Aloha👋🏼 new here

[Ry2]

Hi everyone. I’m new here and wanting to learn more. I received a white elephant betta for Christmas . The only other time that I had a tank, was over 12 years ago.

So in two days I got a 29 gallon tank, sand, heater, light, plants etc and set up a new home for Walter. After 4 weeks of fish in cycling my tank was cycled and I added an amano shrimp and four neon tetras. Walter has been doing well and is very sociable ( now I get why so many people have bettas) but he started relentlessly chasing the neons, so I moved him to an emergency 10 gallon I had also set up and cycled.

Question, I am adding more tetras today because the remaining three seem stressed in such a small group. How soon after can I add Corydoras? I’m thinking peppered cories.

Any and all suggestions appreciated!

 

[MattW]

Welcome to the forum

Bettas are personable little things thankfully mine have always tolerated tank mates.

I cant verify but I’ve read a 2+ week period in an established tank should be sufficient for the tank to balance out the bio load before increasing it

 

[Ry2]

Thank you for the input!

 

[GaryE]

Consider a different cory - peppered corys (Hoplisoma paleatum) like cooler water than many others - below the range for Bettas. sterbai corys might fit better.

 

[emeraldking]

An absolute welcome to our forum...
The behavior of bettas towards tankmates differ per individual specimen.

 

[Ry2]

Consider a different cory - peppered corys (Hoplisoma paleatum) like cooler water than many others - below the range for Bettas. sterbai corys might fit better.

Good to know. However, my betta has been moved to a 10 gallon tank because he was harassing the neons.
Give that my 29 gallon tank is now with neons, what Corydoras would you recommend as social and hardy? Now I’m thinking peppered or orange Venezuelans

 

[BanjoFish]

 

[Ry2]

Thank you

 

[Ry2]

An absolute welcome to our forum...
The behavior of bettas towards tankmates differ per individual specimen.

Yes. Unfortunately my guy wasn’t having any of it

 

[jaylach]

While you could have less I'd recommend at least 10-12 neons. I would say a minimum of 8.

The beta is fine in a 10 gallon as the minimum is a 5 gallon. They often don't get along with tank mates as you've seen. The Beta would appreciate some floating plants. Don't use duck weed unless you want to be constantly be cutting it back. It will take over a tank.

 

[Ry2]

While you could have less I'd recommend at least 10-12 neons. I would say a minimum of 8.

The beta is fine in a 10 gallon as the minimum is a 5 gallon. They often don't get along with tank mates as you've seen. The Beta would appreciate some floating plants. Don't use duck weed unless you want to be constantly be cutting it back. It will take over a tank.

Thank you for all the input!
My bettas 10 gallon has several plants and floaters. And thankfully I have stayed away from duckweed
I plan on having at least 11 neons, but I didn’t want add too many fish at once.
Any thoughts on peppered Corydoras vs orange Venezuelan Corydoras?

 

[BanjoFish]

Pygmy Corydoras? If my tank were bigger I'd go for the Panda Corys.

 

[MattW]

Never kept Corys before. From what I've read and seen, Peppers seem to be more hardier and accept a much wider range of parameters and temps. Hopefully, someone with experience with these species can give you some advice

 

[Ry2]

Never kept Corys before. From what I've read and seen, Peppers seem to be more hardier and accept a much wider range of parameters and temps. Hopefully, someone with experience with these species can give you some advice