Aquarium help

I posted a similar thread last year, but that was a while ago and some things have changed, so I'll make a new thread.

I have a heated and filtered ten gallon tank with a single male betta in it. I've had the tank and the betta for a little over two years. However, I didn't know much about fish when I got him, so I never cycled the tank before I put him in it. Obviously it didn't hurt him too much, because I've had him for two years and he's super active and has never had any sort of illness. I figured it's because bettas are hardy and don't produce much waste.

Now, I've been wanting to add some more fish, but the fact that I never cycled my tank makes me wonder if I should. If I wanted to add more fish, would I need to take my betta out and cycle the tank before? Or would it be considered cycled now, since it's had a fish in it for two years? I'm super new at all this stuff, help?

And for other fish, I've been looking at a group of Corys. Would they do well in a ten gallon with a betta? Thanks!

EDIT: argh I put this in the wrong forum, stupid me.

From my very limited understanding...

You shouldn't need to cycle your tank, because it's been up and going for 2 years with a fish in it. The parameters should be good to go.

And I think Corys are recommended for a tank with a betta. The dwarf/pygmy Corys, that is, which is what I assume you ment.

One of my bettas did super well with a few African Dwarf Frogs. So that may also be an option!

If he's been living in there for a while with a filter your tank is already cycled, he just rode out the process. I can go into detail if you want, but basically you now have bacteria in place converting his waste into less toxic chemical compounds efficiently so you only need to do your routine water changes. You can buy a water test kit if you don't already have one to confirm -- just test your water (not right water a water change, give it a couple days) and you should have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and some low level of nitrates. If not, test your tap water to make sure it's not throwing things off (eg. I lived in a place with high tap nitrates) then take steps to mitigate if needed. But chances are good you are cycled so no need to take your betta out.

As for what fish will go well with him, a lot depends on your fish. I had a male that got on well with cory cats...I had one who could only be with a big snail...and one who couldn't be with anything but himself. It's always a good idea to quarantine new fish first if you are able and to add in small numbers to let that tank cycle, the good bacteria, catch up to the new workload.

Keeping in mind that I've only had my fish (male betta) for a little over a month, but I've been obsessively researching since... :lol-sign:

Corys will do fine with Betta Don't worry about cycling your tank -- it HAS cycled, just didn't do a fishless cycle. It's been up and going for 2 years now, it's pretty established.

ETA: Oh, it definitely depends on the betta itself too, if it will allow other fish in there. Quite a few fish "would" get along with him if he allows... basically peaceful, non-fin-nipping fish that don't look like a betta. I plan to add neon tetras, rasboras and african dwarf frogs to my 20g with him. Obviously one kind at a time.

Its already cycled but dont go adding a bunch at once as that will overload it and start a new sort of cycle.

Companions are so varied, depend a lot on the betta. Cories go well, danios I have had go luck with, etc

A 10g isn't that big, so you need to be careful with what you add.

A handful of cories works, but get them small, you wont overload your bacteria so much. I've done up to 12 with a betta, but that was rather overstocked. Some bettas will try and chase cories, so make sure to have a number of decorations/driftwood/whatever.

I had high hopes for Yoyo loaches, but they started bothering the bettas tail. They got exiled to armored catfish tank.

I would stick to Pygmy corys, as they are a schooling fuch and prefer to be in groups of 6 or more, but yes they should be fine with your betta. Make sure there is some hiding spots for them to get away in case the betta fixates on them, but plants, either fake or real, will help as well so they break is line of sight.

Kuhli (not Koolie ) loaches might be another possibility.

Kuhlis or small cories (pygmy, pandas) would be fine! I'd probably split up adding them into two groups of three (add three, wait 1-2 weeks and add the other three) just to make sure the parameters stay stable.

Also (feel free to tell me off if this isn't allowed, mods!), www.ultimatebettas.com is a really excellent resource that had died out during a year long server issue but is slowly gaining its popularity back. It was my first forum, I really love it. Join if you'd like!

I had pygmy leopard corys in my female Betta tank and they all got along great I never cycled a tank... just did weekly water changes and monthly cleanings. The corys will help clean up too!

I really hated my corys tbh, I put them in my baby Betta tank to clean all the baby brine shrimp off the bottom. Came back in the morning and they had eaten 200 of my 300 babies!!! Not that you're going to have a baby tank, just yet.