Recommendation for bottom dweller for 55 please

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tetramoon13

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Jun 14, 2006
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Hey there,

I'm looking for a bottom dweller or 2 for my 55 gallon heavily planted tank. Current stocking is 6 giant danios, 4 tiger barbs, 8 gold barbs, and 1 blue gourami. I have had otos and small loaches in the past, and they never did well, due to always being out competed for food. I would always try and put blanched veggies in there, or place small wafers where I thought the others would not get them, but they always do. So I need something big enough to defend itself, but something that will not kill the others!

If you would be kind enough to make some suggestions, I will take my research from there, thanks!
 

tetramoon13

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Jun 14, 2006
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I have always wanted to keep cories, but I'm pretty sure I would run into the same feeding issue after awhile. The barbs were never aggressive in the sense that they would attack the smaller fish, but they do have very aggressive feeding habits...the only ones the tiger barbs bother is each other.
 

Rbishop

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Dec 30, 2005
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a small pleco like a rubber nose or bristle nose? Actually, even the cories should work if tank is fed at lights out...they will clean what the barbs can't see, IME.
 

stephcps

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Jun 2, 2009
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I have kept cories successfully with tiger barbs. They actually do quite well with scavenging food from the bottom. I even raised some juvies in with my barbs and they are now quite fat and hardy!!
 

BambooGoanna

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I think corys would be fine but if you're really concerned about them not being able to compete for food, then you could look at some brochis catfish. They're related to corys so they look similar and their care is pretty much the same. They'll get bigger then the average cory (usually around 4") so they don't have problems competing for food.
 

tetramoon13

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Thanks so much guys! those are great suggestions, I will probably go with a group of cories...but the small plecos sound very tempting, too!
 

tetramoon13

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ooo, how about pictus cats? I have read they can be difficult to keep.....they are so purty, though.
 

Bubbles2112

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How about some bristlenosed plecos? They are many different colors and types.
 

tetramoon13

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I was just looking at some pics of albino BN plecos....they are really cool! My LFS has them!
 
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