nitz

I'm currently looking for a 10 gallon tank and would love to have a few cories and a male betta in it. How would I go about this? Lucy has suggested that to increase the odds of the betta getting along with the cories, I should add them first and then the betta later. Is this the best way or is there a better way of going about it?

Also, how many cories would I be able to put in?

Lucy

I forgot to mention that it depends on the betta too, they have such different personalities. Have a back up plan just in case it doesn't work.

Amanda

I agree with Lucy. I did add a pleco to a bettas' established tank & my white betta didn't seem to mind. I originally tried him in the tank with my blue betta - and he kept on attacking it. Shows the 2 personalities right there.

nitz

Ok I see what you guys are saying. I have my newly cycled 29 gal tank and I was going to put cories in there anyways so what I'll do is put the cories into the 10 gal first and see if they get along with the betta and if not, they can go into the 29 gal. Thanks for the help.

Amanda

Sounds like a good plan, let us know how it turns out. Good luck!

nitz

I'd have to use gravel in the tank if I had cories right? I know marbles are best for bettas but that wouldn't be good for cories right?

Do you think it would be better to divide the tank and have just 2 bettas instead with marbles on the bottom for both??

welshalien

My betta Raymond's tank has flat marbles and cories -- the only problem I've had was when I first got my pygmy cories. One of the little buggers got himself stuck down in the marbles -- found some little crack big enough to get in and then couldn't back out, I imagine. I thought for sure he was dead but I moved a marble and he shot to the surface like a rocket! Apparently he learned his lesson because it hasn't happened since. This shouldn't be a problem with the larger species of cories!

Kelly

jdhef

I can't answer for sure, but I do know that Cories like a smooth substrate over a course one. Apparently the course substrate wears down their barbels. So the glass marbles my be preferable.

tkfury

Problem with the marbles I believe someone brought up that its easier for food to get lost inbetween the marbles were the cories can't get to it. I haven't had a problem with a mixture of various sized gravel for my cories or female bettas but from what I gather a male is much more likely to get his fins caught.

nitz

Thanks everyone. I'm picking up the tank tomorrow and the guy is giving me the gravel that came with it. I'm still not sure whether or not to go with the marbles. I was leaning toward the marbles but then tkfury raised a good point. I think the betta would have gone through enough pain as it is, I don't want to add to it by having him get his fin caught in the gravel. This is really a tough decision.

tkfury

Hm, I believe some people place the plates that some terra cotta flower pots come with and place the sinking food for their cories in them. Actually, I think there is a picture around here somewhere of a betta coming down and eating with the cories from a bowl. Between the two, the marbles would be the easiest to replace if you opted out for gravel later on.

nitz

Could I maybe use a small saucer (like the ones smaller than tea saucers) with raised edges and put the sinking food on it?

Also, I picked up the 10 gal tank today. The top part of the glass looks pretty scratched up but the guy said you can barely notice it with the water in. If it's too noticeable, I might end up selling it. Is there any way of reducing the scratches?

tkfury

I don't see why that wouldn't work - just be sure to make sure there isn't any soap residue. I've noticed a lot of people are picking up glass candle holders, cups and the such from thrift stores and turing them into caves and decorations so I don't see how you couldn't do something of the like for a feeding area.

I haven't a clue about scratches. My 75g has a lot of little ones all over but filled with water, unless you're looking for them or face to face with the tank you can't notice them.

nitz

Ok that's good to know. I'll let you know how it looks once it's filled.

So if you were to choose between marbles and gravel for a betta tank with some cories, would you go with the marbles?

Lucy

Hi Nitz, congrats on the tank. It sounds like you have everything under control. I'll throw another option out there for you. lol

I use small decorative stone that I got from the dollar store. It's very natural looking and easy to clean between with a turkey baster or gravel vac. I don't know if cories would like them.

nitz

Oh gosh, thanks Lucy. Went and made it even harder now!!

Can you tell me how much approximately I'd have to buy for a 10 gal tank?

Shaina

I kind of went in between the gravel and marbles by getting smooth river-type gravel...found a bag of it at my LFS a while ago. The Betta seems fine with it, it's easy to clean, the lone Cory (from my planted tank...hid so thoroughly when I was catching his fellows to sell to the LFS before moving that I thought he must've died) who is now living with the Betta seems to like it as well.

nitz

Ok i'll take a look for it at the Big Als by my house. Thanks for the suggestion Shaina.