PlanetCatfish.com

Hello all,

I'm new here and have been browsing around a bit. I'm currently setting up a 20 gallon tank and would like to get some bottom/algae eater/s for the tank. I plan to have the following at the moment:

2 angelfish
4 neon tetras
4 zebra danios

What recommendations do you have for good tank mates for the above fish in such a small tank? I love the zebra and royal pl*cos but am concerned that the tank will be too small for them. Would a bristlenose work in the tank? I've seen some reports that they can be kept in as small as a 10 gallon tank, but others that recommend a 29 gallon minimum. I'm also partial to the upside down catfish, but would like to know if there are any other interesting types out there that I may not know about.

Thanks for the help!

~Zanne

Hi and welcome to PC!

USD cats are best kept in groups, which means the tank would be too small. What about a group of otocinclus? That would be something different and interesting. They stay small, have neat racecar-like stripes, and are really funny, spastic little fish. They will take care of the algae and leave the tank spotless. I have two in my 55 and am planning on getting probably three more. When there are several in the tank they will sometimes swim together. Plus, one would never expect they are as funny as they are. Mine will hang out on the glass for awhile and then fling themselves off the glass and frantically and spastically swim around the tank and then go right back onto the glass. It's really funny to watch. Anyway, yeah, I'm gonna stop now so you don't get Oto Overload.

Thanks for your suggestion. I took a look at the Oto's. I love things with a zebra pattern. Would the Zebra Oto's work in that small of a tank? If they would work, how many should I get for them to be happy? How difficult are they to find and keep? I'll do some more research on them, but it's so nice to get opinions from people who may have kept them before too.

Well, I haven't kept zebra otos before, as I haven't seen them at the lfs, but I cross my fingers weekly that their fish supplier will somehow get them on the list because I really, really want some. *L* I believe that one would take care of the zebra otos in the same manner as the other kinds of otos. I think a group of five otos would add a lot of character to the tank. Hopefully someone with experience in zebra oto-keeping will jump in here and add their thoughts as well.