Recommendations on a small bottom feeder! :)

ruby tuesday · 01-30-2008, 11:49 AM

I've been thinking about getting a bottom feeder for my tank.

One, to pick up the food that falls to the bottom

and two, to add a little bit more interest at the bottom of the tank.

I need a small guy as I only have a 20 gallon.

Any recommendations you guys would make? Experiences with different kinds?

oliesminis · 01-30-2008, 11:53 AM

sonme sort of cory such as a bronze, panda or shwartzas, however only get these if you are going to get 4+,

if you are only getting a get ottos or small pleco, but check how big they get.

Gourami Swami · 01-30-2008, 12:01 PM

depending on what is already in the tank, 20 ghost shrimp would be awesome

Obsidian · 01-30-2008, 12:07 PM

It depends on what else you have in the tank, really. I have a 20 gallon with Cories on the bottom, a bristlenose pleco for the bottom and ottos for the bottom. What I have is just enough for my tank stocking, but it could easily be too much with a different stock list.

trashion · 01-30-2008, 01:21 PM

one piece of advice though, don't get fish just to have them clean the bottom. if food falls to the bottom, you're feeding too much. more fish will just make more waste.

oliesminis · 01-30-2008, 01:51 PM

VERY good advice trashion

ruby tuesday · 01-30-2008, 08:55 PM

Thanks trashion

I won't just be getting them to clean the bottom, I want a bottom swimmer as my platies and mollies are around the middle/top of the tank.

I saw something at the store, a yellow chinese....something. It was a brilliant yellow. I'm not sure of the exact name. I'd love to get one of those.

trashion · 01-30-2008, 09:14 PM

it was probably a chinese algae eater. don't get it! they will get very large and as they get older they'll start preying on your fish.

**JustOneMore20** · 01-30-2008, 09:15 PM

Golden Chinese Algae eater? Stay away from those. They get around 8" long full grown and get more aggressive with age. They aren't good candidates for a community tank, much less a smaller one.

Stick with various Cories. Those are community friendly and can live in a 20g. You should get a group of the same type. 6 would be good for your tank.

For smaller tanks, there aren't too many options. Plus, shrimp would most likely get eaten, so they're out. Otos don't hang out on the bottom all the time. They are algae eaters, so they stay on the glass. Cories will scurry around the bottom and if you are looking for something to hang out there, Cories are great. Most loaches get too large, except for Kuhlis and Dwarf Chain Loaches. Kuhlis hide alot though, so you may not see them much. Dwarf Chain Loaches are pretty rare at LFS and expensive when you can find them.

ruby tuesday · 01-30-2008, 09:27 PM

Thanks, I'll go looking for some Cories

purpleflower · 01-30-2008, 10:33 PM

Corys are great fish! They are really fun to watch!

01-30-2008, 11:49 AM	#1
ruby tuesday Fishy Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Age: 25 Posts: 18 User Feedback: (0)	Recommendations on a small bottom feeder! :) I've been thinking about getting a bottom feeder for my tank. One, to pick up the food that falls to the bottom and two, to add a little bit more interest at the bottom of the tank. I need a small guy as I only have a 20 gallon. Any recommendations you guys would make? Experiences with different kinds?

01-30-2008, 11:53 AM	#2
oliesminis FISH ARE FREINDS NOT FOOD Join Date: May 2007 Location: England, Milton Keynes Age: 15 Posts: 490 User Feedback: (0)	sonme sort of cory such as a bronze, panda or shwartzas, however only get these if you are going to get 4+, if you are only getting a get ottos or small pleco, but check how big they get. __________________ OllieCoxPhotography Why, in a world of thousands of languages, does everbody laugh the same

01-30-2008, 12:01 PM	#3
Gourami Swami Supreme Dictator For Life Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Somewhere out Yonder... Posts: 1,089 User Feedback: (0)	depending on what is already in the tank, 20 ghost shrimp would be awesome __________________

