PlanetCatfish.com

Ok, I have a spare tank sitting upstairs, 30" x 12" x 15".

It'll be set up when I move house. I did already have a list of Corys for it written out, but I think I may finally give into temptation and put some Scleromystax Barbatus in it.

I'm thinking I'd run it at 20 degrees C. Is that alright for them?

Obviously this means I need to change my stocking ideas. I thought I'd move the C. Paleatus C. Trilineatus in there. This site has C. Davidsandsi down at 20 degrees C, so they could be candidates to be moved in as well. That would free me up space to put the tropical proper species I wanted in other tanks. Anyone anticipate any problems or know of other Cory species that are happy with that temperature?

My other query is what other fish can go in there? I want some mid level swimming and shoaling. Are there any tetra species that you've had experience keeping at that temperature?

C paleatus can withstand quite cool water, in fact I had them last winter on 12-14 degrees.

Regarding fishes to accomany the barbatus, why not looking into fishes friom their natural environment? I'm thinking about Janysia lifebearers, Gymnogeophagus species (Cich lids) and so on.

These fishes don't mind, or rather, prefer, cool water in winter.

Why not go east?
There are lots of Asian cats that like cool water. I keep S. barbatus with Erethisthes pusillus, and they get along fine:

In their tank there's also Amblyceps mangois, Hara hara(?), Akysis longifilis and Glyptothorax trilineatus.
Gymnogeophagus with Scleromystax? I tried, and the cichlids went nuts in the cool (18 C) water. They spawned at once, started to defend the eggs - and the next morning 12 of my 15 S. barbatus were dead or dying.

Well that was a nice idea, and I do love Cichlids, but nothing that's going to destroy the tank!

Can anyone give me information on other fish that naturally inhabit the same waters? I can't find any info of that online.

for the last year my barbatus are combined with Gymno meriodonalis and G gymnogenys, both from the Rio Santa Lucia. No problems. The meriodonalis did breed, but still no problems.

However, the meriodonalis / rhabdotus are substrate breeders, and can be quite agressive, while the other gymnogenys only use a substrate untill the egs hatch. After hatching the female takes them in her mouth, and breeds. Sjhe is at most slightly agressive.

Thus it depends on what Gymno