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I was planning on filling a 40 gallon tank with three or four spotted raphaels, a couple of bristlenoses, and a school of bandit cories (maybe seven or eight). Also thinking about maybe two or three angelfish as well . If there's room I was thinking about a striped raphael but I guess that that would push the limits somewhat. Any thoughts about this setup?

I think this would work okay if you just make sure there are caves and holes for the raphaels and ancistrus to hide in if they want to. Make sure you dont get too smal cories (Corydoras arcuatus?) or ancistrus, and likewise, don't buy very large raphaels.

I should mention that a striped raphael I had most likelly killed one Corydoras panda and ruined the other ones tail, but this may vary from fish to fish.

Where in northern Sweden do you live?

I live in �stersund, Jämtland. Most foreigners seem to draw a blank when I say that so I usually say northern Sweden to make it easy.
The tank's going to have a large piece of mopani root with a very nice overhang and I'll also be including a large bogroot so there should be a fair amount of hiding places. The spotted raphaels are friendly with ono another unless I've misunderstood what's been written about them

I can't really comment on their behaviour towards eachother as i have only had one. The ones i see in the fish stores dont seem to be bothering eachother, they're mostly occupied with hiding themselves.

that does sound somewhat reassuring to me in any case so I think I'll get started with my plans as soon as I've finished cycling the tank

I had a pair of Agamyxis pectinifrons together with a pair of Platydoras costatus but that didn't work even though I thought I had plenty of hiding places. I lost the largest Agamyxis and had to put the other in another tank, where it recovered. I'm still not sure what happened though,there had been no problems in the previous three years they were together, then suddenly one had a huge hole in it's side and the other just floated about.

Pectorale

aii
someone just had to go and say something like that! Is there really going to be such a problem with mixing doradids or is it just the striped raphael that'll be the problem?

I keep a striped and a chocolate raphael in the same tank together without any problems. From the sounds of it, it wasnt the striped raphaels that injured pectorales spotted because the striped raphael hasnt the mouth to do this. I think think the doradids will be just fine together, they may however nip the corys when they venture too far into their hiding spots. Good luck.

thanks

Pectorale's Agamyxis wasn't bitten, it was stabbed to death.
And Strioped Raphaels DO have the equipment for that!
Ever watched the pectoral spines of an adult? He's got a pair, and they're adults, not yet maximum sized, but working on it (getting near, or already surpassing 7").

There probably was a fight over a hiding place; Dorads can be combined alright, but you should combine one of those "more swimming" species, with one of those "eternal hiding" species. And his tank has PLENTY bogwood holes, believe me.

Which dorad would you guys suggest in that case? The spotted raphaels are a must but which dorads are more interested in swimming? Should I skip the dorads and complement the tank with pictus cats?

I'm going to try Orinocodoras eigenmanni, (Sorry for the typo, I knew they weren't Opsodoras SG) I've kept Platydoras with Opsodoras before and they didn't bother each other, not even when feeding so I hope they will be fine. I should get four of them tomorrow, I'll let you guys know if I notice any trouble.
Hassar should be OK too.

Pectorale

Ehm Pectorale, it's Orinocodoras eigenmanni, not Opsodoras.

I'd trade in my left ear for Opsodoras!
unfortunately they're not available in wee country anymore, neither will be in the foreseeable future....

Hi,
From my experience you cannot mix stripped raphael with plecos smaller than the adult size of the raphael because they will not feed properly and because they would always have their fins biten.