bottom feeder needed

[smudge]

Hi, I need some advice about some bottom feeders that will help keep the bottom of my tank clean. I currently have a 55 gallon grow out tank. I have 2 very messy eating oscars, 1 awanna, 1 clown knife, 1 asian needle, 3 yellow snails, 1 raphael cat, 1 black knife, a 5 inch pleco, 2 chidlids, a red tailed shark, some ugly brown bottom feeder I can't name but call him scaredy cat, 2 angels, a dragon fish, 2 blue guaramies and about 4 to 5 feeder fish (at any given time). All the inhabitants are currently under 6 inches and I know I will need to move most to a 150 possibly 225 gallon in less than 6 months. The water quality is excellent and clear.
My problem is the only inhabitants that will feed off the bottom is my pleco and the snails though these seem much more interested in feeding off the rocks in the tank. Scaredy cat, ret tailed shark, and the raphel cat never come out of the rock formation and I plan to move them to my 40 gallon community tank. I've thought about a few clown loachs and moving the snails. But I've never had loachs. HELP!!! I swear unless its blood worm Most of the food my oscars eat comes out their gills and ends up on the bottom. I'm having to do 5 gallon water changes every other day just to vaccume up the food they leave behind.

 

[DizzyDezzy]

your cats are likely to come out and feed at night, when you can't see them. most catfish are nocturnal...

 

[MamaPish]

I have 5 corys in my 55 gal and they take very good care of the food on the bottom.........love watching them too!

 

[CFC]

Firstly Dizzy is right about cats being nocturnal,they will only come out once the lights are out secondly raphel cats (is yours spotted or striped?) are better kept in groups of 3 or more (preferably 4-6),dont get me wrong you still wont see much of them but they do like to have company plus IMHO Doras (raphel cats)are some of the best tank bottom cleaners there are,you can never have too many

If you are having to vacume every other day then you are putting in too much food,cut down what you feed by half and if they are still hungry they will go look for the left overs on the bottom.

Please dont think i am trying to tell you how to keep your fish but that list makes for some highly unsuitable tankmates are you planning on seperating them soon or was you going to keep them together when you upgrade tank size?