01-30-2008, 12:07 PM	#4
Obsidian Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Arizona Age: 37 Posts: 904 User Feedback: (0)	It depends on what else you have in the tank, really. I have a 20 gallon with Cories on the bottom, a bristlenose pleco for the bottom and ottos for the bottom. What I have is just enough for my tank stocking, but it could easily be too much with a different stock list. __________________ Obsidian 20 gallon 1 Dwarf Gourami; 6 Cherry Barbs 4F 2M; 8 Black Neon Tetras; 3 Peppered Cory's; 1 Bristlenose Pleco 10 gallon 5 Zebra Danios 5.5 gallon Betta 100 gallon 9 giant danios; 4 Rosy Barbs, 4 German Blue Rams

01-30-2008, 01:21 PM	#5
trashion girl anachronism Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 873 User Feedback: (0)	one piece of advice though, don't get fish just to have them clean the bottom. if food falls to the bottom, you're feeding too much. more fish will just make more waste. __________________ current setup: 15 gallon, planted w/ pressurized co2, 55watts PC lighting, EI fert dosing. -5 harlequin rasboras -7 Aspidoras pauciradiatus (sixray or false corydoras) for reference: my name is Julie

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01-30-2008, 01:51 PM	#6
oliesminis FISH ARE FREINDS NOT FOOD Join Date: May 2007 Location: England, Milton Keynes Age: 15 Posts: 490 User Feedback: (0)	VERY good advice trashion __________________ OllieCoxPhotography Why, in a world of thousands of languages, does everbody laugh the same

01-30-2008, 08:55 PM	#7
ruby tuesday Fishy Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Age: 25 Posts: 18 User Feedback: (0)	Thanks trashion I won't just be getting them to clean the bottom, I want a bottom swimmer as my platies and mollies are around the middle/top of the tank. I saw something at the store, a yellow chinese....something. It was a brilliant yellow. I'm not sure of the exact name. I'd love to get one of those.

01-30-2008, 09:14 PM	#8
trashion girl anachronism Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 873 User Feedback: (0)	it was probably a chinese algae eater. don't get it! they will get very large and as they get older they'll start preying on your fish. __________________ current setup: 15 gallon, planted w/ pressurized co2, 55watts PC lighting, EI fert dosing. -5 harlequin rasboras -7 Aspidoras pauciradiatus (sixray or false corydoras) for reference: my name is Julie

01-30-2008, 09:15 PM	#9
JustOneMore20 Moderator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Alabama, US Age: 22 Posts: 3,372 User Feedback: (2)	Golden Chinese Algae eater? Stay away from those. They get around 8" long full grown and get more aggressive with age. They aren't good candidates for a community tank, much less a smaller one. Stick with various Cories. Those are community friendly and can live in a 20g. You should get a group of the same type. 6 would be good for your tank. For smaller tanks, there aren't too many options. Plus, shrimp would most likely get eaten, so they're out. Otos don't hang out on the bottom all the time. They are algae eaters, so they stay on the glass. Cories will scurry around the bottom and if you are looking for something to hang out there, Cories are great. Most loaches get too large, except for Kuhlis and Dwarf Chain Loaches. Kuhlis hide alot though, so you may not see them much. Dwarf Chain Loaches are pretty rare at LFS and expensive when you can find them. __________________ *Kristin* 5 Planted tanks: 55g, 40g, 29g, 10g, 5.5g 10g N. multifasciatus tank, 5.5g Platy fry

01-30-2008, 09:27 PM	#10
ruby tuesday Fishy Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Age: 25 Posts: 18 User Feedback: (0)	Thanks, I'll go looking for some Cories

01-30-2008, 10:33 PM	#11
purpleflower Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Age: 22 Posts: 36 User Feedback: (0)	Corys are great fish! They are really fun to watch! __________________ 63 gallons=240 liters tropical. -blackmoor

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