# 10 Gallon Stocking - Panda Corys?



## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Panda cories will get too big for a 10gal. They are also pretty delicate for cories. Try pygmy cories instead (see the Fish Profiles on this forum).

You could keep 6-8 pygmy cories in a 10gal- but with no room for other fish.

Heavy planting in the back would be good, but cories also need open swimming areas. Sand in the front would be very good, as they like shuffling through the substrate.


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## Riley (Jan 24, 2006)

You could always go with some of the dwarf loaches. Dwarf cories would be another good option...as stated previously.


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## yoink (Apr 21, 2005)

I'm thinking you could put three or four in a ten gallon. I've got five trilineatus in a ten gallon and three bronze corys in another ten gallon with a betta. They are all seemingly happy and healthy, the bronze corys even spawn every once in awhile. Pygmy or dwarf corys would work as well, and you could have a larger school because of their size.


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## dekstr (Oct 23, 2007)

Great thing you're not considering a loach in a 10g! They definitely need more space than a 10g to thrive.

Panda cories individually can do well in a 10g. But since they need to be in a shoal minimum of 6-8 together in order to exhibit normal social behaviour, there's not going to be enough bottom space for them in a 10g.

Pygmaeus, hastatus, habrosus corydoras are all great alternatives. They are dwarf cories that will thrive in a 10g. You can probably fit a dozen dwarf cories w/ no problem in a heavily planted 10g. Lots of interesting behaviour and good to look at. Pygmy cories may even breed very prolifically if the tank is heavily planted and they are the main inhabitants.


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## blizzack (Feb 12, 2008)

dekstr said:


> Great thing you're not considering a loach in a 10g! They definitely need more space than a 10g to thrive.
> 
> Panda cories individually can do well in a 10g. But since they need to be in a shoal minimum of 6-8 together in order to exhibit normal social behaviour, there's not going to be enough bottom space for them in a 10g.
> 
> Pygmaeus, hastatus, habrosus corydoras are all great alternatives. They are dwarf cories that will thrive in a 10g. You can probably fit a dozen dwarf cories w/ no problem in a heavily planted 10g. Lots of interesting behaviour and good to look at. Pygmy cories may even breed very prolifically if the tank is heavily planted and they are the main inhabitants.


Thanks a lot, guys... as usual, different forums have different views on what works and what doesn't. I was disappointed to see Panda's here might be too much for a 10 gallon. The hunt continues!


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## dekstr (Oct 23, 2007)

blizzack said:


> Thanks a lot, guys... as usual, different forums have different views on what works and what doesn't. I was disappointed to see Panda's here might be too much for a 10 gallon. The hunt continues!


Well it depends. You can still do 6-8 panda cories in a 10g if you really wanted to. With nifty hardscaping to maximize bottom area, good filtration and clean substrate, they can be happy and thrive.

I forgot to add that panda cories are more sensitive to water conditions than most other cories before. They really need clean substrate and clean water. I neglected my WCs and cleaning for a bit in January, and 3 of my 6 panda cories died in my 55 gallon tank. 

You can make the illusion that your tank is bigger than it is; the smaller the fish in proportion to the tank size, the more the tank looks bigger. 

Panda cories are one of my favorite fish. Right now I keep 2 of them in a 10g quarantine tank and there doesn't seem to be a lot of space if I added more of them in that tank. And they are the only bottom-dwelling inhabitants there!

The 3rd panda cory I accidently put in my 20g along with 3 peppered cories. They are very hard to catch and my tank is all set-up with plants, so I don't want to stress out the little fish and spend half a day tearing down the tank to catch her. Kind of lonely but she seems to do ok with the 3 peppered cories.


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## blizzack (Feb 12, 2008)

dekstr said:


> Well it depends. You can still do 6-8 panda cories in a 10g if you really wanted to. With nifty hardscaping to maximize bottom area, good filtration and clean substrate, they can be happy and thrive.
> 
> I forgot to add that panda cories are more sensitive to water conditions than most other cories before. They really need clean substrate and clean water. I neglected my WCs and cleaning for a bit in January, and 3 of my 6 panda cories died in my 55 gallon tank.
> 
> ...



Well, I would definitely only keep the pandas... though I bought eco complete soil and am thinking that they may not enjoy this at all. Does anyone have experience with this? Do they seem to get by OK?

Thanks!


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## dekstr (Oct 23, 2007)

EC is fine for cories. I have EC, silica sand and flourite with cories and they are fine.


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