Bottom-dwelling aquarium fish
35 species from the AquaLog care guide · Updated
In short: Bottom-dwellers fill the lowest layer of a community tank. Corydoras and many loaches need groups and soft sand or smooth gravel; plecos are mostly solitary and several grow very large. Feed them sinking food: they are not clean-up crews.
Every fish below spends most of its time on or near the substrate, according to the AquaLog care guide. Pairing one bottom-dwelling species with mid-water schoolers uses the whole tank and reduces competition.
They still need feeding
Bottom-dwellers are often sold as "cleaners", but leftovers aren't a diet. Give them sinking pellets or wafers so food reaches them before the mid-water fish take it.
The species
| Species | Min. tank | Temperature | pH | Temperament | Group | Care level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pygmy corydorasCorydoras pygmaeus | 40 L (11 gal) | 22–26 °C | 6–7.5 | Peaceful | 8+ | Beginner |
| Panda corydorasCorydoras panda | 60 L (16 gal) | 20–25 °C | 6–7.4 | Peaceful | 6+ | Intermediate |
| Albino corydorasCorydoras aeneus | 75 L (20 gal) | 22–28 °C | 6–8 | Peaceful | 6+ | Beginner |
| Banjo catfishBunocephalus coracoideus | 75 L (20 gal) | 21–28 °C | 6–7.8 | Peaceful | 1 | Intermediate |
| Bronze corydorasCorydoras aeneus | 75 L (20 gal) | 22–27 °C | 6–7.8 | Peaceful | 6+ | Beginner |
| Cockatoo apistogrammaApistogramma cacatuoides | 75 L (20 gal) | 24–29 °C | 5.5–7.5 | Territorial | 2+ | Intermediate |
| German blue ramMikrogeophagus ramirezi | 75 L (20 gal) | 26–30 °C | 5.5–7 | Peaceful | 2+ | Advanced |
| Hillstream loachSewellia lineolata | 75 L (20 gal) | 20–24 °C | 6.5–7.5 | Peaceful | 3+ | Intermediate |
| Julii corydorasCorydoras julii | 75 L (20 gal) | 22–27 °C | 6–7.8 | Peaceful | 6+ | Beginner |
| Kuhli loachPangio kuhlii | 75 L (20 gal) | 23–29 °C | 5.5–7.5 | Peaceful | 5+ | Beginner |
| MultiesNeolamprologus multifasciatus | 75 L (20 gal) | 24–27 °C | 7.8–9 | Semi-aggressive | 6+ | Intermediate |
| Peppered corydorasCorydoras paleatus | 75 L (20 gal) | 18–26 °C | 6–8 | Peaceful | 6+ | Beginner |
| Clown plecoPanaqolus maccus | 90 L (24 gal) | 23–29 °C | 6–7.8 | Peaceful | 1 | Beginner |
| Dwarf chain loachAmbastaia sidthimunki | 90 L (24 gal) | 23–28 °C | 6–7.5 | Peaceful | 6+ | Intermediate |
| KribensisPelvicachromis pulcher | 90 L (24 gal) | 24–28 °C | 6–7.8 | Territorial | 2+ | Beginner |
| Sterbai corydorasCorydoras sterbai | 90 L (24 gal) | 24–30 °C | 6–7.5 | Peaceful | 6+ | Beginner |
| Whiptail catfishRineloricaria sp. | 90 L (24 gal) | 22–27 °C | 6–7.5 | Peaceful | 2+ | Intermediate |
| Apistogramma agassiziiApistogramma agassizii | 110 L (29 gal) | 24–29 °C | 5–7 | Semi-aggressive | 2+ | Intermediate |
| Bolivian ramMikrogeophagus altispinosus | 110 L (29 gal) | 23–29 °C | 6–7.8 | Peaceful | 2+ | Beginner |
| Bristlenose plecoAncistrus cirrhosus | 110 L (29 gal) | 22–28 °C | 6–7.8 | Peaceful | 1 | Beginner |
| Emerald brochisBrochis splendens | 110 L (29 gal) | 22–28 °C | 6–7.8 | Peaceful | 5+ | Beginner |
| Panda apistogrammaApistogramma nijsseni | 110 L (29 gal) | 24–29 °C | 4.5–6.5 | Semi-aggressive | 2+ | Advanced |
| Rubber lip plecoChaetostoma formosae | 110 L (29 gal) | 20–25 °C | 6.5–8 | Peaceful | 1 | Intermediate |
| Zebra loachBotia striata | 110 L (29 gal) | 22–27 °C | 6.5–7.5 | Peaceful | 5+ | Intermediate |
| Zebra plecoHypancistrus zebra | 110 L (29 gal) | 27–30 °C | 6–7.2 | Peaceful | 3+ | Advanced |
| Firemouth cichlidThorichthys meeki | 150 L (40 gal) | 23–29 °C | 6.5–8 | Territorial | 1 | Intermediate |
| Horseface loachAcantopsis dialuzona | 190 L (50 gal) | 23–28 °C | 6.5–7.5 | Peaceful | 3+ | Intermediate |
| Rainbow sharkEpalzeorhynchos frenatum | 200 L (53 gal) | 24–28 °C | 6.5–7.8 | Territorial | 1 | Intermediate |
| Yoyo loachBotia almorhae | 200 L (53 gal) | 23–28 °C | 6.5–7.8 | Semi-aggressive | 5+ | Intermediate |
| BichirPolypterus senegalus | 300 L (79 gal) | 24–29 °C | 6.5–8 | Semi-aggressive | 1 | Intermediate |
| GeophagusGeophagus sp. | 380 L (100 gal) | 26–30 °C | 5.5–7.2 | Peaceful | 5+ | Intermediate |
| Royal plecoPanaque nigrolineatus | 570 L (151 gal) | 24–29 °C | 6.5–7.8 | Semi-aggressive | 1 | Advanced |
| Clown loachChromobotia macracanthus | 600 L (159 gal) | 25–30 °C | 6–7.5 | Peaceful | 5+ | Advanced |
| Common plecoHypostomus plecostomus | 700 L (185 gal) | 22–30 °C | 6.5–8 | Territorial | 1 | Intermediate |
| Sailfin plecoPterygoplichthys gibbiceps | 760 L (201 gal) | 23–29 °C | 6.5–8 | Peaceful | 1 | Advanced |
Corydoras: groups and soft substrate
Corydoras such as bronze and pygmy corydoras are social and need a group. They root through the substrate with sensitive barbels, so sand or smooth gravel is kinder than sharp gravel.
Check adult size, especially for plecos
Plecos range from the bristlenose pleco to the common pleco and sailfin pleco, which need several hundred litres. The minimum tank sizes in the table are the quickest check.