Freshwater "clean up crew"?

[malexikeander]

Hi all!

I'm wondering who I can "employ" to cleanup uneaten fish food, random algae, and all of that stuff that collects in the corners. I do water changes and vacuum, and have a fairly well planted tank, but I think it'll be neat to have some sort of a cycle in my tank.

I've heard that rubber mouthed plecos, cherry shrimp and snails were usefull, but I'm not sure I have enough (haha!) algae to feed even one pleco!

 

[rsanz]

Good question. I'd like to know this as well!

 

[TropicalNorth]

How big is your tank and what fish do you have?

 

[paku]

If nothing will eat them throw in 10-12 ghost shrimp... Fun to watch, and anything that falls to the bottom wont go to waste at all. They are cheap too!

 

[malexikeander]

I have a 12 gallon tank, so I think plecos might be out (by the 1 inch per gallon rule, a 5 inch rubber mouthed pleco would already cramp up with my seven white clouds. There aren't any other fish in the tank.).

 

[fishcatch22]

first of all, toss that 1-inch gallon rule out the window. there is plenty of room for a rubber LIP pleco in that tank. as for a clean up crew, you have your algae scrubber, your gravel vac, your python.. need I say more? trying to get an animal to take care of your tank cleaning needs is like trying to get a monkey to drive a car. he may do something, but he'll never really be able to actually master it.

 

[budrecki]

Bravo FC22!

 

[fanch313]

I agree with the shrimp...amazing what they will accomplish (and nice to watch too!)

 

[mtiller]

yup yup, sometimes they re-establish their populations also, aaah..the wonders of ghost shrimp :

 

[Dangerdoll]

you might want to consider a trio of Otocynclus. They will keep a handle on your algae but keep in mind that once it is gone and it will be rather quickly, they will need a supplement.