Bottom Feeder For 55g

[White Whale]

Hi guys. I haven't been on in a while. Just a simple question....

My brother-in-law has a 55g.
Aged/cycled for 5 months before fish was acquired.
We got filter media and 5 neon tetra from next door neighbor to help cycle the tank.
Too busy to buy fish at the time anyway.
The tetra seemed to do fine and were voracious eaters. They ate flakes but really went for the F/D brine shrimp.
About 3 months ago, we gave back the tetra and got 6 Denisons (1.5 - 3 ins). They lost their color during the transportation.
However, as I acclimated them with the tank water, they seemed to have gained their color back within a minute or so.
A month after that we added 3 more. My sister likes them because instead of the red dash they have a hot-pink dash. WAAAH!!?!?!!?

Just last week we've added 3 juvenile Boesemani rainbows (2.5 ins). One has his color coming in, the other two have yet to colorize.

Filter/other mechanicals:
Eheim
Powerhead (acts as secondary filter, turned off at night)

Flora:
Driftwood (3 real pieces, 1 artificial)
Artificial plants

Substrate:
black sand

Fauna:
3 juvenile Boesemani Rainbows
9 Denison's Barbs

We are looking for a peaceful bottom feeder that would go well with what we already have.
I was thinking a red-tailed shark, but I am afraid it might become too aggressive as it grows.
As much as I like cories I would prefer a single bottom feeder - any that doesn't grow into a monster.
Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Rob

 

[techen]

Bristlenose pleco? lol

 

[greenmumma141]

If you are looking for just one of something, then I would suggest you go with a pleco. Any other bottom feeders I can think of require numbers. Plecos are cool though The bristlenose are a great choice, they don't get big, they're peaceful and aren't too shy, GL!!!

 

[White Whale]

We came sooooooooooooooo close to getting an albino bristlenose, but there was one snail in the tank at the LFS, so we said NO WAY. He does not want any snails to infest and multiply in his tank.

 

[phantomlink]

it actually takes alot of work to have a snail infestation in a tank.  I have snails, not very many though and while I do have eggs I rarely find they've never overrun my tank.  Even if there is one snail in the tank at the store, unless there are freshly born babies and prob wont survive the trip home into new water its perfectly fine to buy the pleco

 

[San O Fisher]

In a 55 gallon you could do a BN or any of the smaller plecs and add a RTBS.  As far as the RTBS goes it will just need some caves to relax in.  They are usually territorial at first but after a few weeks they settle and I have never seen my RTBS bother any of my plecs. 

 

[TallTree01]

Bristlenoses, any species of Cory, reticulated loaches, dwarf loaches, kuhli loaches and a whole bunch of other stuff. The rtbs can get very aggressive if they want to be so be watchful of them.

 

[leighton_87]

If I was you I'd get a really unusual (smaller plec)

You could get a britlenose and for the money they are great but I'd splash out on something like a L260 or a L015