# Adding different fish to sorority tank



## daniel89 (Nov 28, 2009)

So far I have 3 females in my 10 gallon but I plan to add 2-3 more. In addition to those other girls i want, I was thinking about adding some cories, liking the panda cories right now. Any options? Other suggestions? 










I will be adding more deco and plants soon too, as well as substrate (depending on the other fish I get)


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## daniel89 (Nov 28, 2009)

Well... i did it. I added four cories: 1 albino, 2 green, and 1 julii as well as another female. I am planning on adding two more females... it's recommended in a sorority tank (according to what i have read).










If I can get a picture of the cories, I would. But right now everyone is just flying around the tank. Maybe once they have all calmed down or they are eating... stay tuned!


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## daniel89 (Nov 28, 2009)

Here are the cories...
Julii:


















albino and julii:









green and julii:









green:


















all four cories!


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

Nice fish!


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## Toshogu (Apr 24, 2009)

Nice fish, might want to top off the tank a bit with water. Once you get the new females into the tank imo you will be close to the can't add more fish to the 10gal point.

Just keep half an eye on your ammon, n2, n3. Also if you notice your betta's and corries going up for air alot, might consider adding a bubble maker, or a bigger HOB filter.


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## daniel89 (Nov 28, 2009)

Question... I am a member on a betta forum also and I am getting chewed out on having only 4 cories and of different kinds... what do you all think? I do have a new filter that can go in... that should help right? Or could it be too powerful for the bettas?


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## DavidAl (Nov 17, 2009)

Daniel,

It looks like you have the bronze cory, _Corydoras aeneus_. They are sometimes called the green cory, but the common name of green cories usually applies to the emerald cory, _Brochis splendens_, which is not a _Corydoras_. There are three albino cories commonly found in the market: _C. aeneus_, _C. paleatus_, and _C. sterbai_. The albino is most likely _C. aeneus_, as well. The two-colored cories look a bit pale. Test your water to make sure there are no ammonia and nitrites readings, and low nitrates, i.e., less than 20ppm. If all is well, the light-colored substrate may be contributing to the paleness, as fish will sometimes blend in color with their surroundings for safety.

You can keep different cories together, but it's sometimes frowned upon by the more serious hobbyist, unless of course you have a big enough aquarium to house several schools. 

By the way, your _C. julii_ is most likely _C. trilineatus_. They are both very similar, it's just that the julii is not regularly seen in the trade, and when they are, they are usually wild caught and not farm bred like the trilineatus.

David


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## daniel89 (Nov 28, 2009)

this is actually Christina posting and not Daniel. 

But i just tested the water and i have 
>20 nitrate
1.0 nitrite
75 hardness
0-40 alkalinity
7.2 pH

I don't currently have an ammonia test but I'm getting one soon. Will the nitrites go down on their own? How do I fix alkalinity?


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## DavidAl (Nov 17, 2009)

Hello Christina,

How old is this tank?

Do enough water changes to bring the nitrites down. Based on the nitrates, your tank appears to be nearing the end of a nitrogen cycle. If this tank has been up and running for sometime, then perhaps it has gone/is going through a mini-cycle. Add a pinch of aquarium salt to help detoxify the nitrites. 

The nitrites will eventually go down, the goal being 0ppm. The ammonia should always read 0ppm, as well. Don't worry about the alkalinity. A KH in the range of 2 degrees is not terribly bad, just monitor the pH to make sure it doesn't fluctuate too much. A consistent regimen of water changes (to re-buffer the water) will also help stabilize the pH with the level of KH you're seeing.

David


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## Toshogu (Apr 24, 2009)

that's a darn good question. how new is this tank?


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## daniel89 (Nov 28, 2009)

been runing for a week i think.


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## Toshogu (Apr 24, 2009)

hrm.... not good having fish in a newly started tank at all. Prepare for some losses.

Hold off on adding new fish and make sure to do 25% daily waterchanges to keep the fish you have alive. Also purchase an ammonia test kit asap.

Please read up on the nitrate ammonia cycle stickies at the top of the general freshwater forum.


