looking for a fun bottom feeder

[jenricae]

Can anyone recommend a bottom feeder that is:

- is not too small (smaller than 3"). Can live with larger fish without getting eaten

- doesn't get too large (over 5-6")

- fun, likes to get around nice gravel, rocks, plants and driftwood with lots of nooks and places to explore

- works singly or in 2s or in 3s (or even 4s) but doesn't need a large shoal live comfortably

Haven't stocked the tank yet but am trying to figure out what to put in there.

[saint_dracula]

Corydoras:
Napoensis - don't own them but do desire them
Corydoras Concolor - same as above

Yunnanilus sp.- very active fish, they even shoal with my tetras! Uber cute fish.

Hyalobagrus species - quite cute and rare, but I have heard that they require squeaky clean acidic and soft water.

Gobies- basically read the long stiphodon thread by odyssey somewhere else in this forum. There's also Rhinogobius which is cheap.

There are a crap-load of catfish...it's so hard.

[JonasBygdemo]

We have some spotted Raphaels that are kinda nice. Although as they get older they seem to be a little bit slower, and they're mostly nocturnal. You do see them in daylight sometimes, and the fights over the algae wafers and sinking chips are fun to watch! If you decide to get some, get some kind of moon-light as well, you'll se them a lot more.

I agree with saint_dracula, we have some Yunnanilus Cuciatus that are really nice. They shoal a lot, but will also explore on their own.

[Jyynx]

Raphael cats are cute, and I doubt any fish is bold enough to try and eat them!

[JonasBygdemo]

Raphael cats are cute, and I doubt any fish is bold enough to try and eat them!

Maybe a red-tailed catfish, but other than that the Raphaels should be pretty safe!

[Diana]

Between 3-5" rules out most Cories. Most top out at around 2", a few make it to 2-1/2". They do have spines that may discourage a predator from eating them, but more often both the predator and the cory die when the Cory gets stuck in their mouth.

Much better to choose tank mates that are not so different in size so the tempation is not there.

How about Zebra Loaches?
What tankmates might try to eat them?

Pimelodus pictus? There is one active cat! And not too picky about being a single, or part of a group. These guys can eat smaller fish (say, Guppy size)

[JonasBygdemo]

Thanks Diana, forgot to mention that Raphaels eat small fish as well. We lost a platy-fry when we accidently dropped it in our tank with the Raphs.

[Diana]

Perhaps we should have asked: What size is the tank?

Pims, for example are so highly active that they would not be good in a tank under 4' long.

[Jyynx]

Pimelodus pictus are great fish. But I agree, they should be in a longer tank if possible; they like to zip around like little lightning bolts!

[andyroo]

Has anyone put forward one of the mid-to-smaller Synodontis cats? A little bigger then a Cory, and the same sort of "gravel-snuffling" feeding style to mix the substrate and get the little bits that a Pictus might miss.
A