Clean-up crew for my 72g tank

[superstein61]

NJ Devils fan - well I am a big fan of Clown Loaches - and IMO if you get the ones that are 1" to 2 1/2" now - you won't have any problem for 4 or 5 years. they do get big but they do grow slowly. I have had 3 in a 29 gallon that started around 1" and in 2+ years grew to the 2" to 2 1/2" range.

So, I say get the clowns - and if in 4 or 5 years they get too big, then trade them in at your LFS. A lot can happen in 4 or 5 years.

BTW - In my new tank (the same 72 gallon bowfront) I have decided on 2 bristlenose and 5 or 6 clowns (plus one existing yo-yo loach) as my cleanup crew. the bristlenose because the clowns I have had don't really touch the algae - and the clowns (who by the way love bloodworms) because I enjoy them a lot and they do scour the bottom picking up food that has fallen there.

good luck

 

[csmaster]

the common plec will most likely not get anymore than 12" max, the bristlenoses will get 5-6" max, the clown loached IMO will get 6-7" tops, but theres a possibility of getting to 12" each! You should still have plenty of room left in the tank for other fish also

 

[punch]

Just to let you know, clown loach prices do depend on size. Probably becouse they do grow so slowley. So you can get 2" loaches for 4.oo while a 3" loach will cost 8.00 and 4" loach can
cost 16.00! Of couse this all depends on where you live.
I saw a 4" loach on aquabid that someone wanted 50.00 for!
I thought that a little high but I could see a 6" going for that easily.

 

[rohai]

bristlenose

I don't know much about the other fish you listed but my experience with my bristlenose has been good. I have one 5 inch bristlenose that has kept my 45 gallon so free of algae that on average over the last 5 years I only have to the clean the front glass once every three to four months. I have heard that they are also one of the only plecos that will eat the hair-like algae, though I have never had a problem with it.