Oddball bottom dwelling fish

[JonnyP]

Hey. Im planning on doing a 45-50 gallon oddball tank. Ive decided to go with a pair of acaras and a pair of African butterfly fish (Pantodon buchholzi), as I really liked keeping these guys. But im really not sure on what to take as bottom dwelling fish. For me the typical fish like corys or plecos are not interesting enough so ive would like to have oddball bottom dwelling fish. Something in the way of freshwater eels (Macrognathus circumcinctus) or purple spotted gudgeons or weather loaches. If anyone has ideas of what oddball bottom dwelling fish could be nice or someone has experience with the fish I just mentioned I would love to hear about that. 

Greetings from Germany 

[nickc_1982]

I’m enjoying Panda Garra’s so far, very active and interesting behaviour 

[JonnyP]

On 10/15/2023 at 11:26 PM, nickc_1982 said:

I’m enjoying Panda Garra’s so far, very active and interesting behaviour 

I think that's not enough oddball fish for me if you know what I mean ( : 

[Lennie]

Red Lizard whiptails, a group of them. I love mine.

 

But Im not sure if they are too small for your fish selection tbh.  They are around 11cm as adults but slim and long

Edited October 16, 2023 by Lennie

[Ben P.]

I just got a striped Raphael catfish, I don't know if that's odd enough though

[GoofyGarra]

Hillstream loaches maybe?

[beastie]

What about some channa? Depends on the size of the acara, as they are territorial, aggressive meat eaters. But hey. An eel

[TheSwissAquarist]

On 10/15/2023 at 11:19 PM, JonnyP said:

Hey. Im planning on doing a 45-50 gallon oddball tank. Ive decided to go with a pair of acaras and a pair of African butterfly fish (Pantodon buchholzi), as I really liked keeping these guys. But im really not sure on what to take as bottom dwelling fish. For me the typical fish like corys or plecos are not interesting enough so ive would like to have oddball bottom dwelling fish. Something in the way of freshwater eels (Macrognathus circumcinctus) or purple spotted gudgeons or weather loaches. If anyone has ideas of what oddball bottom dwelling fish could be nice or someone has experience with the fish I just mentioned I would love to hear about that. 

Greetings from Germany 

A bit like eels you say…….? A Senegal bichir could live in a 45 gal tank. I think they do pretty well with butterfly fish, seeing as they inhabit seperate parts of the aquarium. 
Greetings from Switzerland 😉

Picture of the albino variant.

[nickc_1982]

On 10/15/2023 at 10:28 PM, JonnyP said:

I think that's not enough oddball fish for me if you know what I mean ( : 

Yeah I had a feeling it might not be. More of a goofball than an oddball 😄

[JonnyP]

On 10/16/2023 at 9:42 AM, TheSwissAquarist said:

A bit like eels you say…….? A Senegal bichir could live in a 45 gal tank.

That's maybe a bit big for a 45 in my opinion. But the fish as it would fit great. 

On 10/16/2023 at 8:16 AM, beastie said:

What about some channa? Depends on the size of the acara, as they are territorial, aggressive meat eaters. But hey. An eel

That's worth thinking about, maybe even an own project ? ( ; 

[TheSwissAquarist]

@Cory has an ellipsifer eel in a 40 breeder. 

[Lennie]

On 10/16/2023 at 10:42 AM, TheSwissAquarist said:

A Senegal bichir could live in a 45 gal tank.

I also think thats small. 50 cm adult size. seriouslyfish says 60″ x 24″ x 24″ (150x60x60cm) – 540 litres. Our local forum here suggests 600 liters. 45g/170 liters is tiny for them I think. 

On 10/16/2023 at 9:16 AM, beastie said:

What about some channa?

Im in a group where people keep so many different channas but all species tank. Never knew of them and so many varities before. But I havent seen any member try to introduce them to any sort of community tank. I believe they are best kept as themselves as species only tank. 

Edited October 16, 2023 by Lennie

[JonnyP]

On 10/16/2023 at 12:41 PM, Lennie said:

45g/170 liters is tiny for them I think. 

Yes that's also what I think. 

 

On 10/16/2023 at 12:41 PM, Lennie said:

I believe they are best kept as themselves as species only tank. 

I believe that it could work, but in a much bigger tank. 

 

On 10/16/2023 at 11:49 AM, TheSwissAquarist said:

@Cory has an ellipsifer eel in a 40 breeder. 

That's definitely an interesting one. 

[TheSwissAquarist]

On 10/16/2023 at 12:49 PM, JonnyP said:

That's definitely an interesting one.

You’ve got Aquahaus Gaus and plenty of other exotic importers up there… 😅

[JonnyP]

On 10/16/2023 at 12:55 PM, TheSwissAquarist said:

You’ve got Aquahaus Gaus and plenty of other exotic importers up there… 😅

What do you mean with that? 

[TheSwissAquarist]

On 10/16/2023 at 12:58 PM, JonnyP said:

What do you mean with that? 

I mean that I’d be hard pressed to find an ellipsifer eel in Switzerland. 

[JonnyP]

On 10/16/2023 at 1:03 PM, TheSwissAquarist said:

I mean that I’d be hard pressed to find an ellipsifer eel in Switzerland. 

I don't even find real information in German about this type of eel. 

[Biotope Biologist]

Im really into Acantopsis loaches right now! 
 

In the US we call them horse-face loaches. Pretty bizarre, but cute! 
 

our LFS has the bigger ones in with their puffers and severums so they definitely seem to be able to hang with a rougher bunch

 

[JonnyP]

On 10/16/2023 at 4:31 PM, Biotope Biologist said:

Im really into Acantopsis loaches right now! 

They really do look very bizarre. Thank you for the recommendation! 

[JettsPapa]

It's not a bottom dweller, but I was at 360 Aquatic in Houston a while ago and they had some leaffish (Monocirrhus polyacanthus).  That's an oddball I'd like to get one day.

[JonnyP]

On 10/17/2023 at 7:46 PM, JettsPapa said:

It's not a bottom dweller, but I was at 360 Aquatic in Houston a while ago and they had some leaffish (Monocirrhus polyacanthus).  That's an oddball I'd like to get one day.

Definitely. The Indian Butterfly Goby (Neovespicula depressifron) is quite similar to the leaf fish but it could be even more interesting. 

Edited October 17, 2023 by JonnyP