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## DavidAl (Nov 17, 2009)

Christina, 

I'd venture to say your ammonia is sky high. Three bettas and four corydoras in a one week old 10-gallon tank with no nitrifying bacteria is a recipe for disaster. 

At this point it's best not to feed your fish until certain things occur. First, you have several tanks in your signature; are you able to borrow media from anyone of those tanks, provided that they are cycled and healthy? If so, move some media, e.g. filter media, gravel, ornaments, etc., to the 10-gallon tank asap. Or, you can move the inhabitants to other tanks in your signature, again, provided that they are cycled and healthy (very important).

Second option: Purchase the nitrifying bacteria in a bottle. Two products that I know work very well are Dr. Tim's One and Only and Tetra Safe Start. These products contain the actual bacteria that will convert ammonia to nitrite, and then to nitrate. Do a massive water change prior to the addition of anyone of those products. When doing large water change, make sure the water parameters of the new water closely resembles the tank water. You can achieve that by doing lots of smaller water changes prior to the large water change.

Third option: Take the fish back to the store or donate them to anyone who will accept them. Perform a fishless cycle using pure ammonia. Make sure the ammonia has no surfactants, or anything else for that matter, just pure ammonia. You can cycle a tank this way in as little as three weeks. Once cycled, you can add a full-load in at once.

By the way, check your tap water for nitrates. It's odd for a one-week old tank to have such high nitrates. You can also add live plants to the tank to help consume nitrogen elements, which in turn will help with the cycle, but the effects may not kick-in fast enough to help things out.

David


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## daniel89 (Nov 28, 2009)

I had the tank and let it run for a day before I added my first two female bettas. Then I added a third female a few days ago. The fourth female and the cories have been in there for only a day now.

I just ran another test...
close to 0 nitrate
0 nitrite
75 hardness
40 alkalinity 
6.8-7.2 pH

I'll go out and get an ammonia test soon... do I still need to do all those other things you all advised?


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## daniel89 (Nov 28, 2009)

DavidAl said:


> Daniel,
> 
> It looks like you have the bronze cory, _Corydoras aeneus_. They are sometimes called the green cory, but the common name of green cories usually applies to the emerald cory, _Brochis splendens_, which is not a _Corydoras_. There are three albino cories commonly found in the market: _C. aeneus_, _C. paleatus_, and _C. sterbai_. The albino is most likely _C. aeneus_, as well. The two-colored cories look a bit pale. Test your water to make sure there are no ammonia and nitrites readings, and low nitrates, i.e., less than 20ppm. If all is well, the light-colored substrate may be contributing to the paleness, as fish will sometimes blend in color with their surroundings for safety.
> 
> ...


I looked closer at my "julii" and compared it to pictures of them and you're right. My "julii" is really a trillineatus. Oh well, still really cute.
As for the green ones... i don't know. The speciality store I bought them at said they were green... not emerald green ones though. so, not sure. And i also don't know what exact species my albino is... i just know that he is an albino

Maybe if I can save up enough money I can get a bigger tank but right now, this is all I can do... plus, I live in a dorm where I can only have up to 10 gallons.... so, I can't keep my 10 gallon and my two 1 gallons in my apartment dorm. My 10 gallon and two other 1 gallons are at daniel's house along with all his other tanks


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## DavidAl (Nov 17, 2009)

Christina, 

The best advice I can give you at this time is to read-up on the nitrogen cycle that takes place when a new tank is set up. In a nutshell, your fish create ammonia, which is very toxic, through waste and uneaten food. A specific bacteria converts that ammonia into nitrite, which is less toxic, but still toxic enough to cause harm (google "Brown Blood Disease"). And yet another bacteria converts nitrite to nitrate, which is toxic in large concentrations. Nitrates can be removed through water changes and/or the use of live plants, as plants consume nitrogen. Nitrates can also be removed via denitrification, but that's an entirely different level best reserved for the more experienced hobbyist.

David


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## daniel89 (Nov 28, 2009)

just got the ammonia test... i got somewhere between .25 and .5. but closer to .25 or may actually be .25.. its really close to that color


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## daniel89 (Nov 28, 2009)

on to something other than my tank readings... i took out the cories and moved them to daniel's 10 gallon until tomorrow. they will be returned and i will get hopefully more than 4 cories of the same kind. i also took out Eva (who i think is now a male spade tail and got a few rips in his little spade tail) and added two new females. everything seems good so far. still watching them closely.


