# Small Sucker Fish



## Pixielator (Jul 22, 2012)

But I wan't something besides snails in with my bettas. I don't like many fish, but one kind I do like is sucker fish. I wanted to get Borneo Suckers, but I found out that they get too large and like faster currents and colder water than bettas. I really want to find a type of sucker fish to put in with them, but every type I find grows to 4" or more. Are there any sucker fish that stay small and like similar conditions to bettas? I'd like to find one that doesn't grow past 2", but the smaller the better. Thanks in advance.


----------



## Alcemistnv (Jan 29, 2012)

How big is your tank?


----------



## Pixielator (Jul 22, 2012)

I've got one 10 gallon with two opaque dividers so there are 3 spaces that are 3.33 gallons with one male in each. then I have an 2.5 gallon with one male, and right now I have 3 females, each of which are in a large kritter keeper, but I have an extra 10 gallon that I'm getting prepared to use as a sorority tank for the 3 girls. So I'll need suckers that I can put in a 2.5 - 3.33 gallon or at least ones I can put in a 10 gallon with my girls.


----------



## Alcemistnv (Jan 29, 2012)

Well I keep being told you need at least 10 gallons for anything like a pleco/cory/otocat, etc.

But I think that those would be your options.. I'm jsut not sure how many of each...


----------



## Destinystar (May 26, 2012)

I love those sucker fish every time I go to my LPS I look at them and they have really small ones but I know they dont stay that small, but they are so cute !!!!! I would love to have one but I only have a 5 gallon right now with my Betta.


----------



## Pixielator (Jul 22, 2012)

I know they're so adorable. ^-^


But another important reason I want a small sucker, is because of an incident that happened a few months ago. My husband caught some good sized minnows and brought them home, a week or so later he got an African Rope Fish. They were supposed to be fine together because the rope fish is a bottom feeder. Well, within the next few days 2 of the minnows went missing and we couldn't figure it out, until I saw the outline of a small fish in the rope fish's stomach.. Since the minnows sleep at the BOTTOM and the rope fish is a BOTTOM feeder, it was eating them while they slept. -.- So I don't want my suckers to hove mouths large enough to swallow my bettas, I'm especially worried about the girls. But so far it looks like the only ones I can use are otos, which I don't really like. :/


----------



## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

i'm pretty sure the plecos need 20 gallons or more for the smallest species (could be wrong though)

they aren't gonna eat your bettas though. I have a bristlenose in my 29 with my betta girls, little zebra danios, and corydoras and snails. He just loves cucumber xD


----------



## laoshun (Apr 3, 2012)

a good fish that stays small are oto catfish.


----------



## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

No catfish can go into anything smaller than 10 gallons. Otocinclus and corydoras are active schooling fish that require a decent sized footprint to move around in. 

You could possibly try a school of smaller sized corydoras (Corydoras pygmaeus comes to mind) in the 10 gallon, but that's about it. Otocinclus need a constant supply of algae, which a new, small tank does not have, and can be difficult to transition onto other foods. 

Clown plecos stay small but they are expensive I believe and like all plecos, big waste producers for their size. 

Other than that there are really no other options I could see that would work in the set-ups you have described.

Just read clown plecos reach around 5 inches so I reckon they would do better in a 15-20 gallon tank.


----------



## Pixielator (Jul 22, 2012)

LittleBettaFish said:


> No catfish can go into anything smaller than 10 gallons. Otocinclus and corydoras are active schooling fish that require a decent sized footprint to move around in.
> 
> You could possibly try a school of smaller sized corydoras (Corydoras pygmaeus comes to mind) in the 10 gallon, but that's about it. Otocinclus need a constant supply of algae, which a new, small tank does not have, and can be difficult to transition onto other foods.
> 
> ...


Are Corydoras scaleless fish? My sister just gave me some AQ salt because she can't use it since some of her fish are scaleless. I want to make sure that whatever other fish I put in with my bettas can handle AQ salt, because if I have to put some into the tank, I'd rather not have to chase a bunch of fish around with a net first.


