What would be the best clean up crew?

[Joeyt66]

Just wondering what would be the best clean up crew you could put in a tank? I have a common plec and a chinese algae eater which dont be seeming to do the job. What could i get to help clean the bottom ottos? corries?.........

 

[SirMinion]

The best clean up crew is a siphon vaccuum and a bucket.

 

[Joeyt66]

besides me.

 

[LoachLover]

The best clean up crew is a siphon vaccuum and a bucket.

Not quite what he meant, but you're right



Cories are a good bottom cleaner and so are a lot of species of loaches. Just remember to give them their own food, not just scraps the other fish don't eat.

 

[colegamby]

id get a school of corries. neat little fish

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Um, chinese algae eater i.e sucker fish?? You should get him a tank of his own soon, as they have a tendancy to become highly vicious and teritorial when they get bigger, he will also probably out compete the plec for food as he grows as they are very efficient algae eaters.

 

[freddyk]

The best thing I've kept for cleaning up the extras from the bottom in smaller tanks is Amano shrimp.

 

[One_Trick_Pony]

cories have such personality tho hey really are great ittle fsh

 

[Paul_MTS]

cories have such personality tho hey really are great ittle fsh

little fish being the keyword here.....if there for your 135g with the ID sharks then they will most likely eat the cories.

not too sure what you could add really it's hard stocking around a CAE and ID sharks.

 

[rdd1952]

Um, chinese algae eater i.e sucker fish?? You should get him a tank of his own soon, as they have a tendancy to become highly vicious and teritorial when they get bigger, he will also probably out compete the plec for food as he grows as they are very efficient algae eaters.

I will second the thought about moving the CAE from that tank, especially with flat-bodied fish like gouramis. The CAE will try to suck the slime coat off them and kill them. If you are just looking for something just to clean up leftover food, corys are the way to go.

 

[Iron Man]

If after taking out the sharks and CAE you want a good clean up crew get you some malaysian trumpet snails, amano shrimp, and cory cats.

 

[sunflower]

My cories and amano shrimp do a great job of cleaning up after the other fish in my tank. Also my bristlenose plecs clean the glass for me too!

 

[jimw13uk]

What about the same question for a Cichlid Tank - are malaysian trumpet snails, amano shrimp, and cory cats ok in a cichlid tank or are they easy pickings.
I have an L200 Plec in there at the mo and hes fine but i would like a few more cleaners if possible

 

[Iron Man]

Its according to what kind of cichlids...I wouldn't have any of those in there with african cichlids....they will get torn to shreds....accept maybe the trumpet snails. They only come out at night and burrow in the substrate during the day.

 

[jimw13uk]

thats what I thought - I have 2 cichlid tanks - one with New Worlds in and the other is for Africans