Betta/pygmy Cory Setup

[nikkifro8994]

I started cycling a 5 gallon tank today. I want to have 1 male betta and 3 pygmy cories. Would this work in a 5 gallon tank or do I need to use a 10 gallon if I want cories? I would add the cories after the cycle and add the betta a week or so later. That way he doesn't have to defend any territory.

There is one small issue. My tap water has 2 ppm ammonia in it. Every time I do a water change, my ammonia levels go up. Since this is a smaller tank, I would probably do 1-2 gallon water changes once a week. The ammmonia doesn't get very high, just 1 ppm. My filters on my other tanks are all mature enough to handle it within 2 hours.
Would this be bad for the corries? I have read that they are very sensitive fish and they have to go in a tank that has been established for 3 months.

I have:
internal filter - tetra 10i for up to 10 gallons
heater - 50 watts
different caves for the fish to hide in
API liquid test kit
I can pull filter media from another tank to help cycle faster
Do I need anything else?
Thanks!
Nikki

 

[Sharpy1987]

i'd have a minimum of 6 pygmy cory's

 

[nikkifro8994]

6 pygmy cories in a 5 gallon tank with a betta? That's a lot of fish. Would they be ok with the ammonia from the water change or are they too sensitive?

 

[Sharpy1987]

for some reason i thought this was for a 10 gallon tank.

I think the minimum size tank for pygmy's is a 10 gallon with at least 6 members

 

[Samuran]

I'd say that a 5 gal (US) would be too small for the cory's and the betta.
I've also heard of quite a few cases of pygmy cory's carrying a disease that kills betta's quick...
Ultimately tho it's entirely up to you.
Ben

p.s. I agree that the cory's need to be in bigger groups than 3 to be happy...

 

[nikkifro8994]

So I'd have to use a 10 gallon tank minimum if i wanted cories. Right? I can put them in my 10 gallon tetra tank. It has 3 rasboras and 5 neons. I need to up those numbers a little bit. would 5-6 pygmys do well in there? It's a gravel substrate, not sand. And I still have the issue of ammonia in my tap water. I use prime conditioner which is supposed to make it safer, but I've read that cories are very senstive.

 

[Sharpy1987]

depends on gravel.

They like smooth pebel like gravel, not sharp rock type. It damages their mouths

 

[nikkifro8994]

Both of my 10 gallons have sharp rocks

 

[Questions?]

i have 5 pygmys in a 5 gallon and they are doing great

 

[nikkifro8994]

I've checked every place that sells fish, but all I could find we're green cories.