[SamJustice]

What could I put in there?
I like snails and shrimp.
the glo-fish are spiffy.
I like algea-eaters (sucker-fish, whatever you want to call them and whatever they really are called)
Not to familiar with any other fish.
So.. Ideas?
What fish would be good with them and what would that fish need?

 

[Sena Hansler]

Any algae eater (I think mine is the....chinese? japanese? whichever is smaller!) will need algae or a source of it. My tank was plagued by algae, and in a few days the ONE algae eater had it ALL cleaned, top to bottom. I probably wouldn't suggest one only because they really do eat a LOT!
I'd avoid plecos too.
Plus for them, if they run out of food they may begin eating the slime coat off of your fish.

If you wanted, get some red cherry shrimp or whichever you like... Make sure to have java fern or some sort of low bearing plant they can hide in. This keeps them alive from hungry fish!!
Glofish I feel do better in 20+, as they are danios and very very active.

Are there colors, unique traits, or body form you like?

 

[Spazzfish]

Corrydoras they are awesomely cute and Pecos I think are the algea eaters your talking about they get huge btw and in truth like gold fish they do not only get as big as their tank you may just stunt their growth. Try Siamese algea eaters not Chinese those are different. I would research them....

 

[SamJustice]

Lol. I always do before I get them.
I had some before. They must've been Siamese, they've never got that big, even in the 55 gallon we had one in.
However, I did have one in a 190 gallon i think, when i was itty bitty that was HUGE.
And I know they need they're algae. With all mine, they got a pair of algae discs a day.
And yeah, lots of plants will be going in there. I want to get some baby dwarf tears, but its hard finding them around here.
I've heard many good things about corys, and I'm thinking of getting a few.
I like pretty colorful things. Blues are my favorite, but I'll be getting this boy in a few weeks and want something that will stand out from him:

 

[Sena Hansler]

Yeah that's the one I have - the siamese algae eater. I think they only get to around 4 inches?

 

[Fluval]

For an algae eater, make sure you get Otocinclus and NOT Plecostomus!

 

[Fluval]

Corrydoras they are awesomely cute and Pecos I think are the algea eaters your talking about they get huge btw and in truth like gold fish they do not only get as big as their tank you may just stunt their growth. Try Siamese algea eaters not Chinese those are different. I would research them....

Don't try plecostomus in a 16 gallon tank. You want Otocinclus.

 

[SweetNightmare]

Dittoing to stay away from plecos. Not only do they need lots of algae(and thus plenty of algae discs for them to eat) but they grow extremely large very fast; we have some at work that are nearing a foot long, and that's just from living at the store. If you like algae eaters, you can try a bottom feeder like loaches or corydoras catfish. They don't eat algae like algae eaters, but they still have the bottom feeder charm. You can get a snail for algae control(I've never seen a tank with a snail have an algae problem, at least on the glass anyways, which is the big part I care about; a little algae in the tank can be a good thing) or a ghost shrimp cleaning crew for the substrate. (My ghost shrimp eat EVERYTHING in the substrate, even feeding them bottom feeder pellets.) White Cloud Mountain Minnows are cool little fish, though they tend to like cooler water; they may not have as long of a lifespan in warm water. Neon tetras are cool too, and if you're sixteen gallon is long, you'd have a good footprint for a smaller group of them. ((Definitely need at least sixish though to get a school going.))

 

[SamJustice]

I never liked tetras. ;-;
Think I'll go with a few corys and a snail.
I'd like to get a saimese pleco if I can find one. I have the money to support them food-wise.
Anyone know how many corys one should have together? They need sand right?
And what do otos need? I may get a pair or so if I can't find a saimese pleco around.
def. want like a dozen shrimp, preferably ghost. would that be okay with corys and a pleco?

Also. Would A dwarf bristlenose be alright?

 

[Mo]

Hmm. What are your water PH and hardness readings. None of us can go about recommending fish for you as we don't yet know the specifics, some fish such as boraras brigittae, and boraras merah, thrive in soft water, while others such as mollies don't handle soft water very well

They do need sand or very fine gravel depending in the type. Typically larger types such as bronze, albino, peppered, or Julii need sand or fine pebbles but the dwarf species such as Habrosus, pygmaeus, and Hastatus only do well in sand. For the larger species you would need a minimum of 4-5 but for the smaller species you would need a minimum or around 6-8. Please post a specific species so we can narrow down requirements for it.

Ottos are very, highly sensitive fish with many needs and have to have a high amount of algae to graze on in order to thrive. I would not recommend these species unless you have the commitment. They also thrive in planted tanks. 2 isn't enough either. For best behaviour and happiness along with minimal stress, the required number is 3-5

Depending on the Corydoras species and Plecos. Yes, the shrimp would be fine, but with 4 large cories or 6 small cories and a Bristlenose I honestly would think you are over stocking. I would recommend either taking the Corydoras or the Pleco out of the list. Preferably Plecos as Corydoras are much more rewarding fish IMO/E

A dwarf Bristlenose should be okay depending in what else you have in the tank, if you already have the cories. I woudlnt recommend bristlenoses. They have an extremely large bio load for there size and eat a lot. With sand the amount of poop can also be very unsightly, since debris settles on top of the sand instead of falling through as it does with a gravel substrate

 

[SweetNightmare]

Bristlenose stay relatively small, if you can find one. I wouldn't recommend any less than four cories, but the more you can get the better. I would recommend pygmy cories if you can find them, you could have a larger school. Panda cories also stay small, but are more delicate. Yes, they need sand. You should be okay with ghost shrimp, just be aware that you should take a daily headcount if you can; occasionally you may notice one or two go missing, most likely because of the betta. ((If they have any baby shrimp, the cories would probably eat them all up, so you won't end up with baby shrimp.)) Find somewhere that sells them as 'feeder ghost shrimp', they usually have them for cheaper. ((My job sells them for 33 cents.))

