What Other Fish Would Be Adecuate

[Zorg]

i have had a 80 L tank(20G) for about a year now and it currently has a beautiful silver angel, one lone red- eyed tetra, but don't worry i am currently quarantining 3 more red-eyes to join him in a week or so.
I also have two yellow loaches of some sort which i don't know the name of but they do a good job of clearing up the algae. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas for another shoal of fish to go with my red- eyes and they have to be bigger enough for me angel. i am thinking of getting another type of larger tetra not sure which one thou. Any suggestions would be great.

 

[dthoffsett]

If it were me, I would add either x-ray tetras http/www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_pristella.php or rasboras. I have both and they are very beautiful in a group.

 

[sylvia]

Unfortunately, particularly due to their potential height angels should not be in anything short of a 30 gallon tank.

Also, your 'loaches' are probably a fish often sold udner the name 'chinese algae eater' or 'sucking loach'. They are not loaches and will stop eating algae as they mature. furthermore, they are infamous for their habit of clinging to fish' sides and sucking at their slime coat. They can also remove eyes, nip and eat small fish. As they grow to a good 10", they are not suited to a 20 gallon anyway. Also, they are territorial and become particularly aggressive towards their own kind as they mature so having two in the same tank is asking for toruble. Fish like angels that are laterally compressed and relatively slow are most at risk of being 'sucked on' and damaged by these fish. It would be a very good idea to find these new homes before they ebcome large and aggressive.
Here are some pics to ID it deffinately:
http/www.azgardens.com/images/Gold-Algae-Eater.gif
http/www.thebettabubble.com/imgs/gallery...ls/other/13.jpg
http/www.elmersaquarium.com/image_fish/0...algae-eater.jpg
http/www.drhelm.com/aquarium/algaeeatermaybe.jpg

You may want to consider black phantom tetras or emperor tetras to go with your current fish but still keep in mind the angel's need for a larger tank in the near future.
As a replacement for your 'loaches' you could get a bulldog or rubbernose pleco. This a small-growing plec and does a great job with algae. You may want to ask in the catfish section for mroe info on them and be very acreful not to confuse them with any of the large growing (and more common) species.
Alternatively, perhaps look up otocinclus catfish (which are small plec-type fish that do well in groups but can be fragile).

 

[Zorg]

Thanks you two it was very useful, especially finding out what fish that algae eater was. It is definetly the gold one, and yes they are territorial but they haven't grown for ages so the size you said they grow to can't be right. i got them because they were the only ones that i could find anywhere. I was originally looking for otos but as i live in spain the shops aren't that great, especially when naming the fish. What you call a lfs or fish club does not exist here and returning fish is not encouraged. I agree with you on finding new homes for them as they bullied my corys and i miss having a group of corys swimming around in my big tank.

Concerning a bigger tank for the angel. i haven't gopt any room as i have 3 other tanks and i have just turned 17 and lets just say the money isn't pouring in. i was aware before that it wasn't big enough but i didn't actaually buy them, it was my mother who got them one day on the spur of the monent shall we say. Anyway thanks again for the suggestions for the other shoal i will look into them but i am afraid that i won't be able to find some of them in the shops.