Which Bottom Feeder?

[tenshots1]

I just started a couple weeks ago on a 10g tank in my room. I made sure the water was perfect by getting it tested at Petsmart, then i bought two Zebra Danios to cycle the tank and to start it off. Now that about a week has passed with both fish doing extemely well, i think i am ready for something else.

The main fish that catch my attention in pet stores are bottom feeders. I am trying to decide between them and a pot belly molly.


Are Bottom feeders easy to maintain? Which ones would be the easiest to take care of? Can they live fine alone?


Thank you very much for all of your input,
Garrett

 

[celaeno]

unless you used a bacterial additive or used filter media, your tank is not cycled. you can test your water for ammonia and nitrite. if both read 0, then it's cycled and you can get more fish. it usually takes at least 3 weeks to cycle a tank starting from scratch.

also keep in mind that bottom feeders are more sensitive to poor water conditions.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

Hi there, the link in my sig 'whats cycling' will explain more about the water conditions and when it's safe to add more fish.



really the only bottom feeders suitable for a 10gal are pgymy cories, you'd need a trio of them, they're quite delicate though so best to wait until the tank is 6 months old before adding them. only other alternative is one of the minature plec species, but you rarely see these in the shops. be warned most of the bottom feeders you see regularly in the shops (plecs etc) get very very big, some up to 24".... I'm sure you can see why your tank would not be suitable for a fish that size!

 

[dem0nz]

SHRIMP!!!​

 

[Ficious]

[sup]shrimp yes shrimp[/sup]]

 

[Corleone]

Make sure the tank is 100% cycled before you add shrimp. They're more ammonia sensitive than most fish, and if you get several and they die, they tend to decay pretty quickly and add to the ammonia problems.

Also, don't trust the pet store to tell you your water is "ok" unless they give you numbers and ammonia is 0, nitrite is 0, nitrate is under control, and pH is stable. A couple weeks ago I did this experiment over in the New to the Hobby section to illustrate the problem:

[URL="http/www.fishforums.net/content/New-to-t...-Water-Testing/"]http/www.fishforums.net/content/New-to-t...-Water-Testing/[/URL]

The water I took in was by any measure toxic, and would kill even the most hardy fish in very short order, and the store was willing to sell me discus for it if I agreed to buy ammo lock and pH down with them.

That said: Pygmy corys. Corydoras in general have amazing personalities.