Cory cats better than Pictus cats for cleaning?

**cgcaver** · 01-03-2005, 1:50 AM

The guy at my LFS told me that cory cats tend to be better bottom cleaners than pictus cats, and that if I got emerald corys, then they'd get big enough that my O would prolly leave em alone, especially since my O is a baby and would be raised with em.

Any truth to the "cory cats are better cleaners" statement?

**Haggisman** · 01-03-2005, 8:12 AM

Neither corys or pictus should be kept as "cleaners", scraps left by other fish are not enough to sustain them.But he is right in a way, corys tend to be omnivores constantly looking for any edible material in the substrate, picus cats prefer more meaty foods preferring larger pieces of food(they gulp down shrimp and smaller tankmates too) and will ignore foods that corys eat.

**Haggisman** · 01-03-2005, 8:14 AM

Oh and both corys are pictus would most likey become oscar snacks once it outgrows them.

**TKOS** · 01-03-2005, 8:59 AM

Cory's and oscars should never be kept together. Oscars will try to eat anything that fits in their mouth and eventually cories will. Cories have very spiny fins and will stick them out when attacked. This leads to the cory gettign stuck in the oscars mouth and killing both fish. This has happened numerous times to people on this board.

**Swimfins** · 01-03-2005, 9:42 AM

The pictus is even worse. Big spike on top and long barbels on either side. The thought of one of these guys lodged inside an oscar mouth gives me the heebeeejeeebees.....ewwwwie.

If you want something on the bottom, better to get a 'bigger' plecostomus, big enough that your oscar won't bug. Go to planet catfish.com and look up some of the varieties.. There are some nice ones. Some are herbivores some are omnivores. What kind of detritus do you have? Algae? Food bits? You have to feed plecos...but if you don't overfeed, they'll do a pretty nice job of cleaning up leftovers.

**cgcaver** · 01-03-2005, 1:02 PM

My pictus cat is over 4"... its gonna be a LONG time before the oscar (almost 4") even looks at it funny LOL

also... dont pleco's only eat algae and small plant matter? they arent really gonna eat food giblets and stuff are they? and they poop a ton...

**daveedka** · 01-03-2005, 1:15 PM

I've never had an Oscar try to eat a full grown pictus, and I've never kept a little pictus with a big Oscar. Pictus cats get 5-7 inches long and fill out fairly well, unless the oscar is starving I wouldn't be concerned about him attempting to eat a pictus. I have kept pictus cats with my oscars all through the years and never had a problem. Cories however are very dangerous as said.
Either way, cories are far better at clean-up than pictus, but I would not consider a cory for an Oscar tank at all. You might try a lace cat or something along that line, they tend to get bigger, and I'v heard they are good scavengers.
dave

**cgcaver** · 01-03-2005, 2:08 PM

Originally Posted by cgcaver

also... dont pleco's only eat algae and small plant matter? they arent really gonna eat food giblets and stuff are they? and they poop a ton...

??

**lion lover** · 01-03-2005, 2:58 PM

Ive got a 6 inch sailfin pleco and he lives happily with my tiger skin oscar (4 inches) also i have an albino common pleco 2 rams and 2 spotted puffers in my 4ft tank all are happy for the moment but i will have to move some out eventually rams and puffers i think anyway plecos i have in this tank and my other 2 tanks all eat anything and everything that hits the bottom meat or veggy matter

tank 1

sailfin pleco ,common albino pleco,two rams,two spotted puffers and my oscar

tank 2
bigger common pleco,mollies,tiger barbs,gouramis,whiptail cats 2,banjo cat 1,bristle nose pleco,tiretrack eel,neon tetras and glowlight tetras

tank 3

2 small plecos ,3 algae loaches,guppies,1male beta and two females,and a clown loach

tank 4

my babys a lion fish and a porcupine puffer

some tanks are a mixture but all get on and no signs of stress anywhere

**Leopardess** · 01-03-2005, 6:22 PM

As mentioned, as far as the rummaging through the substrate, cories do it more. However, also as mentioned, neither fish should be kept for the purpose of cleaning. Thats what gravel vacs are for; only get the fish if you actually *want* it.

Even emerald cories (which aren't technically corydoras) will be snacks to an oscar. Do not mix them. I doubt I'd even put a pictus in with an oscar unless it was full grown. Mine is adult and is just over 5" I'd say.