# 3 Albino Corys + 1 Betta in 20 Gal



## Goodbettabest (Mar 25, 2013)

Just wanting thoughts on stocking my new 20 gal. I am leaning towards three albino Corys so they can all hang out in a little posse and one Betta. Would that be ok?


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

That would be just fine and not over-stocked at all


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

I would suggest getting at least 6 cories (albinos will mix happily with bronze and green, as they are all corydoras aenaeus) - the bigger the school, the happier the fish.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

Bombalurina said:


> I would suggest getting at least 6 cories (albinos will mix happily with bronze and green, as they are all corydoras aenaeus) - the bigger the school, the happier the fish.


Agreed.

And since you should have at least 6, I would look at a smaller species such as panda corys.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

Surely the larger albinos would be fine in a 20 gallon?


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

Bombalurina said:


> Surely the larger albinos would be fine in a 20 gallon?


Some people think so, others do not. I do not. Will they be fine as in won't die? Of course. We all have to decide how much space we want to give our fish. I've kept corys in tanks from 10 gallons up to 90 gallons - I would not keep full size corys in less than a 30" long tank. Albinos are one of the larger cory species, by the way, growing to 3 inches.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

*shrug* My bronze (being the same species as albino) seem happy with my peppered in a 2ft tank - they seem to be using the whole length of the tank without being clearly desperate for more, which is how they seemed in my previous, 14.5 inch tank (definitely too small!). I think part of it is having different swimming paths on different levels through all of the plants and tunnels. That being said, I'm sure they would be even happier in a larger tank.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

Peppered corys grow slightly smaller than the bronze. Both species have albinos. I bet they're using the whole length of the tank ;-) jk
School size is a big factor - a small school is one thing, but a large school would be too much, IMO

*stepping up on a soapbox* Keeping minimum school sizes is in the same realm as keeping fish in minimum tank sizes. I find it funny how much people fret over their fish, and talk about how much they care about their fish, but provide them with the bare minimum for tank and school sizes. I'm not calling anyone out - I honestly don't care what anyone does with their fish. I'm just stating an ironic observation.


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## Bombalurina (Oct 10, 2011)

I totally agree on everything you've said - for me, school size is just as important as tank size. The difference in the behaviour of my Ember tetras when I bumped the school up to 8 was astounding - ditto with my peppered cories (which I did not know had an albino strain! You learn something new every day). On that note, what is your opinion on the actual minimum school size for a cory? I'd rather aim above that. 

My cories are indeed using the whole length of the tank, though in a fairly relaxed and lazy manner, unlike their previous frantic darting.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

I think 9 is an ideal number for which to strive. It's not always possible though, for one reason or another. And there is some wiggle room with different types of fish. For example, I've recently found out that Angelicus loaches and zebra loaches hang out together. I have 4 beautiful Angelicus, but they are wild caught and have not been in season, and the ones that have been available are not good enough to bring home. I added the zebra loaches to the tank not too long ago 8-10 of them. Well, they all live together in and around a tree stump decor. I feel better about only having 4 of them because they are often with the zebras. I don't think they are WITH the zebras - they definitely maintain their group hierarchy, but I think they're happy to have the zebras in there. Rainbows are another. Different species within the same genus will school together from time to time - otherwise they are with their own. For this reason, I don't think it's as necessary to maintain such large individual groups. 2 schools of 5 almost make a school of 10, is what I mean. My goal is to have 20-24 rainbows in the 125 - 5 or 6 of each kind.

However, I haven't found different species of barbs to school together ever. Or tetras, or Corys, though in my experience a lone Cory will join up with a group of others. But different groups of Corys all did their own thing in the 90.

There is no black and white - only grey. It's just that some of us see our particular shade quite clearly 


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