Bottom feeder help

[ddodad]

Hi

I have a great planted tank setup with boesmani rainbows, some rasbonas, a butterfly pleco, GBRs, trumpet snails(I have sand need them) and ghost shrimp. I will eventually add a pearl gourami and maybe a couple oto cats. I have plenty of room in my stocking.
Currently I find the bottom bare of fish life and wanted to add a few bottom feeders. I don't really want the typical Cory cat, I have black sand so I was thinking something colorful and peaceful. Any suggestions. I was thinking a green phantom pleco maybe.

Thanks

 

[butterfly_koi]

I honestly find that plecos do more damage in the aquarium than good. They have a heavier bioload, mine likes to dig in the substrate under rocks, and it's always tearing through the plants uprooting them. Plus I don't see it as often as my other bottom feeders. I personally enjoy my S. Multipunctata and my S. Nigriventris. The Multipunctata is slightly more expensive than some of the other Synodontis species but in a way it's worth the cost. He is always out where I can visually see him and isn't shy like other species of catfish. The Nigriventris is cool because of obvious reasons, what kind of upside down swimming catfish wouldn't be cool?

 

[ddodad]

I do agree with the damage and the never really seeing the pleco. Plus their bio-load is quite high. know my wife for some reason is always freaked out by the upside downs so that's not going to work. I do like your other suggestion I'm just going to research them to see how compatible they are with my current stock, and to see how widely available they are. I'm in Canada am for some reason so fish are really hard to find.

 

[Rivercats]

Depending on the size of the tank Yo-yo loaches, kuhli loaches, or Botia sidthimunki loaches are all good choices. I have yo-yo loaches and they are the characters of the tank. They are very active and are constantly foraging for food.

 

[Oohitsae]

What size is the tank and what's the current stock?
I'm going to suggest loaches as well, but don't know what kind to suggest without knowing the other info.

I can't agree with the pleco being more damage than good though. Maybe certain species are, but my bristlenoses are always out and about and don't tear up my tank at all! They are actually my favorite fish now

 

[ddodad]

Depending on the size of the tank Yo-yo loaches, kuhli loaches, or Botia sidthimunki loaches are all good choices. I have yo-yo loaches and they are the characters of the tank. They are very active and are constantly foraging for food.

The only loach that seems peaceful enough for my current stock is the kuhli and they seem to be shy and nocturnal I was more looking for something a little more active

 

[ddodad]

I posted the stock on top. It's a 70 gallon bow front tank

 

[ddodad]

Sorry. I really hate this iPhone app I keep posting prematurely.

My butterfly pleco I really love but plants keep string uprooted (I think it's him) and is usually hiding so I can't enjoy it as much as I would like

 

[Oohitsae]

Sorry, it was a long day so I didn't remember your stock was up there.
Hmm you really could do a lot with it!
How about clown loaches?

 

[Fresh N Salt guy]

I have had a ton of plecos. By far my favorite fish. Of all the species, my butterfly is the most elusive in all the tanks I've had. The phantom I has was a very active pleco, and spent a lot of time out. He was so active though, he jumped out of my tank and died. :-(. I had a school of kubotai loaches in my community tank with no issues and I loved them, maybe take a peak at those. I had them for a year and a coworker saw the health of them and paid top dollar for them. I love fish, but I really love money .

 

[ddodad]

Sorry, it was a long day so I didn't remember your stock was up there.
Hmm you really could do a lot with it!
How about clown loaches?

Not a problem, there never seems to be enough hours in the day. Clowns get a little larger then I want plus as most loaches they will eradicate all the snails I need to turn the sand

 

[NYgiantsRP]

With snails you can't have any loaches. Wake up everyone! Haha So all the loach suggestions are out the window...but you don't want cory cats? Why? They are the answer to your stocking problem. They stay pretty small, they are very peaceful, and even more active! They won't bother any of your other fish or the snails!

Why do you NEED snails for sand? I have sand and don't have snails.

 

[ddodad]

Exactly loaches and snails don't mix from what I see with the exception on hillstream loaches. I never said I was totally against the Cory cats I just don't want the typical sterbai or albinos....
As for the snails with sand and Malaysian trumpet snails. They mainly burrow under the sand turning it constantly and making sure there will be no gas pockets that could kill the fish.

 

[TaylorAnuar]

I'd have to say malaysian trumpet snails aren't needed for a sand substrate, most of the issues people have with anaerobic pockets are greatly over exaggerated.
And i would also have to disagree with the kuhli loaches being shy and mostly nocturnal! Mine are always out and about, they're actually somewhat hyper, it really helps to have a lot of places for them to hid, they'll feel more secure and will be out foraging for food, and best of all they don't eat snails or mess up your plants at all.

 

[TaylorAnuar]

Forgot to add that if you're not totally against corys there a lot of really interesting varieties out there, one of my personal favorites is the orange line cories. Really pretty with the same funny attitude of normal cories.
And if you wanted to be really unique you could do something like a peacock eel.

 

[Oohitsae]

Now that I see you aren't completely against cories, how about looking at violets? From what I hear they are colorful, hence the name, and pretty active.

As for kuhli's, they are one type of loach that doesn't eat snails, mine are kept in my Soil/sand tank with tons of MTS and can testify to that. Their mouth isn't shaped/angled I'm the right way. I'm not sure if I mentioned that mine aren't the mos active, but if I had a large enough group I'm sure they would be.

 

[butterfly_koi]

My vote is still with the Multipunctata



But again it's not up to us what you put in your tank, your the one that has to look at it everyday not us. All we can do is offer suggestions.

 

[TaylorAnuar]

I only have about 8, but there's always the possibility that mine are the exception rather than the rule, but i know of others that have active kuhlis. You can always train them to want to be up during the day by only feeding in the afternoons or mornings.

 

[ddodad]

I really do like the Multipunctata but it says they should be in a group of 3 minimum? I went to see the lfs I deal with often they are looking into one for me. It's really not common here in Canada

As for the the other Cory cats that's what I was looking for not the typical one something different you know

 

[butterfly_koi]

All catfish like to be in groups but will do fine by themselves. I only have one and he doesn't seem to be too concerned about the fact that he's alone.