Help me find a fish - Central American Cats

[junebug]

I am looking for a catfish! As the title suggests lol.

I have a 20 gallon long tank, in which I'm building a Yucatan biotope. The tank currently houses a breeding group of fancy swordtails. pH is fairly high, so an adaptable cat would be required. The substrate is EcoComplete and river rock.

I am looking for a catfish from Central America, preferably found in the yucatan peninsula, that is suitable to this tank. Any help would be appreciated. A schooling fish is acceptable, but non-schoolers are preferred if possible.

[Silurus]

You have very, very limited choices.

Rhamdia quelen

is the only candidate that comes to mind and is entirely unsuitable given the tankmates and the size of your tank.

[junebug]

Ha, I suspect that was the "catfish" listed in the Cenotes biotope. Of course they almost never include species names for the fish pictured on Mongabay, so it's difficult to tell.

Yes, though, that fishy won't work in a 20 gallon tank, especially not with swordtails. They would be eaten in a heartbeat lol.

I'm wondering if I should simply skip the catfish, or go slightly untrue to the biotope and look for cats from elsewhere. The problem I have is that snails, which would be my first choice of "cleaner"/bottom dweller, can't survive the copper levels in my water. Except bladder snails, which I can't get rid of no matter what I do.