What is a good species of bottom dwellers?

[laughing]

I am looking to start up a sorority in my 20 gallon and would like some bottom dwellers in the tank. I am going to get 7 or 9 females, so I can easily have 5-6 more fish at a maximum size of 2". I'd prefer about 5 of them.

Problem is, most species need too cool of water for my tanks. My tanks are 82* at times and a lot of the corydoras species need 77* or so. It just isn't fair to the little guys!

So what kind of bottom dwelling species should I get?

-Need the maximum inch capacity to be around 10". I.e. 2 that are 5 inches long, or 5 that are 2 inches long. Must be bottom dwelling! Be a friendly species that will get along with bettas. Can strive in 80* water, and don't mind hard water.-

Thanks everyone!

[iloveengl]

Kuhli loaches are about 3-4 inches, and need to be kept in groups of at least 4.

However, their bioload is extremely small, so you could get away with such a group without issue.

They also do really well at the 78-82 temp that the betta requires.

[laughing]

It says they can only tolerate 80s for a "short period" and during the summer my tanks are 85* for extended periods. As well they like softer water, while my water is extremely hard. :/

Do you think they could tolerate it with proper acclimation?

[iloveengl]

(This may be a dumb question, but when you say "it says," what are you referring to? Sorry, but I'm new to this forum, so I'm not certain if there are guides here that people may be referring to. I'd always thought it was 75-85, but with ranges, who knows what that really means.)

I guess all I can say is that from personal experience with 6 kuhlis in my bookshelf tank, which stays at 81-85 throughout the summer, and 80 in the cooler seasons, they don't seem bothered. I've had them for almost two years. They are very rambunctious little dudes. ALWAYS swimming, twirling, diving, looping, etc. Lots of fun. I always assumed all the activity meant they were doing well, but really I can only speak from my singular experience with them.

[Laki]

I have met kuhli loaches. They're neat, always on the go :) They can slip out of the tiniest crack though!

[Alex09]

Any reason you keeping your tank so warm? or is it just because of the hot summer months?

[iloveengl]

Summers are hot in the midwest and we don't run the AC. A bunch of Eco-nerds in this family.

I would guess as much the same for laughing.

[laughing]

"It says" are just Google internet searches, I should've specified! Not dumb at all!

That's definitely good to know.. I may have to look into the buggers! They may look pretty cool in my "cave" tank... Dimmer lighting, 3D rock background, they could look like eels or some kind of dinosaur.

I live in Arizona where it's just miserably hot ALL the time. I live in an apartment where there's poor insulation and literally cracks between the doors and windows, so any cold air is instantly sucked right out. Therefore it's hard to keep it cool, so generally with full A/C blasting in the summer it's hard to keep it less than 85* in the apartment, so my tanks are normally around the 80* range. In the winter, sometimes it cools off. I'm hoping I can actually use a heater this winter to keep the tanks more stabilized!

I'm also considering otos, but I can only find one "kind". Aren't there multiple kinds of otos?

[iloveengl]

I don't think there are multiple kinds of otos, but there are different (but all very similar) species that live together in the wild that all look much the same and act basically the same. I've heard that it's possible to be sold a trio of otos, and not have the same fish. Idk how true that actually is.

I have a pair in my MIL's tank, and they do great with her betta. I don't really think of them as bottow dwellers, so much as they are wall-and-decor dwellers. (But I put sand in all the tanks, so maybe that's why they don't stay on the bottom?) I have a pair that will stay with the (soon to be) sorority tank.

Sorry. I'm not much help. I really can only ever speak from my own limited experience.

[laughing]

I guess I'm looking for bottom dwellers/side dwellers. I just don't want another kind of fish swimming around the middle to top sections. I like to be able to see my girls together and not "split" by another species. If that makes sense? Ha ha!