I've been trying to get rid of snails forever and I've just decided to get a new tank. It will be another month before I can afford it, but once I get it I want to know how I switch the fish over with as few problems as possible.

I have 6 albino corydoras and a betta. I only have one place I can put the 20 gallon tank so I can not have them both set up at once. I know my betta will be fine in a 1 gallon for a week or two until the other tank is ready, but I'm wondering what the best way to go about it is.

Will my corydoras be alright in an unfiltered 5 gallon tank or a filtered 1 gallon tank for a week or two? and should I split them up or keep them together?

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I'm pretty new at keeping any sort of fish.

Any help is appreciated!

I would just drain the tank into a 5g bucket, put the fish in there, finish draining the tank, swap over the gravel and filter, refill and let temp settle out, let the filter run for a few hours (could be less if tank clears up), then put the fish back in. No need to re-use the water. The fish will be fine in a 5g bucket for many hours.

All with the assumption you'd be re-using the gravel and filter. Is the filter rated for the larger tank?

I wont be reusing the gravel and filter because of the snails, and the filter isn't the greatest.