 

[Bombalurina]

Don't go for feeder shrimp - they frequently aren't as healthy. Pay out the extra to get the non-feeder kind.

 

[Mo]

I agree. "feeder" shrimp are constantly sick and carry diseases into your tank. Many of the times they aren't even a ghost shrimp and are a different species of shrimp. Which get very large and eat smaller fish.

 

[Sena Hansler]

cories like sand better yes but I've used gravel... mine liked to hunt for fallen food :lol: The reason, is because they are very skittish and do tend to hurt themselves. Sand is better that way, and they can scavenge easier anyways. You can also try very fine gravel, if you don't want sand.

And yes, plecos are poopers

Shrimp might be okay with cories... given enough places to hide!

 

[SamJustice]

Bristlenose stay relatively small, if you can find one. I wouldn't recommend any less than four cories, but the more you can get the better. I would recommend pygmy cories if you can find them, you could have a larger school. Panda cories also stay small, but are more delicate. Yes, they need sand. You should be okay with ghost shrimp, just be aware that you should take a daily headcount if you can; occasionally you may notice one or two go missing, most likely because of the betta. ((If they have any baby shrimp, the cories would probably eat them all up, so you won't end up with baby shrimp.)) Find somewhere that sells them as 'feeder ghost shrimp', they usually have them for cheaper. ((My job sells them for 33 cents.))

lol. My LFS sells non-feed ghost shrimp a dozen for 3 dollars. XD

Hmm. What are your water PH and hardness readings. None of us can go about recommending fish for you as we don't yet know the specifics, some fish such as boraras brigittae, and boraras merah, thrive in soft water, while others such as mollies don't handle soft water very well

They do need sand or very fine gravel depending in the type. Typically larger types such as bronze, albino, peppered, or Julii need sand or fine pebbles but the dwarf species such as Habrosus, pygmaeus, and Hastatus only do well in sand. For the larger species you would need a minimum of 4-5 but for the smaller species you would need a minimum or around 6-8. Please post a specific species so we can narrow down requirements for it.

Ottos are very, highly sensitive fish with many needs and have to have a high amount of algae to graze on in order to thrive. I would not recommend these species unless you have the commitment. They also thrive in planted tanks. 2 isn't enough either. For best behaviour and happiness along with minimal stress, the required number is 3-5

Depending on the Corydoras species and Plecos. Yes, the shrimp would be fine, but with 4 large cories or 6 small cories and a Bristlenose I honestly would think you are over stocking. I would recommend either taking the Corydoras or the Pleco out of the list. Preferably Plecos as Corydoras are much more rewarding fish IMO/E

A dwarf Bristlenose should be okay depending in what else you have in the tank, if you already have the cories. I woudlnt recommend bristlenoses. They have an extremely large bio load for there size and eat a lot. With sand the amount of poop can also be very unsightly, since debris settles on top of the sand instead of falling through as it does with a gravel substrate

I've extremely hard water. It's got like a hardness of 300. AFTER i cut it with spring water. ;-;
and my pH is pretty much a steady 7.4. Sometimes it falls to 7.2.
Once it fell down to 6.0 and i was like WHHHAAATTTT?

cories like sand better yes but I've used gravel... mine liked to hunt for fallen food :lol: The reason, is because they are very skittish and do tend to hurt themselves. Sand is better that way, and they can scavenge easier anyways. You can also try very fine gravel, if you don't want sand.

And yes, plecos are poopers

Shrimp might be okay with cories... given enough places to hide!

yeah. I don't mind sand. But.. it's ehh..

My cousin has it set up as a brackish tank and i may keep it for that and get a few puffers for it and leave it brackish, then get a 10 gal and split it, but i'm not sure yet. (may have it a community tank with some shrimp and corys, but that depends on what happens this week with the biocube and the )
Would ghost shrimp be okay with a betta in a split 10? I was thinkin get a dozen for each side if i do. 'Cause I'll have tons of plants. I do so LOVE plants.

 

[Sena Hansler]

For a ten... 2 bettas, and some shrimp would be okay as long as you have LOTS of hiding spaces! Not sure about having 24 shrimp total though :lol:

 

[SamJustice]

hmm...
maybe 6 each side? ^.^
I just... like shrimp.
they're so CUTE.
... what do they eat though? o.0

 

[Mo]

Ghost shrimp eat a wide range of foods, from plant matter, to cucumber, to algae, to extra fish food. I would recommend feeding a wide range of foods such as meatier and "green" foods.

6 on each is would be okay.

 

[SamJustice]

Cool. =3 Everything under the sun. I'll find some stuff for them =3

 

[Bombalurina]

Seriously, a dozen on each side would be fine. They do not have large bioloads.

Since you have off-the-scale hard water, definitely don't get tetras. Cories should be ok, but your first choice should be something like livebearers. A combination of blue and orange platys would set off a blue betta nicely. Endlers Livebearers are my favourite.