Bottom fish, unsure if Geophagus or clow loach

[Hmontoya93]

My upper dwellers are severums, blackberry silver dollars and arowana tank is 8ft long.

I don’t want to add both because since they need a school night be too much bioload for both . I was think either buying 4 7 inch clown loaches or a school of geophagus, which do you think would be more fun?
or maybe a couple frontosas but that might clash with severums

I have had clown loaches I enjoyed them, never had Geos

o

 

[duanes]

With your other resident fish, Geophagines would be part of a geographically correct biotope.
The loaches would not be (if that's important to you?) and beside being geographically incorrect with the others, Fronts prefer hard , mineral rich, higher pH water.
None of the others do
The Geophagus would probably require an open higher flow (current ) area, although the severums prefer a more slack water environment.
You could provide both area in that size tank if planned right.

 

[RD.]

With your other resident fish, Geophagines would be part of a geographically correct biotope.

depends on the species of aro.

 

[jjohnwm]

A big beautiful tank like that...and no catfish? Is that even legal???

I don't have any experience with Geophagus per se but have kept a grand total of two Gymnogeophagus species, rhabdotus and balzanii. I only mention it because of the huge difference between those two in terms of how bottom-oriented they were in my tanks.

G.balzanii always remained plastered practically on the substrate, never more than a couple inches above; they never fed from the surface or even went after pellets until they had sunk almost to the bottom, regardless if they were kept with other species or only with their own kind. Beautiful fish, but I grew tired of them after a couple years. They simply did not display well in my aquariums, and they were essentially invisible in an outdoor stock tank. They bred fairly well for me, often when I didn't want them to and few of their fry survived if other tankmates were present.

In contrast, G.rhabdotus are much more cosmopolitan in their wanderings. They spend a fair bit of time on the bottom but will also swim freely at all other levels, and don't hesitate to feed on floating foods right at the surface. In an outdoor tank they are as visible as any cichlid ever gets; still fairly cryptic when viewed from above, but at least they can be seen. I still have these and continue to enjoy them. They reproduce like bacteria; you'll likely be using them as feeders before long!

Again, I haven't tried other Gymnos, and no Geos at all. I'm just mentioning this so that you can perhaps research the individual species you are eyeballing to make sure its behaviour suits your desires for the look of your tank, since the behaviour seems to vary widely even between closely related species.

 

[Hmontoya93]

depends on the species of aro.

It’s a black arowana, so yeah more South American, I actually didn’t even notice I was going that way, was just going for mild mannered fish really

View attachment IMG_1496.jpeg

 

[Hmontoya93]

A big beautiful tank like that...and no catfish? Is that even legal???

I don't have any experience with Geophagus per se but have kept a grand total of two Gymnogeophagus species, rhabdotus and balzanii. I only mention it because of the huge difference between those two in terms of how bottom-oriented they were in my tanks.

G.balzanii always remained plastered practically on the substrate, never more than a couple inches above; they never fed from the surface or even went after pellets until they had sunk almost to the bottom, regardless if they were kept with other species or only with their own kind. Beautiful fish, but I grew tired of them after a couple years. They simply did not display well in my aquariums, and they were essentially invisible in an outdoor stock tank. They bred fairly well for me, often when I didn't want them to and few of their fry survived if other tankmates were present.

In contrast, G.rhabdotus are much more cosmopolitan in their wanderings. They spend a fair bit of time on the bottom but will also swim freely at all other levels, and don't hesitate to feed on floating foods right at the surface. In an outdoor tank they are as visible as any cichlid ever gets; still fairly cryptic when viewed from above, but at least they can be seen. I still have these and continue to enjoy them. They reproduce like bacteria; you'll likely be using them as feeders before long!

Again, I haven't tried other Gymnos, and no Geos at all. I'm just mentioning this so that you can perhaps research the individual species you are eyeballing to make sure its behaviour suits your desires for the look of your tank, since the behaviour seems to vary widely even between closely related species.

I would love a catfish! But I added 5 severums like 4-5 inches, if they all grow to full size I am not sure bioload will take it although I am stacking the sump with lots of pothos. I was looking into like a vulture, or bolt catfish something fun. I like the giraffe one too since they are so friendly it again might be too big. But it would think it’s catfish or the school of bottom feeders I would have to do

 

[Hmontoya93]

With your other resident fish, Geophagines would be part of a geographically correct biotope.
The loaches would not be (if that's important to you?) and beside being geographically incorrect with the others, Fronts prefer hard , mineral rich, higher pH water.
None of the others do
The Geophagus would probably require an open higher flow (current ) area, although the severums prefer a more slack water environment.
You could provide both area in that size tank if planned right.

Thank you, I was going for monster fish that don’t fight but I might do Geos to keep them t more natural. I drilled an extra FX6 on one side for polishing, maybe they would hang out on that side

 

[SilverArowanaBoi]

I would reccomend Striped Raphael Catfish for a medium sized catfish. I also vote Geophagus, geos are fun and colorful.

 

[Trouser Bark]

A mild mannered cat choice would be a giraffe. Super laid back, xlnt substrate mixers and social in a similar manner to clown loaches in that they'll occasionally pile up and sleep on each other. They might get too big to ignore in an 8' tank at around 18" or so but still manageable. If there were a slightly unexpected aspect to them it is that they have no interest in meat. Algae wafers, live plant matter, dead plants, etc., sure. Ix-nay on the arny-Ca though.

 

[Joshuakahan]

I would reccomend Striped Raphael Catfish for a medium sized catfish. I also vote Geophagus, geos are fun and colorful.

I saw a 12”’raf at a public aquarium, pic doesn’t do it justice