Blind Cave Tetra Tankmate(S)

[dredgy]

Hi, setting up a 70L tank that will primarily be a species tank for 6 or so blind cave tetras. The tank will be themed to look mostly like an underwater cave, with nooks, crannys, holes and pillars. Will use white sand as a substrate. The tank will be kept under low, blue light. Will be sparsely (if at all) planted,

I am after a tankmate or a few to occupy the bottom of the tank. A long armed shrimp or cray would be ideal, but I don't think the fish would last. So I was also thinking of a variant of bristle nose pleco (peppermint perhaps, or marbled), a school of Pygmy cories or maybe even kuhli loaches.

Since the light will be blue, I want a fish that will work well under that colour light.


Thanks for any insight

 

[looking-glass]

Id go for some pygmy cories, nice and peaceful and interesting to watch

 

[Tongue_Flicker]

Banjo catfish or some dragon/violet gobies.

Why do you think the fish won't last? I had a trio on a species tank that lasted for 4 years til my dad accidentally broke my aquarium and killed the fish lol

 

[dredgy]

Would the tetras bother the cories?They are meant to be quite aggressive.


And I meant the fish wouldn't last if I put them with a long armed shrimp or cray. Dragon gobies I've never heard of and will look into!
Also now considering a sole, since Banjo Catfish were brought up. Thanks for the ideas!

 

[fishncan]

Blind Caves can be very nippy. I would not have them, but If you are going to do this, be sure there are lots of hiding places for the corys

 

[dredgy]

Well they will be the feature - I'd keep them in a species tank if I can't find suitable tank mates. I'd have thought a bristlenose might be alright, or a sole since they are rarely seen and are hand fed.

 

[fishncan]

I defer to folks who know more about Blind Caves, as to which strata of the tank they prefer, is their aggression mitigated by larger shoals, etc.   Cover would definitely seem to be the key, where the bottom dwellers can completely escape from any attention. I'd definitely have a re-homing contingency plan if the fish display any inhibition

 

[Malex530]

If you want a biotope setup, Most blind cave tetra come from mexico and central america. Mollies normally live in the similar area.This is a good video on the habitat.   http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fvuXkFQ8VQ 
For stocking
Your blind cave tetra
1 albino bristlenose  
3 sailfin mollies 

 

[Tongue_Flicker]

Would the tetras bother the cories?They are meant to be quite aggressive.
And I meant the fish wouldn't last if I put them with a long armed shrimp or cray. Dragon gobies I've never heard of and will look into!Also now considering a sole, since Banjo Catfish were brought up. Thanks for the ideas!

If the shrimps are smaller or about the same size as the tetras, the shrimps are most likely to die than the shrimp doing damage to the tetras. Dragon gobies are bottom dwelling algae eaters that look like monsters but are quite peaceful.

I defer to folks who know more about Blind Caves, as to which strata of the tank they prefer, is their aggression mitigated by larger shoals, etc.  Cover would definitely seem to be the key, where the bottom dwellers can completely escape from any attention. I'd definitely have a re-homing contingency plan if the fish display any inhibition

This.


Blind cave tetras can gobble up prey half their size but they don't necessarily eat it. Much like what a cat does to a mouse. Thy rarely nip but will gobble and shred instead if they smell a mouth sized target.

If the cories are small and active enough then chances are the tetras are gonna take notice of them and slightly bully them.

 

[dredgy]

Then will probably avoid cories and divert to one of the following options


1. Freshwater sole. Inactive, will be hidden most of the time but do look awesome when they are out and about. Hard to feed.
2. Bristlenose catfish variant. Will eat algae, but room will not get any light so moot point. Easy to care for, shouldn't be picked on.
3. Banjo catfish. Great looking, sedentary. Hard to find for sale.
4. Kuhli loaches. Can hide well. Probably active enough to annoy the tetras.
5. This shrimp (which I am convinced will make mincemeat of any size tetra): https/www.livefish.com.au/tropicals/shrimp-and-crays/long-armed-freshwater-shrimp.html
6. F the whole tetra thing and think of an alternate stocking plan for this "cave" tank.

Which one would you guys think? Or any newer suggestions. Appreciate the advice so far.

 

[Tongue_Flicker]

What size are the blind tetras you're getting? They can easily reach 3" in less than a year and the shrimps reach 5cm (2") tops.

I'd stay firm for my banjo since they are good as solos hihi.. kuhlis need to be in small group to do well

 

[dredgy]

Blind cave tetras will be about 3cm. The shrimps I'm looking at get to about 10cm, some research suggests it would be fine, depending on the temperament of the shrimp.

I think I'm going to leave it until I have the tank scaped.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Blind Cave Tetras are far too big (~10cm SL) and active to be a typical 70l tank (~75cm long) for life, you ought to be looking at a 120x30x30cm as a minimum.
 
Consider them semi-boisterous, like many livebearers, so don't mix them with anything too small (read bite-size), fragile or nervous.

 

[Alasse]

BCT are aggressive and nasty pieces of work lol I had 8 in a 4ft tank, they were fine when small, but the bigger they got the more the harassed, took chunks out of and just made a general pest of themselves. I would not have them again unless it was a species only tank and they were it.

 

[Tongue_Flicker]

They mix well with chunk-eaters like BAs though