whats a good gentle bottom fish!?!?!

[BLASK]

I got a 20gal platy fry tank with 1 teenager (3months) and 2 babys (1week)

the tank has a real driftwood in it and the water is slightly yellowish, but that diminishes with each water change.
tank reads are:
am - 0
ite - 0
ate - 5
ph - 7.8
temp 78-80 F

alot of white filmy stuff is starting to grow on the driftwood, it comes off easily with my hand, but id rather invest in a lil fish or a pair that would take care of it and not even think about eating the fry. any suggestions?!

thanks!

 

[LoachLover]

cories

 

[BLASK]

well i got 2 albino cory cats in my other tank, but i really wanted to get another type/color, but if thats all that i can get to be safe with the fry then ill get them again

thanks

 

[littlefishie]

How about otos? I believe they're herbivores, so they wouldn't attack the fry.. though if you're aiming for someone to clean up the leftovers from feedings, the cories might be a better idea.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

actually, cories have a reputation as easy to breed so if you wanted, you probably could have more than just platy fry in there...

just a suggestion; you'd need to look at some instructions on parameters of course.

 

[Dorkhedeos]

i read somewhere that an oto ate a fish egg

 

[BLASK]

ok i saw this really cool cory at my lfs

panda cory they were 5 bux each, i was thinking of getting 2 but they are omnivores so im really nervous that they might eat the fry at night when the fry cant see!!

 

[BLASK]

oh forgot to mention that its not food leftovers (i mean its 3 fry, i feed them like almost nothing) its white fluffish stuff growing on the wood, and if it is a piece of food, like a nugget of shrimp or something, it has hairs coming out of it like and then it attaches to the wood, i just rub the thing with my hand and kinda push it towards the filter intake and thats that. but u guys think that cories will eat that??

thanks

 

[Inchworm]

Hi BLASK

Corys are wonderful additions to most tanks. They are gentle and fun. But they are fish in their own right and have their own needs to consider. This includes their diet, a little cave for them to get out of the light when they want to, companions of their own kind, and very clean water.

They will not eat slimy stuff that grows on driftwood or fish poo either. They should be fed a combination of a good flake food, some vegetable matter like spirulina discs and live or frozen blackworms, bloodworms or tubifex worms.

Corys are schooling fish who should be kept in groups. Six or more is ideal, but 3 is often acceptable. They tend to be more shy when kept alone or in pairs.

I would not recommend pandas for your tank at this time. They are more delicate than most and need excellent water conditions. Even the smallest variation could cause them to become ill.

 

[BLASK]

well what is that white film stuff? is it algae??

 

[Inchworm]

Hi BLASK

I don't know, but if what you are describing looks like dandelion flowers after they go to seed, (a dot in the center with fuzzy stuff around it) they are bits of food or something else that has gone moldy.

In any event, perhaps it might be a good idea to take the driftwood out and give it a good scrubbing.

 

[Ferris]

A bristlenose Plec would work well, best cleaners around. Don't get too big either and would be fine in a 20gal.

 

[Fishy411]

ok i saw this really cool cory at my lfs

panda cory they were 5 bux each, i was thinking of getting 2 but they are omnivores so im really nervous that they might eat the fry at night when the fry cant see!!

yeah. Pandas are a bad idea. THey were my first cories. I had one and he was living happily but then i added another and they both died for no reason.

 

[B75]

I agree with Ferris, a bristlenose would be a great choice as a bottom feeder / algae eater.

 

[BLASK]

ok, what is the max size of this brit plec? and he wont even think about eating the fry right?? thanks everyone