Tank Suggestion

[Jlburns]

Okay so I have a 20 gal high tank and am looking for one more fish to go into it.
I currently have one dalmation Molly, one balloon Molly, a swordtail and 4 guppys.
I was thinking about getting a bristle nose catfish but I was thinking there has got to be more options than that. I absolutely don't want snails!!!!!

What do you guys think?

 

[Esoteric Backbone]

Is this a brand new set up?

 

[Rivercats]

It sounds like you are wanting some type of algae eater? If so I'd try to do Oto's first due to the tank size but if you could find an albino bn pleco or longfin albino bn pleco it could work. The albinos don't get as large as normal ones and they tend to be more active during the day than others. I see mine all the time and in a year its only about 3-1/2 inches (I have a longfin albino bnp) and it's in a 220g so it isn't due to stunting, she is just small.

 

[Jlburns]

No it's not a new setup. We have had it going for around 3 months now.

 

[Jlburns]

Okay, so I use the the aqadvisor for tank stocking and I just got a Marineland 200 filter today because the other one I had just wasn't cutting it. And my sticking level with my current fish is at 88%. If I get a Bn Pleco it puts my stocking level at 107. But my boyfriend suggested getting 5 Julii Cory's, that put my level at 110. Do you think that's just way over doing it??

 

[Rivercats]

Sorry I don't go by aqadvisor, The Molly's carry a heavy bio-load and with the sword and 4 guppies you have alot for a 20g. Getting a bigger filter is very good and you need to do 50% WC weekly. You never said if your wanting a fish for algae eating purposes? Cory's don't eat algae and 5 in a 20 along with your current bio-load is too many IMO. Plus do you have a 20L or a 20 Tall? If it's a 20 tall then there isn't enough room for 5 Julii's. Pandas are smaller and there are dwarf & pygmy cory's that would be better suited if you want to go with cory's. In a 20L you could do 5 dwarf/pygmy cory's or I'd say 4 Panda's with your current fish. Or one BN Pleco but the pleco will put a higher bio-load on your tank. Regardless you are going to be at your tanks limit and with it being a small tank you will have to be religious in keeping up with WC and filter maintenance as nutrients can build up very quickly in smaller tanks.

 

[Jlburns]

I have a 20 gallon high... We are pretty much just looking for a bottom feeder(s). We had a rainbow shark that was constantly eating and cleaning the tank. But since they need a much bigger tank and we don't have the room right now we took him to the lfs. We were planning on getting a Bn pleco. So we picked up some driftwood for our tank, but are just trying to see what other options we have.

 

[Rivercats]

A BNP isn't a bottom feeder its an algae eater and needs to be supplimented with veggies a couple times a week (at night), peas are a favorite usually along with zucchini. and algae tablets should be offered 1x a week on an off veggie night. For a 20 tall you'd be best getting about 4 to 6 dwarf or pygmy cory's. If you can't find them then 4 Panda cory's, which are the next smallest easily found would work.

 

[Jlburns]

Okay so I have now come to the conclusion that we definitely want a bottom feeder. We are tossing the idea back and forth of rehoming one of the guppies since he's having problems in the tank because he's so small. I'm thinking of going with the Panda Cory's. But still want to do some research on them before the decision is final. What's the minimum # I should get of them if that is what u decide. I'm assuming it's probably 5.

 

[Rivercats]

5 will be tight but a good number. You don't want any cory's larger than Panda's as they will grow too large for your tank. Panda's are actually very active cory's and not shy. I have 6 and those and my Julii are the most active of all the cory species I have.

 

[Jlburns]

I think we have decided on the pandas. But one more question. Can any of our other fish breed with them if we get females?

 

[librarygirl]

What substrate do you have? Corys have sensitive barbels that can get infected on sharp substrate. If it's sand (preferred) or round gravel that isn't sharp they should be fine. No, other fish can't breed with Corys. I have Pandas too; very cute little fish. Supplement their diet with some shrimp pellets or algae or veggie wafers a few times a week after lights go out. I would get either 4 or 6; to me it seems like they do better in even numbers.

 

[Jlburns]

We have the colored gravel you can buy pretty much anywhere. And we feed our fish a mix of algae wafers, brine shrimp, tubifex worms, and two different dried flake foods. We also just recently got some seaweed strips that we're trying out. And so far all of the fish LOVE it!!

 

[Rivercats]

No your females are safe. Since you have a 20H with a small bottom space only do 4 Panda's so they aren't crowded. Sounds like your food diet is fine.

 

[Jlburns]

We went to all the lfs today to see if any of them had the pandas an only one out of 3 did. And they only had 5. So sometime next week were going to pick them up.