stocking question while i not-so-patiently wait for fishless cycle

[ben27]

Hey guys, I am almost 2 weeks into fishless cycling my 10 gallon tank. I just experienced my nitrite spike a couple of days ago and am monitoring nitrates now.

I have a penguin 100 biowheel filter and a heater. This is my current stocking plan:
-male betta (probably crowntail)
-3 ottos
-3 julii corys
-2 adf's

I typed this into a stocking calculator and it put my tank at 103% capacity, and it said my filter was more than powerful enough. I think it is rated for 20 gallons. Anyway, please let me know if you think this will work, and although i've fallen in love with all of these species, I am open to suggestions.

Thanks in advance, Ben

 

[LyndaB]

Personally, I believe betta are solitary fish and not meant to have tankmates. More often than not, you hear horror stories about the betta picking apart the other species. In my opinion, the betta would be quite attracted to the frogs legs.

I have no personal experience with the ADFs but definitely hold off until someone can let you know whether or not they are better in a species only tank or can be blended with fish.

10 gallons is not all that large and I would not put otos and corys in there, I would choose one bottom feeder.

Without the bettas or ADF's, I think a cory tank would be cool.

 

[tinkster87]

Otos are sensitive to new tanks so beware of that they are notorious for being quite fragile, by the looks of it you have done a bit of research because they all are quite good tank mates for betta (no tank mate is perfect as it complete depends on your Betta).

I do not know much about Juliis or the frogs so not sure if they will be competing for food or not, im sure someone else will chime in on this one. I think there could just be a few too many bottom feeders but I am not experienced enough for you really to listen to me

But make sure you have plenty of real or silk plants and other hiding spaces for your betta to hide in.

If you do go for the plan Just make sure to do regular wc at least one a week of 25% imo, Ideally 2 wc a week.

Was editing and internet dropped!

 

[Hubert90]

Hey guys, I am almost 2 weeks into fishless cycling my 10 gallon tank. I just experienced my nitrite spike a couple of days ago and am monitoring nitrates now.

I have a penguin 100 biowheel filter and a heater. This is my current stocking plan:
-male betta (probably crowntail)
-3 ottos
-3 julii corys
-2 adf's

I typed this into a stocking calculator and it put my tank at 103% capacity, and it said my filter was more than powerful enough. I think it is rated for 20 gallons. Anyway, please let me know if you think this will work, and although i've fallen in love with all of these species, I am open to suggestions.

Thanks in advance, Ben

i reckon u should either go ottos or the julii corys because corys like to be in group of at least 4, best when more than 6. other than that! u are all good. though is ur tank good be planted??

 

[ben27]

So if I don't get otos and just stick with corys, along with the betta and adf's, how many should I get? Also, will I have an algea problem with no algea eaters? The tank will not be planted.

 

[tinkster87]

From all the places I have read 6 or so is best for any cory, which imo would mean i wouldn't have adf, pygmy cories are the smallest cory you can get and quite characters from what I have heard, possibility?. Amano shrimp are good possibility for algae eaters.

Just make sure to have plenty of fake plants in there, hiding places are vital to Betta imo, not only does it mentally stimulate them it also provides them with places to get away from the other annoying fish in its tank so it can get some peace and quiet

 

[ben27]

the smallest corys I can get are juliis. They seem to be pretty small though. And yeah I have plenty of hiding places for whoever wants some alone time

 

[tinkster87]

And yeah I have plenty of hiding places for whoever wants some alone time

awesome cool!

Well as I said earlier Im not to sure if you can have adfs and juliis in same tank esp if you need to have 6 juliis, as think they will all be competeting for the same area in the tank and possibly food as well. So hopefully somebody else will comment in on this one. But I would have 6 cories and the betta and maybe something like nerite snails or ammano shrimp to get rid of the algae in a few weeks/months after you get the fish when algae has started to grow.

edit: oh and you probably already know but it may be best to put the Betta fish in last.

 

[ben27]

Ok thanks I appreciate it. And yeah I had read somewhere about the betta being more accepting of tankmates if he is the "intruder" instead of the other way around haha

 

[tinkster87]

Ok thanks I appreciate it. And yeah I had read somewhere about the betta being more accepting of tankmates if he is the "intruder" instead of the other way around haha

They're little characters for sure!

 

[friendlyfish42]

cories are very active, and while they do stay small, they need schools of 6. in short, they'd be much happier in a 20 gallon. i'd go with the ottos, and maybe a group of small schooling fish instead of the cories. you can always upgrade and have some later.

 

[ben27]

cories are very active, and while they do stay small, they need schools of 6. in short, they'd be much happier in a 20 gallon. i'd go with the ottos, and maybe a group of small schooling fish instead of the cories. you can always upgrade and have some later.

Which kind of schooling fish would you recommend? The only ones I really know anything about are tetras

 

[friendlyfish42]

neon tetras, cardinal tetras, harlequin rasboras, chili rasboras, really any type of schooling fish that is peaceful and doesn't get huge. i like cherry barbs, but i'm not sure if they'd work in a ten.

 

[tinkster87]

I have Embers with mine (get no less than 5), think they are the smallest tetra you can get and fortunately mine do not appear to be fin nippers. Think Cardinals, Neons are possibilities and Harlequin Rasboras if I remember are also potentially ok.

My clean up crew will be the 3 cherry shrimp I already have and will be getting 2 pitbull plecos (don't really get much bigger than 2")

edit: friendlyfish42 beat me to it! least we had same idea!

 

[tinkster87]

like cherry barbs, but i'm not sure if they'd work in a ten.

Probably wrong but thought most barbs are fast and fin nippers?

 

[friendlyfish42]

Tiger barbs (and variations) give every other member of the barb family a bad rap. Cherry barbs are shy and quite peaceful actually. I have 5 with a betta right now in a ten (QT) and they don't bother him at all!

 

[ben27]

so my options are
1) group of corys and a snail
2) group of otos with schooling fish

Would I still get adf's with these set-ups?

 

[friendlyfish42]

Yup, but the ADFs would be much happier with the second setup. the first would have a lot going on on the bottom.

 

[ben27]

Ok awesome I was leaning towards that setup anyway. So just so I am not confused, how many otos should I go for? And how many of the schooling fish?

 

[friendlyfish42]

3 ottos and 6 of a schooling fish.