Bottom dwellers
The lower third of a tank is a floor plan, not a leftover. Stocking it well is about footprint and substrate rather than volume: a corydoras group needs sand and length far more than it needs litres, and a bare gravel floor wears their barbels away.
Why these
Species whose main swimming zone is the bottom.
107 species

Bronze Corydoras
Corydoras aeneus
7 cm · 22–28 °C · ≥ 75 l

Malaysian Trumpet Snail
Melanoides tuberculata
2.5 cm · 18–30 °C · ≥ 10 l

Peppered Corydoras
Corydoras paleatus
7 cm · 16–26 °C · ≥ 75 l

Amano Shrimp
Caridina multidentata
5 cm · 18–28 °C · ≥ 40 l

Assassin Snail
Anentome helena
2.5 cm · 20–28 °C · ≥ 38 l

Blue Acara
Andinoacara pulcher
16 cm · 22–28 °C · ≥ 150 l

Blue Velvet Shrimp
Neocaridina davidi
3.5 cm · 18–28 °C · ≥ 19 l

Bristlenose Pleco
Ancistrus cf. cirrhosus
13 cm · 22–28 °C · ≥ 110 l

Cherry Shrimp
Neocaridina davidi
3.5 cm · 15–30 °C · ≥ 19 l

Chinese Algae Eater
Gyrinocheilus aymonieri
28 cm · 20–28 °C · ≥ 300 l

Cuckoo Catfish
Synodontis multipunctatus
15 cm · 22–27 °C · ≥ 200 l

Doctor Fish
Garra rufa
14 cm · 15–28 °C · ≥ 240 l

Dojo (Weather) Loach
Misgurnus anguillicaudatus
25 cm · 5–25 °C · ≥ 200 l

Dwarf Orange Crayfish
Cambarellus patzcuarensis
5 cm · 16–28 °C · ≥ 40 l

Dwarf Petricola Catfish
Synodontis lucipinnis
8 cm · 22–27 °C · ≥ 100 l

Emerald Cory
Corydoras splendens
9 cm · 22–28 °C · ≥ 120 l

Firemouth Cichlid
Thorichthys meeki
17 cm · 22–30 °C · ≥ 150 l

Ghost Shrimp
Palaemonetes paludosus
5 cm · 18–28 °C · ≥ 40 l

Golden Dwarf Cichlid
Nannacara anomala
8 cm · 22–27 °C · ≥ 80 l

Japanese Trapdoor Snail
Cipangopaludina japonica
5 cm · 2–28 °C · ≥ 40 l

Julii Cory
Corydoras julii
5.5 cm · 20–26 °C · ≥ 60 l

Kribensis
Pelvicachromis pulcher
10 cm · 24–28 °C · ≥ 75 l

Kuhli Loach
Pangio kuhlii
10 cm · 24–28 °C · ≥ 75 l

Maingano Cichlid
Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos
10 cm · 23–28 °C · ≥ 180 l

Panda Corydoras
Corydoras panda
5 cm · 20–25 °C · ≥ 60 l

Port Cichlid
Cichlasoma portalegrense
13 cm · 16–26 °C · ≥ 150 l

Rainbow Cichlid
Herotilapia multispinosa
12 cm · 22–30 °C · ≥ 110 l

Salt and Pepper Cory
Corydoras habrosus
3.5 cm · 20–26 °C · ≥ 40 l

Spotted Hoplo
Megalechis thoracata
15.5 cm · 18–28 °C · ≥ 200 l

Sterbai Corydoras
Corydoras sterbai
6.5 cm · 23–30 °C · ≥ 75 l

Upside-down Catfish
Synodontis nigriventris
9.6 cm · 22–28 °C · ≥ 110 l

African Butterfly Cichlid
Anomalochromis thomasi
8 cm · 23–28 °C · ≥ 90 l

Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid
Apistogramma agassizii
8 cm · 23–29 °C · ≥ 90 l

