Oddball Bottom Feeder?

[NormaJean]

I've finally got my 50 gallon up and running, it's planted and holds 3 amazon puffers, 1 purple spotted gudgeon, 3 golden wonder killifish and 3 african butterfly fish. Now I'd like to get a bottom feeder (I know they're not necessary, but IMO no that is complete without a bottom feeder of some sort), it needs to be a bit of an oddball, preferably no larger than 5-6". I thought about the upside down catfish, but I'm not sure.. Any ideas?

 

[McCool]

Do the Puffers not nip the butterfly? I heard they are nippy, but I guess all puffers are different! Sorry I'm not more help, but am setting up an Amazon puffer tank soon and was just curious as to how the puffer butterfly combination was working out!

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

SAPS with African Butterfly Fish and Purple Spotted Gudgeons, even Golden Wonders, are poor tankmate choices. I'd happily put the last three together (I have ABF and GWK), but absolutely no way with any puffers!

SAPs want a strong current, something that really is the worst you can do for the others.
SAPs need speedy tankmates, look at species with forked tails, for instance Bleeding Tetras or Filament Barbs (in a longer tank). Those tankmates are usually extremely sedatory.
SAPs should not be kept with tankmates who have elaborate fins, those long spindly pelvic ray fins of the ABFs will be very tempting and nipping will highly stress them.

I would also up the SAP numbers to at least five, you could do even more in a 50g.

An oddball riverine bottom dweller? A Steatocranus (African Blockhead Cichlid) species, I have ~50 S. casuarius (because of youngsters) and a brand new pair of young S. tinanti. They will love and need the current, plus the densely furnished areas of the tank needed for the SAPs will make perfect areas of cover for these cichlids to hop between.

 

[NormaJean]

They are actually doing fine together, I realize this was a bit of a risky setup, but it works fine, however it's only been a few weeks. If all doesn't go well I have tanks ready, the butterfly fish would be put with my catfish and the others would probably end up in the quarantine tank which would later end up being their own tank.
I'll consider adding more puffers, but I'd like to see how things go from here, but I am more than prepared to separate the fish is all doesn't go well.

 

[thereverendturtle]

A few banjo cats would be cool imo, or perhaps a group of one of the wood cats or hoplo cats... There are also some less common loaches. Although some what common one of my favorite loaches is the horse faced loach.

 

[bikerfish]

I know it is a loach but what about yoyo loaches as I have 2 and they are right pigs when it comes to feeding time and funny to watch

 

[onidrase]

Without looking at water perimeters, tank mates, etc, twig catfish are cool.

I'm sort of against mixing puffers with other fish period tbh. Also don't forget the predatory nature of golden wanders and ABFs. They might try to snack on the puffers when they're older with their big mouths, and can very well choke.

its better to remove the misfit fish before anything bad happens instead of when it goes wrong.

 

[simonas]

Im a puffer keeper myself and wouldnt keep them with other fish simply because of the damage they CAN do.

I cant give you specifics but what about the smaller spiny eels?

 

[ZoddyZod]

Without looking at water perimeters, tank mates, etc, twig catfish are cool.

although they will eat from the bottom if that's where food is present, it's not a natural practice for them and they prefer to graze on wood.