Please help with bottom feeders for 55G

[ghart999]

HI all. I am totally new to the aquarium world but done a great deal of reading. I am starting a 55G community tank after xmas and want to have all my fish and bottom feeders picked out by the time my cycle finishes. Here were my thoughts. Please let me know if you see any issues.

Also this will be a silk plant tank will lots of malaysian driftwood.

I was thinking of 3-4 ottos for algea duty. The smaller the better. Are there specific specieis that stay small?

I also wanted 4-5 cories. Not sure which type yet.

Lastly, I wanted 10 or so ghost shrimp as well.

From what I have read, cories and ottos will not eat ghost shrimp unless the shrimp are tiny. Any specific types of ottos or cories to avoid with shrimp?

Also I have read that the shrimp will multiply, but most will never make it to adult hood due to be eaten or sucked up in a filter. That is what I prefer as i don't want 100s of shrimp.

Does the number and type of bottom feeders sound about right for a 55G tank? Too many/little?

I also want to avoid plecos based on their size ansd how dirty they are.

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[fishcatch22]

oh, you could get more than that i'd say 10 cories and 6-7 otos. otos are straight herbivores and cories couldn't even eat a baby ghost shrimp. (well not easily) the ghosts will breed but as long as you have fish to eat the larvae all wil be well.

did you know otos are plecos? not all plecos are huge and messy.

 

[monkey_toes]

I was thinking of 3-4 ottos for algea duty. The smaller the better. Are there specific specieis that stay small?

There are several species, but only a couple are available on a regular basis. There isn't enough size difference to matter.

I also wanted 4-5 cories. Not sure which type yet.

I like to see cories in larger groups than that, especially when you've got the space for it — maybe 6 or 8 fish. As you're a newbie, I would suggest you stick with bronze and peppered cories because they're almost always captive-bred. Both are also available as albinos if you like that sort of thing. A mixed-species group will do very well together.

Lastly, I wanted 10 or so ghost shrimp as well.
From what I have read, cories and ottos will not eat ghost shrimp unless the shrimp are tiny. Any specific types of ottos or cories to avoid with shrimp?

Good choice on the shrimp —*they're top-notch scavengers. If your LFS carries them as feeders, expect high loss rates. No oto or cory ever ate a ghost shrimp that was big enough for you to see.

Does the number and type of bottom feeders sound about right for a 55G tank? Too many/little?

That pretty much depends on what else is going in the tank. You've got enough footprint for them to not be crowded, but if you plan to have a lot of
other fish that may limit your capacity for bottom feeders.

I also want to avoid plecos based on their size ansd how dirty they are.

I would definitely skip common plecos — you haven't got space. However, I think a clown, bulldog or bristlenose pleco would work in quite nicely. I never noticed the smaller species being overly messy. Good luck!

 

[tai95]

I would say bristlenose plecos would be a better choice in a new tank than ottos. 99% of bristlenose plecos are tank breed and are much hardier than an otto. They have also been breed into many different color morphs and long finned varieties. Here are a few pics of my bristlnoses.

Long finned albino:

Regular bristlenose:

Longfinned calico:

 

[Cory Lover]

HI all. I am totally new to the aquarium world but done a great deal of reading. I am starting a 55G community tank after xmas and want to have all my fish and bottom feeders picked out by the time my cycle finishes. Here were my thoughts. Please let me know if you see any issues.

Also this will be a silk plant tank will lots of malaysian driftwood.

I was thinking of 3-4 ottos for algea duty. The smaller the better. Are there specific specieis that stay small?

I also wanted 4-5 cories. Not sure which type yet.

Lastly, I wanted 10 or so ghost shrimp as well.

From what I have read, cories and ottos will not eat ghost shrimp unless the shrimp are tiny. Any specific types of ottos or cories to avoid with shrimp?

Also I have read that the shrimp will multiply, but most will never make it to adult hood due to be eaten or sucked up in a filter. That is what I prefer as i don't want 100s of shrimp.

Does the number and type of bottom feeders sound about right for a 55G tank? Too many/little?

I also want to avoid plecos based on their size ansd how dirty they are.

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Hi,

Four Ottos sounds good, but maybe get a few more. I would boost the number of Cories up to eight. Like monkey toes was saying Peppered and Bronze Cories are the best for begginers. Three-Striped Cories (Corydoras trilineatus) are a little more 'touchy' then the Bronze or the Peppered, but in my opinion much more attractive and worth the little bit of extra work.

Off topic, but thats the same set up that I have with malaysian driftwood and silk plants. It look great when its finished.

Happy fish keeping and good luck!

Cory Lover

 

[mostlycichlids]

What else are you planning in this tank? Are you going to have an all pleco-bottom feeder tank? I would hate to tell you to get all of those bottom feederes if you are planning a large centerpiece fish or something like that.

 

[Ulan]

I would hate to tell you to get all of those bottom feederes if you are planning a large centerpiece fish or something like that.

He will be well fed, though :joke:.

 

[ghart999]

Thank you for all the suggestions. I should've made it clear that this will mainly be a comunity tank. NOthing big and fancy. Some tetras, danios and some docile guaramies maybe. So the main focus is not on bottom feeders. Hence I really only want the minium needed to keep things clean, yet enough so they are happy with the right number of eachother. Seems I need atleast 5-6 cories to make them happy. A few shrimp and either 4 ottos or 1 bristlenose pleco.

 

[kuhliloach]

Most Ghost Shrimp Die The Next Month And Are Really Tiny Compared To A 55-gallon Tank! The Hillstream Loach 6 Of Them Would Do With The Space, They Even Grow To Be About 2inches Max.

 

[fishcatch22]

Most Ghost Shrimp Die The Next Month And Are Really Tiny Compared To A 55-gallon Tank! The Hillstream Loach 6 Of Them Would Do With The Space, They Even Grow To Be About 2inches Max.

hillstream loaches are a no-no, they are very sensitive, and really need cold water in the low 60s.

I once had a ghost shrimp live for 2 years. if they die in a moth, that means you didn't take proper care of them.