Catfish/Bottom Dweller Tank?

[Mercfh]

So im already having MTS right now, and while I do have a 29G fully stocked community tank (It's more the "family tank") im already looking at bigger tank options for what I consider my favorite types of fish: Loaches/Catfish (All the bottom dwellers).

im not sure what a good size is to do. I want something decent but not like crazy big. The fish I really want to have in there are:

• Various Pleco's
• Bumblebee catfish
• Raphael Catfish
• Maybe a single pictus catfish (I know they get large so)
• Loaches (Kuhli)
• Cories
• Ropefish or some sort of freshwater eel like fish?
• Maybe a black knife ghostfish (Although i've heard they can get maybe too big)

 

Obviously cant fit all of them. But has anyone had experience keeping a "mostly bottom dweller" type fishtank? I eyeballed maybe a 55 gallon...but is that too small for most?

Also any other catfish/loach/eel like fishes that are interesting?

 

[Tlindsey]

On 1/3/2024 at 11:06 PM, Mercfh said:

So im already having MTS right now, and while I do have a 29G fully stocked community tank (It's more the "family tank") im already looking at bigger tank options for what I consider my favorite types of fish: Loaches/Catfish (All the bottom dwellers).

im not sure what a good size is to do. I want something decent but not like crazy big. The fish I really want to have in there are:

• Various Pleco's
• Bumblebee catfish
• Raphael Catfish
• Maybe a single pictus catfish (I know they get large so)
• Loaches (Kuhli)
• Cories
• Ropefish or some sort of freshwater eel like fish?
• Maybe a black knife ghostfish (Although i've heard they can get maybe too big)

 

Obviously cant fit all of them. But has anyone had experience keeping a "mostly bottom dweller" type fishtank? I eyeballed maybe a 55 gallon...but is that too small for most?

Also any other catfish/loach/eel like fishes that are interesting?

 

@Mercfh Small lower jaw Polypterus may be interesting. 

I personally have a amazon bumblebee catfish and a striped Raphael Catfish. They both hide 😆 

Most catfish are nocturnal. 

Edited January 4 by Tlindsey

[Mercfh]

On 1/3/2024 at 11:27 PM, Tlindsey said:

@Mercfh Small lower jaw Polypterus may be interesting. 

I personally have a amazon bumblebee catfish and a striped Raphael Catfish. They both hide 😆 

Most catfish are nocturnal. 

Yeah im ok with that. Im really just stumped on sizes and what all I can fit. Raphael + Bumblebee catfish are probably my "biggest wants".

[Tlindsey]

On 1/3/2024 at 11:37 PM, Mercfh said:

Yeah im ok with that. Im really just stumped on sizes and what all I can fit. Raphael + Bumblebee catfish are probably my "biggest wants".

Yeah follow your heart I agree both great catfish species. 

[Colu]

You want a tank with a larger  foot print at least 24in wide you have to take into account when keeping multiple species of bottom dwelling species is territorial aggression you will need plenty of cave's wood to give them individual territories 

[Guppysnail]

I have a 40 breeder with melini cory, Pygmy cory, bristlenose pleco pair. Complimented by celestial pearl danios. Neocaridina and a nerite.  It my favorite tank. 

[Biotope Biologist]

Pictus cats need a school and there are smaller knife fish that are becoming more readily available. But with an all nocturnal tank you may have issues of food aggression. 
 

Otherwise thats a doable tank. If you want you could also do smaller species of catfish. Anchorcats stay small same with cories and many loaches. If you wanted smaller knife fish, caterpillars are becoming more common. Or centipede knifefish. They all need a school though

[jwcarlson]

If you're doing mostly/all bottom dwellers, a 55 likely "wastes" a lot because the footprint is so narrow.  It's really kind of a strange footprint, honestly.  A 75 would be a better option and the same length as a 55 (48").  That said, you can accomplish a lot of those fish in smaller footprints.  40 breeder is a good, shallower tank size and actually has more square inches of bottom than a 55.    

[thecuttywren]

Check if your local petco has an aqueon 60 breeder. Same footprint as a 75 but shorter. I just got one on sale for 100 on sale (plus another 15% off with the rewards program)

[Mercfh]

Huh, so a 40 is the same length/width as a 55 but just not as tall? a 75 seems a bit intimidating for me tbh.

[jwcarlson]

On 1/4/2024 at 1:47 PM, Mercfh said:

Huh, so a 40 is the same length/width as a 55 but just not as tall? a 75 seems a bit intimidating for me tbh.

It's shorter, but more wide.  55 is 48 long x 13 wide (624 square inches).  40 breeder is 36 long x 18 wide (648 square inches).  From memory there so it might be wrong.  

75 is a good sized tank.  Really depends on your space.  I just set up my first 125 and I can understand the intimidating feeling!  It's not even twice as big but if seems like it's 4x bigger than my 75!

[Mercfh]

I ended up going with a 55 Gallon, petsmart had a good sale and the 75 gallon just felt too big for my space (not to mention they didn't have any)., hopefully it'll work ok. It's a TopFin Aquarium which has me a little worried since I know typically their products aren't "great" but I feel like a tank is a tank so...

Edited January 5 by Mercfh