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## daniel89 (Nov 28, 2009)

i did buy another sickly girl at walmart. she is in her own little tank. gave her new water and added some melafix for her ripped fins and a tiny bit of food. i dont know if she will make it but im hoping she will

she's not laying on her side anymore like she was before... but she isn't swimming around. any suggestions on helping her live?


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## Ghost Knife (Mar 12, 2008)

Once the tank is cycled be sure to get at least 1 more albino cory and 1 more julii cory since they don't like to be alone.


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## daniel89 (Nov 28, 2009)

i am going to return the cories and get 4-6 of the same kind hopefully tomorrow


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## Toshogu (Apr 24, 2009)

maybe you haven't paid attention, but you kinda need to figuere out how to cycle your tank before you add more fish. Read up on the nitrogen cycle stickies in forums. Understand it and utilize this knowledge. Otherwise if you come back to this forum in a week or two crying about how your fish are sickly, dying, or otherwise not doing to well you will get very little simpathy from me.


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## daniel89 (Nov 28, 2009)

i posted what my nitrite, nitrate, and ammonia readings are and they are all safe.


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## daniel89 (Nov 28, 2009)

well i returned my cory mix and got 6 new tiny penny sized(possibly smaller) pygmy cories to go into my sorority. i added a few more plants and another hiding spot. the real plant is still in the tank as well. i did have my water readings checked by me and the lfs before i got the new cories. they are so cute! i have a few pics of 4/6 or 5/6 of them together already schooling around! the bettas have been checking them out a little bit but nothing bad. girls still seem to be getting along, at least for now. 

my boyfriend just bought a lot of 'new' tanks from someone that was selling theirs locally. hopefully i can convince him to give me one of the 20 gals he got for my 10 that they are in now so that they have more space for when they grow. we'll see.



















one little guy by himself









new tank set up


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

you could avoid any fish health issues by just not having any fish to distract you from your main focal point of the tank...


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## daniel89 (Nov 28, 2009)

excuse me?


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## Ghost Knife (Mar 12, 2008)

Just out of curiousity, what are you intending to do with the Pacus? They're going to need a 100 gallon+ tank some time in the near future.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

sorry ; but i just could not resist..you see;in nature you just don't see such brightly colored plants..but when you put them in an aquarium(especially a small one);they tend to be the singular thing that you concentrate your eyes on when you first look at the tank..one actually has to search to find the fish..don't feel bad though..most folks do this at one time or other..


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## daniel89 (Nov 28, 2009)

i plan on letting my black ghost knife grow big and trying to feed my pacu to him lol if not ill find some kool way to kill them.


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## Ghost Knife (Mar 12, 2008)

daniel89 said:


> i plan on letting my black ghost knife grow big and trying to feed my pacu to him lol if not ill find some kool way to kill them.


Was that a joke? I honestly don't understand what you are getting at. Since when do you have a Ghost Knife? None of your tanks are large enough for one anyway.


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## daniel89 (Nov 28, 2009)

daniel is planning on getting a ghost knife but he doesnt have one yet.

as for the amount of plants and decor in my 10 gal, it is actually recommended to make the tank crowded for the female bettas. they need plenty of hiding places for each girl to call for her own as well as not a lot of empty floor space in case one decides to go crazy one day.


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## Toshogu (Apr 24, 2009)

okay... first off you two need to get seperate accounts. two people posting off of the same account is getting really confusing. secondly after seeing the posts you've been putting off around the forums. You two are idiots, you'll get no more advice from me.

You ask a question for a problem and just plow on ahead like you don't read our posts. Do what you will with your tanks, just don't come crying when things go belly up. Cause I will say "I told you so"


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## daniel89 (Nov 28, 2009)

we have talked to our lfs and they tested all of our waters (as well as us doing it ourselves). the 55 isnt ready for fish yet but both 10 gallons are finished cycling and are safe. we are doing research on everything we are doing as well as asking questions just to make sure of things, aka double/triple checking on everything we do.


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