Bamboo Shrimp
Atyopsis moluccensis
8 cm · 22–29 °C · ≥ 75 l

Banjo Catfish
Bunocephalus coracoideus
12 cm · 20–28 °C · ≥ 70 l

Blue Tiger Shrimp
Caridina cantonensis
3 cm · 18–25 °C · ≥ 38 l

Bolivian Ram
Mikrogeophagus altispinosus
8 cm · 22–27 °C · ≥ 110 l

Brevis Shell Dweller
Neolamprologus brevis
6 cm · 23–27 °C · ≥ 40 l

Buffalohead Cichlid
Steatocranus casuarius
12 cm · 24–28 °C · ≥ 110 l

Calvus Cichlid
Altolamprologus calvus
13 cm · 23–27 °C · ≥ 200 l

Clown Pleco
Panaqolus maccus
9 cm · 22–28 °C · ≥ 75 l

Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid
Apistogramma cacatuoides
8 cm · 24–29 °C · ≥ 90 l

Compressiceps Cichlid
Altolamprologus compressiceps
13 cm · 24–28 °C · ≥ 200 l

Congo Dwarf Cichlid
Nanochromis parilus
8 cm · 22–26 °C · ≥ 90 l

Cylindricus Cichlid
Neolamprologus cylindricus
11 cm · 23–28 °C · ≥ 110 l

Demon Eartheater
Satanoperca jurupari
20 cm · 22–29 °C · ≥ 450 l

Dwarf Chain Loach
Ambastaia sidthimunki
5.5 cm · 22–30 °C · ≥ 90 l

Dwarf Flag Cichlid
Laetacara curviceps
8 cm · 22–29 °C · ≥ 90 l

Ellioti Cichlid
Thorichthys ellioti
15 cm · 22–28 °C · ≥ 200 l

Featherfin Squeaker
Synodontis eupterus
20 cm · 22–27 °C · ≥ 200 l

Five-bar Cichlid
Neolamprologus tretocephalus
15 cm · 23–27 °C · ≥ 200 l

Golden Julie
Julidochromis ornatus
8 cm · 23–27 °C · ≥ 90 l

Lemon Cichlid
Neolamprologus leleupi
10 cm · 23–27 °C · ≥ 110 l

Macmasteri Dwarf Cichlid
Apistogramma macmasteri
7 cm · 23–28 °C · ≥ 75 l

Marlieri Cichlid
Julidochromis marlieri
13 cm · 23–27 °C · ≥ 110 l

Masked Julie
Julidochromis transcriptus
7 cm · 23–27 °C · ≥ 75 l

Multifasciatus Shell Dweller
Neolamprologus multifasciatus
4.5 cm · 24–27 °C · ≥ 45 l

Ocellatus Shell Dweller
Neolamprologus ocellatus
6 cm · 23–27 °C · ≥ 40 l

Ornate Bichir
Polypterus ornatipinnis
60 cm · 24–30 °C · ≥ 650 l

Paraguay Eartheater
Gymnogeophagus balzanii
20 cm · 15–27 °C · ≥ 250 l

Pictus Catfish
Pimelodus pictus
13 cm · 22–26 °C · ≥ 240 l

Polka Dot Loach
Botia kubotai
15 cm · 22–28 °C · ≥ 200 l

Rabbit Snail
Tylomelania gemmifera
8 cm · 22–30 °C · ≥ 75 l

Rainbow Shark
Epalzeorhynchos frenatum
15 cm · 20–27 °C · ≥ 200 l

Red-Tail Shark
Epalzeorhynchos bicolor
13 cm · 20–26 °C · ≥ 200 l

Regan's Julie
Julidochromis regani
15 cm · 23–27 °C · ≥ 180 l

Reticulated Flying Fox
Crossocheilus reticulatus
17 cm · 16–24 °C · ≥ 365 l

Rostratus
Fossorochromis rostratus
28 cm · 23–29 °C · ≥ 450 l

Royal Pleco
Panaque nigrolineatus
43 cm · 22–30 °C · ≥ 500 l

Sailfin Pleco
Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps
50 cm · 23–28 °C · ≥ 680 l