----------



## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

I really think 10 g is even too small for catfish, as most of the smallish ones are schooling fish so you can't jsut get one and expect it to thrive. They have a HUGE bioload (omg, plecos can poop!) And some bettas just hate them to death (literally, in my plakat's case, he's killed a couple of tankmates so far..).

What about some shrimp? They're fun to watch and provide entertainment (and the occasional lunch) for my bettas. I stock half a dozen RCS every six months or so in my heavily planted 3.5 gallon. Also, a few in the 10 g with my large plakat (ofc, they don't last as long with him..) The shrimp get picked off by my aggressive little VT girl every now and then and eventually all go missing but I don't mind - the bettas are in glowing health and happy, my plants and wood are algae-free and shrimp don't have a huge bioload so it doesn't matter if there's a few still hiding out when I restock. 


I recently got some Darwin Algae Shrimp for the 3ft wild betta tank - these are native to Australia (I hope they end up in America, you guys would love these shrimp!) -- they are a lot like ghost shrimp, larger than RCS and a bit more aggressive. After a couple of swift nose-pinches, my wilds have decided that picking on the DAS isn't worth it, and now they all get along. The DAS are great to watch toodling around and changing colours every now and then.. and yeah, they love the algae. Shrimp are really win/win (well, maybe it's not so win for the RCS in my splendens tanks but everyone else is pretty happy, heh).


----------



## Shirleythebetta (Jan 9, 2012)

Most Pecos need at least 55 or more in my opinion. And otos need at least a twenty since they need tons of algae I think you should try shrimp too. And omg yes plecos do nothing but poop. Mine is in a temporary thirty alone. Not my ideal so dont attack me people. He was an emergency rescue. He will only live there until I get my 55 from my dad. I am cleaning that tank all the time since he constantly poops. Also I don't think any type of suckers can stand salt. And if the ten is divided Cory's aren't really an options either since they love to roam.


----------



## Pixielator (Jul 22, 2012)

So the shrimp can handle salt? And would they bug my trapdoor snails?


----------



## Shirleythebetta (Jan 9, 2012)

Do you have a hospitol tank? How often do you use salt? If you have a hospitol tank to put your fish when they are sick in I wouldn't worry abt salt.


----------



## Pixielator (Jul 22, 2012)

I have things that I can use as hospitol tanks, but I like to use salt once a month just as a precaution to prevent any illness. I keep the tank clean, so its not that I think any illness is likely to occur, but putting a little salt in now and then just eases my mind a bit more. I always do it soon before water changes so the salt is only in there for one or two days. It would just be easier if the shrimp could tollerate the salt, but if I need to I can take any remaining shrimp out before I use salt.


----------



## Shirleythebetta (Jan 9, 2012)

I'm not to sure abt that one. I'd research the shrimp a bit more.


----------



## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

Using salt regularly can make the betta's body used to the salt, and when you really need it, the salt will not help.


----------



## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

I've been doing a lot of reading on sodium chloride (salt) use in tanks... the whole issue is so very divided, but here's what I've gathered:

A -tiny- bit of sodium is actually good for keeping the fish's osmotic pressure up, and a few other things besides. This teensy amount won't dent diseases in general (it's like 1 tsp per 50 gallons, or something...) - higher amounts of salt used regularly can lead to salt-tolerant ich, etc., and gradually build up to quite high levels in the tank, so it's not generally recommended to add more than a trace amount. 

I'm not sure about shrimp with salt, actually, as I use hospital tanks when the fish are sick. Something else to research!


