suggestions on a small bottom feeder

[bigmac1878]

can anyone give me some ideas on a bottom feeder that doesn't grow too big. i have an 18g tank with 1 male betta, 1 hill stream loach, 4 white clouds and 1 male fancy guppy. only the betta isn't fully grown.

i know there are a few discrepancies with the compatability of some of these fish, that's due to bad advice and on my behalf, bad research.

i don't know if this will have any bearing on anything , but, the betta is currently going through an aggressive stage, he isn't giving the hill stream loach an easy time. sadly, i lack the facilities to seperate these fish.


thanks.

 

[coldmachineUK]

Hi there, sounds like a nice tank Interesting inhabitants.
If I was you, I know it's easy for me to say since I haven't owned them and looked after them for so long like you will have been doing, but I would remove the betta and the guppy and convert the tank into a fast flowing river set up for your white clouds and hillstream.

Hillstreams (what type is it? A 'proper' plec-like loach, or a river loach like the schistura?) can get extremely territorial, it's worth bearing that in mind.

I might get a pair of schistura loaches (grow to about 4") or another hillstream, in those conditions.

Otherwise I might consider removing the hillstream and getting a trio of a cory (peppered, albino, etc.). But I really don't think the cories + hillstream will work. You could try though...others here might have more ideas.

 

[JustOneMore20]

If the betta is going through an aggressive stage, I don't think I'd add anything else to the tank. Anything new would be fair game for the betta because it would be invading his territory. If you can't move the betta to a solitary tank, then I would just leave the tank like it is.

If the betta gets better and starts behaving himself, then you could look into some smaller cory types. Panda cories, trilineatus, habrosus, hastatus, and pygmy cories would be the ones I'd look for...or any that don't grow above 2 inches. Albino/bronze and peppered cories would get too large for that tank IMO as they get 3+ inches.

Make sure you keep the tank on the cool side for the loach...the white clouds and betta shouldn't mind and really the guppy shouldn't either.

Give the betta time to chill out and if he does, then look into smaller cories. Otherwise, I'd just leave the tank like it is and maybe add a few more white clouds as they'd be happier in a larger group.

 

[Mosaic]

As you didn't specify the bottom feeder had to be a fish, I'd suggest a mystery snail. He can go into his shell if he's pestered too much (although an aggressive fish could nip off its eyes/antennae, so watch out). A lot of snails are more active at night anyways, when the betta would probably be resting. Also, they're cute.

 

[hc8719]

i can tell you a fish not to get... kuhli loaches

 

[bigmac1878]

thanks for the advice. the part i'm going to follow at the moment is not to add. i think i'll wait till the betta calms down a bit, or i can house the fish properley. either way, i'll do my homework before adding any more fish.

 

[catfishattack]

How about cory cats?

I like apple snails too.

 

[bigmac1878]

i can tell you a fish not to get... kuhli loaches

just out of curiosity, why is that. a bad experience or just not right for my tank and its inhabitants?

 

[coldmachineUK]

I think it's probably because you don't get to see them often, but they are still a lovely fish

 

[hc8719]

i can tell you a fish not to get... kuhli loaches

just out of curiosity, why is that. a bad experience or just not right for my tank and its inhabitants?

kuhlis are basically little, insecure worms. they hide constantly, dont really clean up the bottom, yes they feed off the bottom, but im not about to accept them into the clean plate club.

when they do come out, they dart around like idiots, hitting anyfish in their way.

they stay about 3" good for your aquarium, just a crappy fish really, i heard they're good in groups of 6+ but im not going to try

 

[eah]

You mentioned that you are unable to separate the fish. Have you considered a tank divider? I recently purchased two female platies for my ten gallon tank and put a male betta in with them. He was harrassing them a bit, so I bougth a tank divider. The betta has almost 4 gallons to himself and the pair of platies have just over 6 gallons. Everyone is happy and the divider was pretty cheap.

In your case, although it wouldn't be the ideal solution, it might be an improvement.

 

[clubsuperduty]

I would say a small group of cory's I had a group of three and it was nice I fed them an algea wafer every other day and they picked scraps on odd feeding days. They are pretty neat also I had an albino, emerald and a regular one I am not sure of the common ones name but they were very happy together.