Would This Tank Be Safe To Put Cories In?

[SouthernCross]

Hey all

I posted over in the Tropical Chit-Chat forum about whether I could successfully clone a tank using a certain method . I've quoted the post below:

I've got a 5 gallon tank that I had intended for a hospital tank but I'm going to use it as a betta tank instead. It's got an in-hood type filter, so I can't just run it on my 39 gallon community tank which has been cycled for several weeks now. So I came up with the following suggestion, but I'm not sure if it's enough for a successful clone - please tell me what you think!

My community runs on both a UGF and an Aquaclear 50 HOB. In the HOB, instead of using carbon I put in a second sponge. The tank is understocked at the moment (haven't gotten more fish since my first lot yet) with only 5 fish and a snail - platies and bronze cories. In the new little tank, the filter media is some plastic hollow/ridged balls (guess they're supposed to be bio balls) and a compartment for floss. The floss is shaped in the way that it lines the edges and bottom of the compartment, with a hole in the middle that the provided bag of carbon fits into (which I'm going to ditch).

Now here's my suggestion:
My community gravel should have a load of bacteria in it since it is part of the UGF. So I was going to stick a large handful of that in. Was also going to take some cuttings from my plants and transfer them, although these will probably have only minimal bacteria. I was then going to take out one of my HOB sponges and cut it in half (the thing is stuffed probably a bit too tight and full with two whole ones + biomedia anyway) and put the half into the space in the filter floss (where the carbon fit) in the new tank. Would this be sufficient to clone the tank and avoid a cycle?

Stocking the new tank - One betta and a trio of smaller-type cories
The people in the betta forum told me not to fret too much about making sure the tank was 100% cycled since bettas produce such little waste anyway, it would be fine as long as I kept on top of water changes - a lot of people keep bettas in uncycled tanks with weekly 100% changes anyway. Now, after thinking about it, I was going to wait until I KNEW the tank was cycled with the betta before adding my cories (delicate little fellas). But now I'm wondering if I should add them the same time as I add all this media since if the betta produces so little, if I have excess bacteria (not sure if I will with the amount of media I'm adding) for the betta it will die back anyway, and when I eventually added the cories it would cause a mini-cycle since it is only used to the minimal betta waste. I hope you understand what I'm trying to explain here, but my question is should I add only the betta then wait to add cories, or should I add them all at once provided this is enough media?

And also some extra questions about the mechanics of this:
Will the piece of sponge in the centre of the floss create any flow troubles? Like will the water just flow around it and through the floss if it's less dense than the sponge or should it go through both fine? Or should I forget the sponge and just fill it with extra floss (which will be uncolonised)?

I'd appreciate any input you guys could offer whether this would be successful or not. I'd love to avoid the dreary slow cycling process if I can!

I've since gotten one reply from smmetz... basically what I've planned should be a successful clone, but said the following about the cories:

Just my opinion, but I would put just the betta in the 5 gallon for a few weeks, then add the corries after the tank has been cycled for a while. I never had corries, but heard they are delicate also, and I have heard that there is somehow a difference between a cycled tank and a "mature" tank. A mature tank supposed to be more stable than a recently cycled tank. I don't know if it is true or if it is just that recently cycled tanks are often someone's first tank, and people usually make some mistakes when they are starting out with aquariums.
When you do add the corries, I would just add 1 at a time, wait 3-4 days, then add another, etc. This way the bio-load will not increase as much at one time, and you should be fine.

My reply was basically - I'm still a bit worried about mini-cycles with the cories since bettas produce so little - whether all the bacteria I put in will die back with only a betta. Although cories don't produce much themselves. If I go with smmetz's suggestion, I could bring all 3 home, they could hang out in my community until I slowly transfer them all over. About the cycled Vs mature - I suggested that I might actually go make a post in the corydoras forum - see what the cory experts say about this scenario...

So here I am asking for your thoughts about the cories and the cycled Vs mature thing and what would be the best option of when/how to add them. Sorry for the massive post, but I wanted anyone reading to be clear about the scenario.

Thanks in advance.

