don’t have a proper filter or heater for it (Hagen Stingray 5 and a 25 watt heater), and I’m a bit concerned about moving it once I move out. But enough with the rambling and on to my questions!

• Is there much difference between moving a 5.5 and a 10 gallon tank? I imagine it’s not much harder/more delicate, but I could be wrong.
• If I go with the 5.5g, there would just be the one betta. Would he do ok with a snail? I know that likely depends on the betta’s personality and the type of snail. I was thinking maybe a nerite? I think they’re pretty, but I’m also open to any other ideas since picking something just because it looks good is a horrible idea.
• On that topic, does anyone have any good online resources on keeping snails and different varieties? I’ve yet to find something I consider reliable, but then again I haven’t looked too hard.
• For the 10 gallon, I’d need to get a new heater, filter, lid, thermometer, and probably substrate. I’m not thrilled about shelling out extra money to do that (~$65 by my estimate?), but I can be persuaded if enough can provide explanations that it’s worth it.
• For the 10 gallon, if I use it, I was thinking one male betta, and maybe 6 cories. According to aqadvisor.com this would be alright. But I’m wondering: would it be alright to mix cory species? For example if I had three albino and three panda. I was under the impression that the difference between these guys was their color, but apparently they’re different species? Sorry to be so ignorant on this topic, but I really did think they were just different patterns. Also, AqAdvisor has a warning that albino cories should not be kept with bettas, but there’s no problem with pandas. Is there a reason for this? Simply different species/behaviors?

Thanks in advance to anyone with advice or resources for me! I’m sorry to write yet another novel of a “Hi, I’m setting up a tank, what should I do?” post, but I figured you guys would be more helpful than the LFS. Oh! As a post script, is anyone familiar with Aquarium Adventure? Particularly the one in Columbus, but any of them really.

 

[BigJim]

- A 10g is an 82% increase in volume over a 5.5g. More volume creates a more stable system because a dose of chemicals causes a smaller change in a larger tank. Your water parameters will be more stable with the 10g. FME, bettas also look nicer in larger tanks. They grow bigger and look healthier.

- I've kept bettas with mystery snails with no problems. I've heard some bettas nip at snails, but mine never did. Mgamer will be your source here for all things nerite.

- If I was you, I'd be heading to Petco with that $65. They're having their $1 per gallon sale on tanks. Pick up a 20g for $20, a VersaTop for $25, and hit Craigslist or eBay for a filter and heater. You can do PFS or play sand for a few dollars.

- Some people have had luck with different cories schooling, others, not so much. There are many different species of cory. Some stay small (0.5"), others get big (3"+). Pandas get about 1.5". Albinos are usually aeneus cories, which get about 2.5". I'm not sure I'd put any of the larger cories in a 10g. Pandas might be ok, but pygmy cories are great if you can find them.

I have no idea why any cories would be bad with a betta.

I've been to Aquarium Adventure in Columbus (OSU grad here.) and was impressed. They've got a lot of cool fish, but their prices are sky-high! I might buy fish there, but I think I'd get my supplies elsewhere.

 

[Amaranth]

Thanks for the info, BigJim! I knew a larger tank would be more stable, but I had no idea that the volume increased that much from a 5.5 to a 10. I'm pretty sure I've been convinced to go with the bigger one (shouldn't be too much harder to transport, after all).

The more I look at nerites and read about them, the more I think that's the route I'd like to go for inverts. No tank takeover, and they leave plants alone. Good deal, since I'd like to add a java fern.

That is an awesome sale at Petco, but I have no room for a 20 gallon. Trust me, I'd love one, but it just isn't feasible right now. Is this an annual sale or something? Just for future reference .

Thanks for the quick rundown on cories. LFS made it seem as though albinos, pandas, and I believe peppered corydoras were all the same. Once again, seems to pay to get a second/third opinion on what the pet store tells me.

Annnd as a final note, I've heard that Aquarium Adventure is pricey, but I wasn't planning to do a whole lot of shopping there, maybe some livestock or just go for ideas. Thanks again! And go Bucks!

 

[bluerose]

Another enabling idea here: a cheerful betta and maybe some shrimp in a planted 5gal and something else entirely with your school of cories in the 10gal

For what it's worth, it's easy to move a 5gal if it's one piece (which a lot of them are); drain half the water, secure any wobbly ornaments, off you go. I move my 5g hex ~6x/year (spring, summer, winter break) and it's dead easy. My 10g was much more work as it entailed removing the inhabitants (shrimp are hard to catch!), putting the filter/plants/ornaments in a bucket of tank water, draining the rest and lugging the whole shebang home. Moving it once is no big deal, though.

 

[BigJim]

Small shrimp will probably end up as betta snacks. My guppies even eat baby RCS.

I don't know if that Petco sale is a regular thing. This is the second time I've seen it this year. I bought a 40B for $40 last time just because I couldn't pass up that deal. They're normally $110.

Moving aquariums is never any fun. I had to move a 29g, a 20L, and a 5g hex from a third floor apartment back in June. I removed the castle from the 5g and drained it halfway. Most of the inhabitants from the 29g and 20L ended up in coolers. The tanks got drained most of the way and it still took two big people to carry them down the stairs.

 

[Amaranth]

Another enabling idea here: a cheerful betta and maybe some shrimp in a planted 5gal and something else entirely with your school of cories in the 10gal

You are a bad, bad person. Enabling and encouraging a poor college student's developing addiction! For shame! Although I do think shrimp would be a fun endeavor at some point (just not right now...). Thanks for the moving tips! That's mostly how I moved my 5.5 when I went home for breaks, so I'm glad to hear moving a 10gal isn't too difficult.

I was also wondering if anyone could give me an average price on driftwood? I found a nice looking piece of Mopani (about 9-10 inches) at the LFS yesterday for $9. Normal? Overpriced? Good deal?

Thanks for your help!

 

[BigJim]

If it's a decently sized chuck of driftwood, $9 is a steal. Around me, Petsmart gets $10 for a soup can-sized piece of wood with a semi-aquatic plant stuck in it. Larger pieces get more expensive in a hurry.