When To Add Corys?

I am planning on adding 6 Corys to my 20 gallon, and I’m very excited!
My question is:
Should I add three this week, let my filter adapt to the new bioload, and then add the other three next week, or should I just go ahead and add all 6 at the same time?

 

Are you still cycling this tank? What kind of cories are you getting? Is this a 20 long or a regular one? At any rate, I would stick with smaller cories for a tank this size. Pygmy, panda, trili, julii, etc, will all be great. I have actually cycled with cories, and they were just fine. Just keep track of your parameters, use lots of plants (duckweed are great for soaking up ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates, and you can just throw it out when you decide to do something different). Floating hornwort is also very useful to keep water parameters reasonable while cycling. Don't add any other fish until you're done cycling and then only after they've gone through QT.

 

Are you still cycling this tank? What kind of cories are you getting? Is this a 20 long or a regular one? At any rate, I would stick with smaller cories for a tank this size. Pygmy, panda, trili, julii, etc, will all be great. I have actually cycled with cories, and they were just fine. Just keep track of your parameters, use lots of plants (duckweed are great for soaking up ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates, and you can just throw it out when you decide to do something different). Floating hornwort is also very useful to keep water parameters reasonable while cycling. Don't add any other fish until you're done cycling and then only after they've gone through QT.

My tank is a fully cycled and already has 6 platys and a gourami, and is a 20 regular.
I was planning on getting some of the smaller ones!

 

My tank is a fully cycled and already has 6 platys and a gourami, and is a 20 regular.
I was planning on getting some of the smaller ones!

OK, sounds good. What kind of gourami do you have in there? Also, are you letting the platys breed? Is the gourami supposed to be a fry eater to keep the population under control?

 

OK, sounds good. What kind of gourami do you have in there? Also, are you letting the platys breed? Is the gourami supposed to be a fry eater to keep the population under control?

I have a dwarf gourami and he is great at eating fry. When I bought the platys I didn’t know that they would breed as profusely as they do, otherwise I wouldn’t have gotten both genders. I don’t try to breed or keep fry, and I’ve only had two survive. Any that do make it in the future will be rehomed!

 

I have a dwarf gourami and he is great at eating fry. When I bought the platys I didn’t know that they would breed as profusely as they do, otherwise I wouldn’t have gotten both genders. I don’t try to breed or keep fry, and I’ve only had two survive. Any that do make it in the future will be rehomed!

The DG is doing his job well with only 2 escaping him

 

The DG is doing his job well with only 2 escaping him

Yes he is!

 

I am planning on adding 6 Corys to my 20 gallon, and I’m very excited!
My question is:
Should I add three this week, let my filter adapt to the new bioload, and then add the other three next week, or should I just go ahead and add all 6 at the same time?

I asked the same question at our local aquatics Center and they advised me not to put in any more than 3-4 panda Cory into my 20 gallon tank as more could cause eventual overcrowding and 3-4 would be enough for my size of tank. I was also looking to add 4-6 panda Cory. I opted for this breed as they are one of the smaller breeds.

 

I asked the same question at our local aquatics Center and they advised me not to put in any more than 3-4 panda Cory into my 20 gallon tank as more could cause eventual overcrowding and 3-4 would be enough for my size of tank. I was also looking to add 4-6 panda Cory. I opted for this breed as they are one of the smaller breeds.

Do your cories seem stressed out in a smaller group? (Not trying to be judgemental, just curious)

 

My Cory seem fine and swim around with my zebra danios but I will be adding more soon.