not ID, need suggestion please!

monkeon · Post by **monkeon** » 22 Apr 2006, 21:14

hi,
i have decided that i definitely have room for a small (a few inches) bottom feeding catfish. The thing is that i have been misinformed by 3 of my LFSs about various things and rather than have to return anything i thought i would go out with a fish in mind!
things to keep in mind are that i have 14 neons, 2 small angels (who will get moved if they start any trouble) and an L333/L287. also lots of plants and wood and a cave. the temp is about 27-28C and pH between 7 and 7.5
i would like an attractive fish that is diurnal, and quite easy to get hold of and will be happy to be the only one of it's species in the tank.

any suggestions greatfully recieved.
thanks

edit// i think 5 or 6inch max. wouldn't mind a few small fish either

drpleco · Post by **drpleco** » 23 Apr 2006, 14:42

how big is your tank?

monkeon · Post by **monkeon** » 23 Apr 2006, 15:47

its 40gal with filtration at about 1000L/hr

most of the current is at the front of the tank

drpleco · Post by **drpleco** » 23 Apr 2006, 15:51

how about a porthole cat? I've heard that they are very friendly and fairly active.

http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/ca ... /280_F.PHP

monkeon · Post by **monkeon** » 23 Apr 2006, 15:58

thanks. he looks cute

Post by **Marc van Arc** » 23 Apr 2006, 16:35

I'm sorry (again), but like the glass catfish the porthole needs company too. It's a large Corydoras so to speak.
It's going to be pretty difficult to find a loner which is active during the day. I was about to suggest Platydoras costatus, but that one is mainly nocturnal...

drpleco · Post by **drpleco** » 23 Apr 2006, 16:42

I heard that they did OK alone.....but good to know they they prefer groups. I'm planning on getting a few when I upgrade my tank.

monkeon · Post by **monkeon** » 23 Apr 2006, 22:30

oh, ok. a lady in a LFS told me that panda corys will be fine on their own, which they probably won't, but i would try a few of them if they liked 27-28 degrees. any similar fish that can take my warmer water?
i appreciate the help guys, especially after poor advice from shops. one told me that the clown loaches 'shouldnt get much bigger than they are now.' they were about 2inches

i didnt buy them thankfully! the 3rd bad advice i got was that my L287 would love the Â£3 algae wafers...

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 24 Apr 2006, 12:35

are a good cory for the warmer range that you've got in your tank at the moment. They aren't the cheapest, or the easiest to find, but my shop had some (small) a while back at Â£5.95 each.

You do want at least 5 of them - as with the Panda cory's of course. They are not at all as happy on their own, although they will of course not die (short term) from being on their own.

Don't see what's wrong with feeding L287 algae wafers - not ONLY algae wafers, but they wouldn't be BAD food for them... or am I missing something here?

--
Mats

monkeon · Post by **monkeon** » 24 Apr 2006, 13:25

thanks for that suggestion. wow they are really nice!
i have just never seen my L287 go near the algae wafers. nothing seems to do more than have one peck and then leave it to rot! i might try one to see what the problem is!

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 24 Apr 2006, 13:40

Side-tracking wildly here: L287 is a Hypancistrus, so they like meaty food. They would be fine with your average algae-wafers (Hikari, Tetra, Ocean Nutrition are the ones I've had experience with), they all have about 35% protein. I haven't kept L287, but my Peckoltias and Ancistrus certainly like the algae wafers...

Of course, yours may not like them - I don't know why it wouldn't, but each fish is an individual creature with likes and dislikes... I would suggest trying Tetra Prima (Tetra Bits) and see what it makes out of that... Or perhaps some other meatier wafers...

--
Mats

monkeon · Post by **monkeon** » 24 Apr 2006, 14:10

heheh. thanks again.
dont worry, he eats well but just not the wafers. i give him a variety of bloodworm frozen/pellets and brine shrimp and some other meaty things. i do plop in a wafer every now and again but have to fish them out after a day or so.
i just got myself a screwcumber! so i'll see how he likes that. he is my favourite fish, and i caught him today poking his head out of the window of his cave!