A little help please!

[Lfisher]

Hello, I'm new to this forum (and forums in general) and also somewhat new to catfish keeping.. that's where I'm hoping you all will come in! =) I have a 55 gallon (48"x12"x16") that I set up a few weeks ago with the idea of keeping it as a low-light, low 80's (26 celsius) blackwater tank (*blackwater in the sense that the water will be stained with tannins.. I haven't really decided if I it will be worth the effort to manually alter the water parameters yet) and I'd really like to see one or two types of small catfish in there eventually. I've always liked the look of Bunocephalus coracoideus and Hemiloricaria parva but I also really love a lot of the L-# cats. The ones that I am considering at the moment are L134, L129, L104, L340 and L260.. but I am also open to suggestions. A group of one species would be preferable.
My question is if anyone has any personal preferences after keeping any of these? A number of fish or compatibility recommendation? Or just words of wisdom in general? I have a Peckoltia compta at the moment in one of my other tanks and while I adore him, he is constantly rearranging the sand in that tank (pretty spectacularly I might add). Not necessarily the dedication to destorying my aquascape that I would like to see in the 55 gallon.. but things might also be less messy if I were to get him his own cave already?
Really any and all advice is welcome.. there are currently 10 Paracheirodon simulans and 6 Corydoras paleatus cycling the tank.
Thanks in advance for any responses! I've always loved lurking through this site and now I can't wait to see how much more I'll learn being a part of it

[Lfisher]

Anyone?

[jp11biod]

I have only been keeping some L-numbers for a couple of years but I have found them pretty undemanding and some do well in a community setting. I have had L-66 and 129 reproduce in community tanks. Keep the water clean and warm, keep it moving, and provide lots of hiding spots that you can see with a flashlight. I have 66,75,144,129,200,201,134,200, 333, and a few more. There is a LOT of good information in the Cat-eLog above.

[magdalo]

Welcome to PC! Based on my experience, P Comptas do love to hide in caves. Until you provide them with one, they will continue to dig between rocks and under driftwoods. Iniatially, they are reclusive but once they get settled in, they become less shy. They will also eat variety of foods such as zuchini, squash, cory tabs, and carnivore tabs. But be wary on offering too much protein-based foods, as these are vulnerable to bloat (dropsy). Lastly, males are very territorial, so be sure to provide multiple caves if you have multiple males.
I have also kept a colony of P Maccus (8). These are very reclusive ones as they always hide. I rarely see them. Nevertheless, they are beautiful and easy to keep. Be sure to provide driftwoods as these are wood-eaters, typical of a panaque. They will consume zuchini, potatoes, cory tabs, and carnivore tabs. Again try not to over feed them. Lastly, males are also very territorial towards their own kind and any bottom dweller their own size.
Good luck.

[Lfisher]

Thank you so much for the input! That is really intriguing that L129 are comfortable spawning in a community set-up.. I might go with a group of them for this tank just based on that. If you don't mind my asking, what type of set-up do you keep your L200 in?
Sounds like my next project will be picking out a cave for the P comptas. That and a trip to the grocery store (so far he's just been getting algae wafers and an occasional carnivore pellet).

[jp11biod]

The L-200 are in a 125 gallon, 6 foot community tank with a lot of cories, 5 L-75, one 204 and a couple of common bristlenose. They get along well with a few angels and a bunch of tetras. There is a lot of driftwood and caves in the tank and they get a good, varied diet.