# Picking a bottom dweller



## BettaLover (Feb 17, 2005)

Hello,

I am in need of a bottom dweller to help clean up some of the mess my oscar is making. He's about 7 inches long now and is living with 3 medium sized Silver Dollars in a 180 with a sand bottom. He is probablly the biggest chicken of an Oscar ever, he hid from the silver dollars at first, but now seems to enjoy their company. Since he is quiet large though, I'm having trouble finding a large enough catfish or loach to put in with him because he would eat him. I was thinking about getting a couple of Clown or Biotia (sp?) Loaches because they get to 6 inches, but I can't find any that big, and I don't have any experiences with loaches, so I don't know if he does try to eat them are they fast enough to get away? He's pretty lazy, if it moves fast he doesn't even bother chasing it, so would a loach be able to get outta his way? How large do emerald cories get or are there any larger cories out there? I don't think I want a pleco.
Any comments are appreciated 

Thanks guys!

*sarah*


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## BettaLover (Feb 17, 2005)

Sure Baby Baby, I'd like to know more about the Dojo loaches. What is their activity level? Like, are the fast and always moving or do they just lay around a lot?

Thanks
Sarah


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

well its a myth that the "predict" the weather, and become extremly active when its going to rain


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## Gunnie (Jan 20, 2005)

This is a great site for info on loaches:

www.loaches.com


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

BettaLover said:


> Sure Baby Baby, I'd like to know more about the Dojo loaches. What is their activity level? Like, are the fast and always moving or do they just lay around a lot?
> 
> Thanks
> Sarah


Mostly around in the bottom, as most loaches do. Most of the loaches may help you a part of the tasks.


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Loaches are probably not going to work with your oscar. You would have to find full grown laoches which will run a prety penny because you'll need 3 or more (perferrably 5). Loaches will not eat oscar waste either. If your are talking about the food he leaves then loaches might work, but for waste get out the old gravel vac


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

Right, as I told, "a part of the job"
Baby_Baby, be careful, some will need to school also, not only pairing.


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## BettaLover (Feb 17, 2005)

Yes, I'm hoping that they will clean up parts of his uneaten food. Whenever he eats his pellets he will crunch them up in the back of his throat, and then small pieces of the pellets will come out of his gills. Anytime he eats he makes such a mess by tearing things apart. I've been looking on aquabid there are some larger loaches on there I might get.


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## *GoGoGo Fish!* (Jul 6, 2005)

Here is a catfish I like, and heres a page about it.
Royal Farlowella Cat
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=940
and this guy, too.



Synodontis Angelicus Catfish 
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=848

from,
*GoGoGo Fish!*


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Whatever you get, remember its full grown size should be bigger than the oscars mouth. Slow growers won't help either.


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