Community catfish

[DMD123]

Looking to add a community friendly catfish(s) to my 46g Bowfront. The stock will be angelfish, monk tetra, platies, gourami, BN pleco and other community fish.

Was considering a solo Albino Hoplo catfish. I kept one solo before and love the outgoing nature of this one but it hits 4”+ in size and is pretty boisterous during feeding so even though a “schooling” cat would only do a solo.

Would consider a group of cories but want an active one. Ive never kept them. Any type more outgoing than others? What is the minimum size group fora 46 gallon?

 

[DMD123]

Went to AP and found a small group of cories...

 

[DMD123]

I can’t believe how hyper the cory cats are. Surfing the glass constantly and not schooling well. Sometimes a group of three find their way together just to surf the glass. Not calm at all! Feeling like these guys were a costly mistake. Hope they calm down. Will add in the BN pleco and a couple more SAE soon so I dont know if that will help or make it worse.

 

[Oscars Rule]

They will I have 3 different kinds of Cory and they were a little crazy but they have all relaxed to there new home after sometime.

 

[John58Ford]

I have sterbai cory cats bred by a friend in my half of the woods, I am not great at identifying all the types but I think that's what you're picture is too? Mine are a bit more colorful with allot of orange/gold on their lower half but maybe your picture isn't lit the same, otherwise same fish I think. Any way, my examples used to dart around quite a bit but as the plants got denser they settled in. The cool thing with them is I almost always find them in their social group, not individually so they definitely are social. Unfortunately, they dart when they realize I want a photo so I wouldn't call them personable.

The glass surfing will probably end soon as they figure out they are home now.

Edit... Oh dear, I have answered quite the old thread here. My mistake lol

 

[DMD123]

Since this one got brought back to life…. I decided to downsize the number of fish in the bowfront and rehomed the sterbai cory group. But my dream of a good community catfish is going on in my 90g with a group of 4 albino hoplo cats. These guys have to be an absolute favorite of mine. Very outgoing and active fish.

 

[Oscars Rule]

A 200 gallon with 6 feather fin catfish. That my dream they are so rad always chasing each other and always curious.

 

[DMD123]

Bringing this back to life because again looking for suggestions for a clean up crew for a 46g bowfront.

Previously had a group of Sterbai cory's and they didnt school well in my planted tank and seemed to disperse in the undergrowth. Now the tank is pretty open. So Im not sure if I want Cories again but I need something community friendly, not a hider, active and a good little clean up fish. Does not have to be a "catfish" per say, even an interesting small loach or something like that. Would love some ideas guys....

 

[lloyd378]

Pictus cats were always a favorite of mine growing up.

I had them in community tanks, but they might get too big for a 46…. I don’t remember that much about them except they did well in the community tank and were fun to watch as they swam like a shark on the bottom of the tank.

 

[DMD123]

Pictus cats were always a favorite of mine growing up.

I had them in community tanks, but they might get too big for a 46…. I don’t remember that much about them except they did well in the community tank and were fun to watch as they swam like a shark on the bottom of the tank.

I do like them but have had a bad experience with one that ate a red tail shark half its size. My community will be smaller fishes so I need to watch out for a voracious cat like this...

 

[Oscars Rule]

Bringing this back to life because again looking for suggestions for a clean up crew for a 46g bowfront.

Previously had a group of Sterbai cory's and they didnt school well in my planted tank and seemed to disperse in the undergrowth. Now the tank is pretty open. So Im not sure if I want Cories again but I need something community friendly, not a hider, active and a good little clean up fish. Does not have to be a "catfish" per say, even an interesting small loach or something like that. Would love some ideas guys....

Yo-yo louchs there nice in groups and so fun to watch. I have 3 and they are rad.

 

[DMD123]

I like the look of those yo-yo loaches but a bit of confusion online as to the size... they say 3-5", if this is so, a bit too big for a school (3-5 recommended) of these for my 46g tank. Wet Spot has some dwarf chain loaches that are said to get 2.5" which would be a better match up if I have to do a group of them.

Also a bit off topic, I had a clown loach in the past that I acquired from someone that was a problem fish in regards getting ICH. Do all loaches have this reputation or problem? - Dont want to start the whole debate as to whether no not ICH is always in the tank or not, but this fish was treated when I acquired it and all ICH should have been destroyed and then much later it got another case of it. Heard this can be common to the clown loach in particular but asking if other loaches seem to have this same issue?

 

[Oscars Rule]

My yo-yo louchs I have had for about 3 years now and the about 3 1/2 inches and I have never had a ICH problem like that with my hillstream or my yo-yos. But chain loaches are rad too, big fan I am if you can't tell.