----------



## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Pixielator said:


> I know they're so adorable. ^-^
> 
> 
> But another important reason I want a small sucker, is because of an incident that happened a few months ago. My husband caught some good sized minnows and brought them home, a week or so later he got an African Rope Fish. They were supposed to be fine together because the rope fish is a bottom feeder. Well, within the next few days 2 of the minnows went missing and we couldn't figure it out, until I saw the outline of a small fish in the rope fish's stomach.. Since the minnows sleep at the BOTTOM and the rope fish is a BOTTOM feeder, it was eating them while they slept. -.- So I don't want my suckers to hove mouths large enough to swallow my bettas, I'm especially worried about the girls. But so far it looks like the only ones I can use are otos, which I don't really like. :/


Ropefish will swim in the top half of the tank and some even like sitting on land. They will eat anything that fits in their mouth, you basically provided feeders to it.. They also like groups.

Anyways, you don't have room for catfish, unless your sorority is stocked lightly with 4 girls. IF you plant it I think the cories could live there.

Not to rain on everyone's parade, but there are adorable plecos that stay under 2" but they need very specialized care. ^-^ (freaky fish moment!)
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Pixielator (Jul 22, 2012)

MaisyDawgThirteen said:


> Using salt regularly can make the betta's body used to the salt, and when you really need it, the salt will not help.





Aus said:


> I've been doing a lot of reading on sodium chloride (salt) use in tanks... the whole issue is so very divided, but here's what I've gathered:
> 
> A -tiny- bit of sodium is actually good for keeping the fish's osmotic pressure up, and a few other things besides. This teensy amount won't dent diseases in general (it's like 1 tsp per 50 gallons, or something...) - higher amounts of salt used regularly can lead to salt-tolerant ich, etc., and gradually build up to quite high levels in the tank, so it's not generally recommended to add more than a trace amount.
> 
> I'm not sure about shrimp with salt, actually, as I use hospital tanks when the fish are sick. Something else to research!


Even if its only once a month and less than a tsp a gallon?? And only left in there for 1-2 days (normally just 1)?
For the osmotic pressure thing, does the salt need to be in there all the time or am I supposed to put it in for a day and then change the water or something like that?


----------



## Pixielator (Jul 22, 2012)

I guess I could just use the cotton swab method for putting a really small amount of salt in. But still, does it matter how often I do it or how long I leave it in?


----------



## Pixielator (Jul 22, 2012)

Olympia said:


> Ropefish will swim in the top half of the tank and some even like sitting on land. They will eat anything that fits in their mouth, you basically provided feeders to it.. They also like groups.
> 
> Anyways, you don't have room for catfish, unless your sorority is stocked lightly with 4 girls. IF you plant it I think the cories could live there.
> 
> ...


I was looking at those online, but now I can't remember what they're called. Do you know what they're called so that I can look them up again?


----------



## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Here's my blog post on them:
http://freakishfish.tumblr.com/post/29186151497/nannoptopoma-sp-peru-now-for-something-small
The water temperature is perfect for a betta, I don't know about hardness of 1-3dH. Plus these things are expensive. @[email protected]


----------



## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

Haha I was going to say I am pretty sure the really small species of pleco are fairly expensive. 

I also found plecos to be insanely boring. I am babysitting my brother's 5 inch bristlenose pleco and all it does all day is stay hidden under a piece of wood. I wouldn't even know there was a pleco in there if it wasn't for the sheer amount of waste it and my brother's other catfish produce. 

I still would think a small species of corydoras in the 10 gallon would be your best bet. At least you see them most of the time and they are quite entertaining to watch.


----------



## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Yes. I'm sure there are other species of _Nannoptopoma, _that's a new species. All in all I think all of them are rare though.

Catfish.. yes, they are very boring. I love the things so I'm biased, but most of the joy of a catfish is simply from _knowing _it's somewhere in your tank hiding. A happy catfish is one you can't see! I don't even see my cories too often (never all at once) but people seem to have different luck with that. My cories just have too many hiding places and use them very well.


----------



## Shirleythebetta (Jan 9, 2012)

My cories stay hidden too. I didn't know there was a Pleco that stayed that small. I am going to check them out. I love Pleco's. Thanks for the information. I appreciate that.


----------

