New Fluval Flex Set-up

For the last 2 weeks or so I haven't been able to go on the site as I've been staying at Grandma's due to her having a hip surgery (no worries everything went well) and she doesn't have any internet, I could use my phone but service is sparse in her house.

Anyways, so on Thursday, March 30th I went to Winnipeg to pick up my Grandma from her surgery (she stayed in the hospital for 9 days) and I quickly dipped into Petland just to look. I swear I only wanted to look at the fish they had in stock. Long story short I walked out with a brand new 15 gallon Fluval Flex kit (everything but a stand and a heater) and 146$less in my wallet. Really, I only wanted to look at fish, not even buy any. I was even on my way out of the store when it caught my eye and I knew I had to have it.

Brought it home and set it up that evening, put a nice amount of pool filter sand, 2 pieces of driftwood, rinsed everything off and got the filter running. 3 days later I came home with a gorgeous half moon (plakat?) betta. I'm not certain about the plakat though, I might have read the labels on the stand wrong, he has really nice flowing fins.
Don't worry, I took filter media from my 75 gallon and put it into the filter for this tank. Insta-cycle yay.
I am not a huge betta fan, but I'm sort of setting this tank up for my girlfriends enjoyment rather than my own (don't worry it will be cared for as if it were my own). I decided a betta would be best for this tank as I knew she would like them, they are great starter fish and she has expressed a desire to get into fish keeping a little (perhaps because she knows I love it) and also the size is great (literally 240x bigger than his old cup).

I'm planning on doing a low-medium light planted tank in the future with Flin (girlfriend got tongue tied and said Flin rather than fins and flap, thus Flin is his name) as the main star fish, some small tetras (perhaps harlequin rasboras) and a small school of corys.

I will post a picture in a little while. Water is a little cloudy so I am going to do a water change quickly.

 

Looks nice! Are you planning to add the tetras and cories to this tank, or to another one?

 

I don't think the footprint of this tank would be big enough for a group of cories. standard 15gal longs usually aren't really enough let alone a taller bowfront like the flex. I would suggest larger shrimp like amano (smaller varieties will likely be eaten by your betta) to inhabit the base of this tank, though TexasDomer will probably give you a better stocking list.

 

I have the Fluval Flex 9 gallon. Our Betta is in with 3 Amano Shrimp.

 

Adding the tetras and cories into this tank, but if a school of cories won't fit (even the smaller pandas or peppered?)

 

Adding the tetras and cories into this tank, but if a school of cories won't fit (even the smaller pandas or peppered?)

Salt & pepper cories only get to be .75 inches (2cm). They would fit in your 15.

 

Oh ok. That's what I was thinking earlier. Well then I think I will stick with pandas.

 

Flin is gorgeous! He's definitely not a HMPK, he's either a delta or halfmoon.

 

They won't. It's not just fish size it's fish activity and footprint. They need amuch larger area to be active, move, be not be cramped together, forage, hide, feel safe and swim. A 15 gallon especially with this footprint is not big enough for any corydoras, Pygmy maybe, as they spend more time in the mid water than other corydoras.

For Cory water volume is barely a consideration and it's all about footprint as that's where they live. A school of Cory will live in this tank, but it won't be right by them and could cause problems.

Edit: just saw you were looking st panda Cory. These Cory need a lower temperature than betta fish so In fact can't even be with him.

Don't get me wrong I'm not trying to rant to put you of corydoras they are my favourite fish and I keep many varieties, I can see why you want them, but your tank isn't right by them.

 

What are the dimensions of the 15 gal? A 24" tank is recommended for the smaller cories, and a 30" tank for the larger ones.

 

16" x 15" x 15" I just read

 

Too small for cories then

 

Salt and Pepper Cory - Corydoras habrosus

So this would mean species only tank?

 

That temperature fits better but it still isn't a big enough footprint.

 

C. habrosus need a bigger tank and cooler water than a betta.

Don't use Fishlore profiles for water parameters - Planet Catfish, Seriously Fish, and Fish Base are much more reliable.