creative ideas for a bottom dweller

[santoury]

I don't know why everyone else is suggesting something that will bother your other fish - a Puffer, c'mon guys. I've tried the teeny dwarfs, and they were NOTHING BUT TROUBLE.

Loaches (Botia) will chase your other fish endlessly.
Hara hara will end up eating your other fish and shrimp.



I know you said no cory cats - but there are A LOT of new weird, interesting cory's out there.

You won't see much of a kuhli loach - so probably not what you had in mind.

My own personal recommendation? A bamboo shrimp. They are really awesome!

 

[Lupin]

don't they get about 4" long? i' ve always been told 20G minimum. i'm also not a fan of wild caught fish so i'd prefer captive bred animals.

Kuhlis are fine in your 20 gallons. Just think of them as 2 inches tetras. IMO, 6 would be ideal.

SIGH.... I though you guys would have some good suggestions of odd and rare fish for my tank. I don't want just another khuli or oto, I want an oddball fish.

The only oddball fish even for a cyprinid that comes to my mind is a hillstream loach. So many names were given to it-->Borneo sucker, algae eater, butterfly pleco, stingray pleco, etc.

In short, the truth is they are not plecos at all. Neither are they catfish.

On the side note, they like currents.

ummm... won't they tear my rasboras to shreds and munch my snail?

They will.

anyone else? how about dwarf chain loaches? clown plecos? hara hara?

None of them are quite the oddball types you wanted.

 

[Gr8KarmaSF]

how about a snowball pleco?

 

[santoury]

I do not recommend ANY pleco for a 10 gallon

 

[Lupin]

I don't know why everyone else is suggesting something that will bother your other fish - a Puffer, c'mon guys. I've tried the teeny dwarfs, and they were NOTHING BUT TROUBLE.

Oh indeedy do. But from my understanding, the one who suggested it may have meant to say to replace the current tankmates with puffers and otos instead.

You won't see much of a kuhli loach - so probably not what you had in mind.

This is where I disagree. Fish will adapt in captivity. Kuhlis will go out frequently if kept in large numbers. A small number simply will not make them bold enough to come out a lot. Being nocturnal fish, they do come mainly at night but if kept in more than just 6, they have a tendency to show up a lot. Try feeding them during the day and most of them will come out to feed.

 

[fishcatch22]

how about a snowball pleco?

those look cool. I was thinking about one of the smaller fancy plecos. any info on the requirements, size, diet, ect.?

and I know they aren't exactly oddballs, but they are somewhat uncommon and not really of the "normal" stock. I also though haras didn't get over 3" and were safe with small fsih and shrimp.

 

[fishcatch22]

bumpathumbpump

 

[elbeatch]

if you have a community tank I found I was most entertained by a few dozen cheapo ghost shrimp, they get right into the gravel to clean with their little arms, I found them entertaining to watch, if you have a dozen or so there's always something happening

 

[elbeatch]

also twigcats (Farlowella) are pretty cool looking anyways, semi active and they dont get too big, 7" but being in a 10 they're alright. they eat algae, wafers and even some veggies like cucumber, peeled peas.

 

[HarleyK]

Peckolita vittata?

With your restriction regarding tank size, aversion to wild-caught fish as well as oddball request you aint gonna get much further ... Fact is: most loaches and oddball plecos are wild-caught, probably also the Peckolita. Other catfish get too big. You could try a goby...

HarleyK