Bottom Dwellers

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 Most fish swim, that is what they are made for. But there are certain species that have decided that they prefer to lay low. These are bottom-dwellers in the most literal sense: fish that live permanently on the substrate. We keep two main kinds: cory catfish and loaches.

Cories: Cory cats are one of the most popular and most hardy types of fish available in the hobby. They are peaceful to the point of excess, but also come with their own defense. As such, they can be kept in tanks with very small community fish,up to semi-aggressive setups as adults, and everything in-between. Most cories don't actively school (meaning that they don't stay in a tight group), but they do prefer the company of their own species. We suggest keeping six or more individuals of the same species. 

Loaches: Loaches have very unique appearances that not everyone is fond of, with some being more unique than others. In general, loaches are more shy than cories and do like to hide. But watch out when there's food to be found! Loaches are sleek, fast, and very wiggly. When kept in small groups, they are more active and playful, but they can be kept alone

Size: For bottom dwellers, tank size is only important when it comes to how much floor space it has. A tall 30 gallon has much less room than a wide 30 gallon. Thus, your tank style is just as important as its actual volume. As such, it is best to discuss your tank with us before adding any bottom-dwellers.

Feeding: Because they live at the bottom of the tank, these fish can't eat the same foods as other fish. While they will clean up the bottom, they are not scavengers and cannot survive off of just leftovers. Thus, it's very important that they be fed a larger, sinking food that the other fish can't take away. We will provide these foods, so long as someone is available to feed them to the tank. Unfortunately, auto-feeders are not very effective and so the tank must be fed by hand.