 

[NEONCORY]

Hi SouthernCross,

I am not the expert of the matter however I do have a suggestion.
When I do make new tank, there are few things I do. Here is what I do.

I pull one of the extra filter I have on another tank.(some tank have 2 just in case like this, beside most of my tank have more filter rate than the tank required. I like to have higher filter rate because most of the tank occupants need to fed well to keep them in good breeing condition.
Anyway, I know not everybody has extra filter in another tank. But I would run the new filter in the old tank for few weeks before I even think about run the new tank.
However in your case with the in-hood filter, I would say you can prepare the way you mentioned. Seed with the old filter material from the old filter. And run it for a week or 2 with 1/2 and 1/2 water(old tank water and new tap). You can toss in some snails from the old tank also.

And when I do, I use some sands(substrate) and old tank water. Would be ideal if I can take 1/4 of total sands new tank need from the old tank and 1/2 of total water new tank need from the old tank also. I just set the new tank when I do the water change for the old tank and save those water. Try to take cleaner water from the top. Corydoras prefer the sands although some say it is ok with small round gravel. They would be much happier with sands.

After 1~2 weeks the new tank have been runned, I'll say go get both fish at the same time. Since you are going to get them from the store, you do need to quarantine them anyway. And you do not want to put the new fish in the established tank. You will spread whatever the new fish might have. That is the reason why we do quarantine in first place.

And keep close eyes on th new fish and all the water parameter(temp, ph, gh, nitrite, nitrate.,etc).

Although there are 2 things, one you should always have a hospital tank/quarantine tank for sick and new fish. Two, the Corys would do much better in group of 4+ although 6 or more is better. And I know Betta would be fine in 5G but some Corys would get too big for 5G.
To be honest with you, only the miniture corys should go in the 5G tank.
5G is more suited for hospital, breeding, Betta, small shrimps(like cherry), extra small tetras(like ember), miniture corys(like pygmy, hastatus and habrosus), small fry grow out and some other creatures I can't think of now.

So maybe it is better off if you keep the 5G as hospital tank unless you are going to get another tank. Because, you won't have the place to put the sick fish which need to treat if you convert your 5G to nano tank with some occupant. I know hospital tank may look unnecessary until some fish get sick. But you do need it as soon as some fish get sick.

But this is my opinion and I'm sure serious aquarist would agree with me.
I hope you make right dicision.

 

[SouthernCross]

Hi NEONCORY, thanks for responding.

I initially did buy this tank thinking I'd use it for a hospital tank - but after having a good look at it I decided it wouldn't be suitable for a lot of the fish I intend to keep in my community as its quite tall BUT only 5 inches wide and 6 1/2 inches at the widest part of the bowfront - the problem is its not wide enough for larger fish (bigger than 3") to turn around comfortably in. Wouldn't want them feeling squashed while they're trying to get better. So I decided rather than to stuff around with taking this tank back I'd just keep it and turn it into a betta tank with some cories, and find a more suitable hospital tank replacement (much wider). I haven't found one yet (tanks setups are expensive here and I'm looking around for a decent deal) but have every intention of getting one asap.

My only problem with your suggestion - you say to put all my filter media in then run it for 2 weeks - but with nothing for the bacteria to feed on in that time, it would die back! I've had someone in another thread tell me the exact opposite - to add the fish and media simultaneously to avoid bacteria die-off. I only have one snail, so I don't think he'd be enough to support all that bacteria for two weeks! I think there's a bit of disagreement about this point out there - but I read there's no point transferring water, nothing actually lives in it, all bacteria colonises on media/substrate etc. The tank is already running with new treated water - wanted to make sure the filter actually worked, but have not yet transferred any media.

I know cories need a group, but I thought any more than 3 would be overstocking the tank. You read different things out there from different people - I've read from a number of recs that 3 is an okay minimum, so that's why I went with that. I only intended to get little ones, the pygmies if they're available, or at least nothing that would grow over 2 inches tops (like the bronze cories I have in my other tank, they can get to 3", def wouldn't get more of those).

I hope my response satisfies your concerns....interested in replies from anyone reading with thoughts on the above.