Scarlet Badis
Dario dario
2.5 cm · 18–26 °C · ≥ 30 l

Similis Shell Dweller
Neolamprologus similis
5 cm · 23–28 °C · ≥ 45 l

Star Sapphire
Placidochromis phenochilus
25 cm · 23–28 °C · ≥ 450 l

Striped Kribensis
Pelvicachromis taeniatus
8.5 cm · 22–28 °C · ≥ 75 l

Striped Raphael Catfish
Platydoras armatulus
24 cm · 23–30 °C · ≥ 200 l

Sveni Eartheater
Geophagus sveni
20 cm · 23–30 °C · ≥ 300 l

Thai Micro Crab
Limnopilos naiyanetri
2.5 cm · 21–28 °C · ≥ 20 l

Threadfin Acara
Acarichthys heckelii
20 cm · 24–30 °C · ≥ 300 l

Umbrella Dwarf Cichlid
Apistogramma borellii
6.5 cm · 18–28 °C · ≥ 75 l

Yoyo Loach
Botia almorhae
15 cm · 20–28 °C · ≥ 200 l

Borneo Sucker
Gastromyzon ctenocephalus
4.5 cm · 20–24 °C · ≥ 60 l

Brichard's Teleogramma
Teleogramma brichardi
11 cm · 20–28 °C · ≥ 110 l

Bumblebee Goby
Brachygobius doriae
4 cm · 22–29 °C · ≥ 40 l

Butterfly Hillstream Loach
Beaufortia leveretti
12 cm · 18–24 °C · ≥ 120 l

Checkerboard Cichlid
Dicrossus filamentosus
9 cm · 24–30 °C · ≥ 75 l

Clown Loach
Chromobotia macracanthus
30 cm · 24–30 °C · ≥ 530 l

Crystal Red Shrimp
Caridina cantonensis
3 cm · 18–26 °C · ≥ 38 l

Elephantnose Fish
Gnathonemus petersii
25 cm · 22–28 °C · ≥ 250 l

Endlicheri Bichir
Polypterus endlicherii
75 cm · 22–28 °C · ≥ 1,000 l

Freshwater Clam
Corbicula fluminea
4 cm · 18–28 °C · ≥ 40 l

Frontosa
Cyphotilapia frontosa
33 cm · 23–27 °C · ≥ 450 l

Goby Cichlid
Eretmodus cyanostictus
8.5 cm · 24–28 °C · ≥ 110 l

Pike Cichlid
Crenicichla lugubris
40 cm · 24–30 °C · ≥ 1,000 l

Reticulated Hillstream Loach
Sewellia lineolata
6 cm · 20–25 °C · ≥ 75 l

Sand-sifting Xenotilapia
Xenotilapia spilopterus
10 cm · 23–27 °C · ≥ 250 l

Sulawesi Cardinal Shrimp
Caridina dennerli
2.5 cm · 25–30 °C · ≥ 20 l

Threadfin Petrochromis
Petrochromis trewavasae
18 cm · 23–27 °C · ≥ 450 l

Vampire Shrimp
Atya gabonensis
15 cm · 22–29 °C · ≥ 75 l

Zebra Pleco
Hypancistrus zebra
8 cm · 26–30 °C · ≥ 90 l
Venezuelan Cory
Corydoras venezuelanus
6.5 cm · 21–28 °C · ≥ 75 l
Agassiz's Cory
Corydoras agassizii
6 cm · 21–27 °C · ≥ 70 l
Common Pleco
Pterygoplichthys pardalis
55 cm · 23–28 °C · ≥ 680 l
Little Corydoras
Corydoras nanus
5 cm · 22–26 °C · ≥ 60 l
Red Whiptail Catfish
Rineloricaria sp. 'Red'
12 cm · 22–28 °C · ≥ 80 l
Rubber Lip Pleco
Chaetostoma formosae
10.5 cm · 18–26 °C · ≥ 110 l
Skunk Cory
Corydoras arcuatus
5.5 cm · 20–28 °C · ≥ 70 l
Adonis Pleco
Acanthicus adonis
100 cm · 23–30 °C · ≥ 2,000 l
Which of these go together?
A list tells you what is possible on its own. Whether three of them share a tank without one eating another — and whether your volume, temperature and hardness actually allow it — is what the planner works out.
Open the planner