NEED HELP - WHAT CAN I USE AS BOTTOM DWELLER ?

[meezazee]

Hi all I need your help. I have a 200L (approx 52 gallon) planted tank with neon and rummy nose tetras in it at the moment. I'm looking for ideas. What fish I can use to get some action at the bottom of the tank? Bare in mind I have aquasoil as a substrate which eliminates things like corys. I made a previous post a long time ago about this and someone suggested dwarf chain loaches or zebra loaches but the problem is I live in rural Australia and they don't have those varieties around any of the pet shops here. I may have found a pet shop that does, but it is so far away and I cannot travel there because of the ongoing floods right now! (yes Australia is always either underwater or on fire don't ask me why)....

annnnnyyyywhoooo!!!! does anyone have any suggestions of varieties that are safe to go in a tank like mine? Maybe any other Aussies on here that would know about bottom dwellers that are sold at most pet shops here?

I will eventually get a sand substrate tank for my next build but until then, would like to know if I have any options.

thanks in advance and stay safe wherever you are in the world,
Mia

 

[Rocky998]

Hi all I need your help. I have a 200L (approx 52 gallon) planted tank with neon and rummy nose tetras in it at the moment. I'm looking for ideas. What fish I can use to get some action at the bottom of the tank? Bare in mind I have aquasoil as a substrate which eliminates things like corys. I made a previous post a long time ago about this and someone suggested dwarf chain loaches or zebra loaches but the problem is I live in rural Australia and they don't have those varieties around any of the pet shops here. I may have found a pet shop that does, but it is so far away and I cannot travel there because of the ongoing floods right now! (yes Australia is always either underwater or on fire don't ask me why)....

annnnnyyyywhoooo!!!! does anyone have any suggestions of varieties that are safe to go in a tank like mine? Maybe any other Aussies on here that would know about bottom dwellers that are sold at most pet shops here?

I will eventually get a sand substrate tank for my next build but until then, would like to know if I have any options.

thanks in advance and stay safe wherever you are in the world,
Mia

A male with one or two female bristlenose pleco may work! Just make sure they got a few caves... A non-fish option may be a colony of blue shrimp or some amano shrimps...

 

[Rocky998]

A male with one or two female bristlenose pleco may work! Just make sure they got a few caves... A non-fish option may be a colony of blue shrimp or some amano shrimps...

This was just the fish on the top of my head, Im sure there are way more options that others can think of!

 

[Byron]

Unfortunately aquasoil (and similar "plant" substrates) do limit substrate-level fish. I would not have loaches with this either. Loaches tend to dig and burrow into the substrate, at least mine always did, under wood and rock even, making tunnels and such. Not only does this make a mess, but there is the bacterial issue same as with cories.

Most loricariids like Bristlenose spend their time grazing surfaces for either algae (if they are herbivorous) or the micro-organisms in the aufwuchs. Rarely on the actual substrate.