Stocking my 10 gallon tank

[Ben the Betta]

I have a 10 gallon tank. It has been cycled, and it currently has 3 male guppies in it. I would like to add 6 neon tetras to the tank, but I want a bottom dweller for the tank. I thought, panda corys. I have asked around, and people said that having a stock of 3 guppies, 6 neon tetras, and 3 panda corys would be alright, as long as I have a lot of hiding places (Which I do) Is this true?

Can you tell me anything about panda corys?

 

[Galligak]

I have a 10 gallon tank. It has been cycled, and it currently has 3 male guppies in it. I would like to add 6 neon tetras to the tank, but I want a bottom dweller for the tank. I thought, panda corys. I have asked around, and people said that having a stock of 3 guppies, 6 neon tetras, and 3 panda corys would be alright, as long as I have a lot of hiding places (Which I do) Is this true?

Can you tell me anything about panda corys?

Well, I think that you would be fine to add the 6 neons, however IME pandas get too big for your tank to be truly happy. I'd go with the hastatus or pygmaeus Corydoras instead

 

[Ben the Betta]

I am still going to go with the panda corys because everyone I talk to says they would fit perfectly. Its only 3, and I have A LOT of hiding spaces for them. Plus, the store I am buying them from, keeps 20 of them, in a 5 gallon tank, PLUS other fish. They use gravel as a substrate, which I have now, so they are bred in an environment in which I will not make me have to switch substrates.

 

[Pawtrekker]

I have a 10 gallon tank. It has been cycled, and it currently has 3 male guppies in it. I would like to add 6 neon tetras to the tank, but I want a bottom dweller for the tank. I thought, panda corys. I have asked around, and people said that having a stock of 3 guppies, 6 neon tetras, and 3 panda corys would be alright, as long as I have a lot of hiding places (Which I do) Is this true?

Can you tell me anything about panda corys?

I have never kept Panda Cories but I do have an Albino Cory and 3 Green Cories. They are really cute fish and I love them. I looked Up Panda Cories and one website I found said that they can get 1.5" - 2" and somewhere else said Pygmy cories usually max out around 1". I'm not sure I would personally put Cories in a 10 gallon tank but it would probably be okay. I'm sure people do it all the time and don't have any problems.

As far as Neon Tetras go, I have heard that they are too active for 10 gallon tanks (But I have also heard that people keep them in there and they do fine too). I am actually setting up a new 10 gallon tank right now and I am gong to put Endler's Livebarers in it. They are really pretty and they don't get as big as Neons. You could do a school of 6 male Endler's just fine in your tank if you wanted. I have neons in my 20g and I think they would probably be okay in a 10 but look up Endler's and see what you think.

 

[Rivercats]

I am still going to go with the panda corys because everyone I talk to says they would fit perfectly. Its only 3, and I have A LOT of hiding spaces for them. Plus, the store I am buying them from, keeps 20 of them, in a 5 gallon tank, PLUS other fish. They use gravel as a substrate, which I have now, so they are bred in an environment in which I will not make me have to switch substrates.

Stores grossly overstock their selling tanks BUT remember those tanks are all on one HUGE water system and are not kept in a closed 5g tank system as a home aquarium would be. You are comparing apples to oranges and what a store does is not suitable to do in a home aquarium.

There always has been and will be a debate as to whether Panda cory's and neon's are suitable for a 10g. I've been in the hobby since the 70's and I personally find neons to be fine in a 10g. But remember this is my opinion and others may not agree. As for the Panda's... I've had adult Panda's and they indeed can grow to a good size. You have to remember that the tiny cute little Panda's they sell in stores is not the size they will stay at. So what I will tell you from my experience is Panda cories in their adult size are too large for a 10g. And yes people keep them and other larger cories in 10g tanks all the time but just because people do it doesn't mean it should be done. Ultimately the choice is yours but you should base your decisions on what is best for the fish and not what others say is fine.

 

[Maxw47]

I apologize. Just be careful what you say.

Also, are pandas considered pygmies? I was always told they were. I know they are larger than most pygmies but I think they might be considered pygmies. They are a much better choice than something like a bronze Cory though. I would still go with one of the very small Pygmy varieties though. I'm a bit iffy on the neons too. Maybe celestial pearl danios are a better choice? I've fallen in love with them. They are really small and are adorable. You could probably do 5 of those and then have 4 cories (Pygmy).

 

[Rivercats]

Panda Cory's are not pygmy's.

 

[Cynic]

You're heavily stocking your 10G which is fine but that is going to cause quick nitrAte build ups which is a recipe for certain disaster for your panda cories. My prediction would be without twice weekly 50% water changes your pandas wont last a month sorry.

 

[Ben the Betta]

I do not even have the pandas in the tank yet. All I have now is 3 male guppies. I have been talking to someone who owns panda corys (3) in their tank (10 gallon) with more fish than I am planning on getting.

 

[Rivercats]

I do not even have the pandas in the tank yet. All I have now is 3 male guppies. I have been talking to someone who owns panda corys (3) in their tank (10 gallon) with more fish than I am planning on getting.

Again just because someone is doing it doesn't mean it should be done. There is a big difference between what is the proper stock for a certain size tank over what other people cram into their tanks and then say "oh it works just fine". You should want to do what is right for the fish.

 

[bettaowner]

I also believe that the panda corydora is one of the few cory species that releases a toxic chemical when stressed.