# Bottom swimmers for 10 gallon tank



## tf1265 (Jul 26, 2011)

Hi all, 

I have 2 cycled 10 gallon tanks running - both filtered (aqueon 20) and heated (~78 deg). Both have gravel substrate and live plants. THe plants are still young so there is quite a bit of light when the lights are on (during the day). One of my tanks is stocked and established and I'm happy with it. The other one I'm still looking to add a few more fish to. 

In the tank I'm looking to add to, I currently have 2 sunburst platies and 5 neon tetras. There are several hiding spots as well as a small but pretty powerful air stone in one corner that creates a fair amount of top current (a betta would be miserable there). Since I have a bunch of middle-swimmers, I'm hoping to add a couple bottom swimmers to this tank. 

I'm wondering what good options are for a 10 gallon tank with that combination of fish. The pH is my tank is on the basic end (7.4-7.6 normally), and like I said there are hiding places and live plants but at the moment a lot of light. 

In my other tank I have peppered cories, which I am absolutely in love with. The problem is, I don't really want to get more of them to put in the other tank, I'd rather have more variety. The only types of cories that I have found in any of my LFSs are peppered, panda, and albino. The panda are the hardest to find and I've had bad luck with them in the past, I know they don't like a lot of light. The albinos are out because there is WAY too much light for them. 

I don't know much about otos, but everytime I see them they are always swimming in the middle of the glass. Are they truly bottom swimmers?

Suggestions on bottom-swimmers that will do well in a 10 gallon, slightly basic, fully lighted tank? Thanks!


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

Otocinclus are not true substrate fish. They will visit the substrate searching for algae and food, but spend most of their time on surfaces such as plant leaves, wood, rock, decor, tank walls, filter tubes...etc.

What exactly is the light situation? This will have a bearing on many fish, including substrate fish that naturally occur in quite dark habitats.

Byron.


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## tf1265 (Jul 26, 2011)

In this tank I actually only have 1 bulb in the hood, it's a 15W bulb. It's not actually that much light, there just isn't much there to block it or filter it until the plants grow bigger.


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

tf1265 said:


> In this tank I actually only have 1 bulb in the hood, it's a 15W bulb. It's not actually that much light, there just isn't much there to block it or filter it until the plants grow bigger.


That's OK. I have two 10w Compact Fluorescent bulbs over my 10g. I do have floating plants though. But this is not excessive light.

I would toss in some floating plants, either true floaters like Water Sprite, or some stem plants will grow nicely floating. Brazilian Pennywort is my favourite, but Cabomba also works. Or even duckweed. All these are in our profiles.

Substrate fish could include a Whiptail Catfish, even 2 or 3. Not much activity, but peaceful, smallish fish that are interesting and rather "prehistoric" in appearance. This is about all that comes to mind (except common cory species) for basic water, and I assume with platies you have basic (pH in 7's) water. There are some other suitable fish but soft acidic water is necessary as they will be wild caught.

Byron.


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## redchigh (Jan 20, 2010)

Perhaps a single bristlenose pleco would work...


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## tf1265 (Jul 26, 2011)

Ooh, I have definitely seen Bristlenose Plecos in at least one of y LFSes. One of those would definitely add a nice element to the bottom of my tank. The gravel is white and red so it would really stand out. I have not seen whiptail catfish, although they do look pretty cool. I will do a bit of research on the pleco, and I know that one of my fish stores will special order species they don't have if I want them, although I'm not sure what the extra cost is. 

Thanks! More suggestions are definitely welcome if anyone has others!


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