# Catfish for nano's?



## THaehn (Jul 14, 2009)

I want to put a catfish in my 15 gallon aquarium and I need suggestions. I have never kept a catfish before so I don't know which species stay small etc... Suggestions would be much appreciated.


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

You could get a handful of otos, or a school of pygmy cories, a trio of larger cories, or a bristlenose pleco, just to get the list started for you.


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## THaehn (Jul 14, 2009)

All those would be okay in a 15 gallon? I already have 12 neon tetras and 2 dwarf gourami's so one small catfish would probably be the limit as far as bioload. Probably should have mentioned that in my first post.


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Then I'd go with a school of about 6 pygmy cories. They don't have much of a bioload and they are tiny.


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## crimsonbull57 (Jan 7, 2009)

Corys, Otos, Banjos or the Mini moth catfish(Hara jerdoni)


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## gheitman (Oct 28, 2007)

I would recommend the pygmy cories as well. The average length is less than an inch plus they are very active swimming all over the tank. I have 16 in a 10 gallon tank.


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## THaehn (Jul 14, 2009)

Are the pygmy cories hard to find? I only have a petsmart thats not even close to where I live.


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Call them ahead of time and ask them to order them for you if they don't have them. It's on many of the importers' lists.

Also, I think Invertz Factory carries them.


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## gheitman (Oct 28, 2007)

I just got 15 in from Invertz Factory but my LFS also has some. I doubt that Petsmart will have them.


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## fishydaze (May 1, 2009)

*other small cats*

Definately otocinclus (otos) and pygmy corydoras (cories) are the most commonly available, and commonly suggested and successful catfish in small tanks. All are reportedly more active/visible/calm with more than one of the same species in same tank.

The catfish listed on the Nanofish list sticky on the planted nano tank forum (http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/planted-nano-tanks/31095-nanofish-list-v1-0-a.html) that are all small enough to potentially be successful in 10g or less: 

Corydoras and otos would be the most easily available.

False Cory (Aspidoras pauciradiatus)
Mini Moth Catfish (Hara jerdoni)
Shadow Catfish Flavus (Hyalobagrus flavus)
Dwarf Ornate Bagrus (Hyalobagrus ornatus; Pelteobagrusornatus; Pseudobagrus ornatus)
Otocinclus(Otocinclus affinis)
Hummingbird catfish(Rama chandramara)
Salt and Pepper Cory(Corydoras habrosus)
Dwarf Cory (Corydoras hastatus)
Pygmy Cory (Corydoras pygmaeus)

Good luck! (the corys are my top recc: but no less then three, as pygmy corys are very much a shoaling fish)


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## gheitman (Oct 28, 2007)

The oto is your algae eater and I recommend getting two or three for a 15g tank. The salt and pepper cory (C. habrosus) and dwarf cory (C. hastatus) are only slightly bigger than the pygmy cory but are usually harder to find at the LFS IME. I haven't kept any of the latter but I have kept the former and they weren't as active as the pygmy cory.


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