Need A New bottomfeeder

pseudoblond

Drawn to Shiny Things
Mar 30, 2004
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Phoenix, Az
elfwood.lysator.liu.se
I've got a 7 inch clown knife i a 29 gallon tank that keeps killing bottom feeders. I had a red tailed shark that worked good but he bullied and picked at the knife so I had to move him. My knife is messy and I need a bf for the tank badly. I have 1 bala shark in there with him right now who's been his tank buddy since they were little and the knife killed everybody else. Does anyone have a suggestion for a bf that coulkd hold his own against the knife without being too aggressive? Would a few loaches work? I have plenty of cover for them. The knife is not aggressive towards plecos, but they don't help the floor.;) Thanks!!
 
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I really can't recommend anything for that size tank. With the knife, it's pretty full as is. Adding another fish, especially one that competes for the same turf, will likely cuase more problems down the line.

Ghost shrimp, though they will be eaten, might help--they will pick through the substrate, cleaning, until they are eaten. Otherwise, manual removal of uneaten food and wastes is your best bet, IMO.
 
I agree abou the tank size. That ghost will get pretty crowded sooner or later, but if you move up in tank size, Asian catfish tend to make good bfs. They are less agressive (compared to SA ones) and clean house on anything they can find. I haven't seen a leftover piece of food since i moved a butter cat into my tank. he holds his own with a few pike cichlids and birchers and leaves my knife well enough alone. Funny though, my clown knife is the timid one of the tank. He's starting to outgrow everyone, so he may come out of his shell eventually.
 
Two Words: Horseface Loach. (Or is that three words?)

They swim through the gravel to escape, (you'll have heck ever catching them with a net.) And they're tough buggers. They sit on the bottom and scavenge exclusively (they don't swim up when food is coming in). You may not see them a whole lot, but I'll guarantee you no fish will get at them, they're fast as greased lightnin, and scoot under the gravel at the first sign of danger.

They are sometimes difficult to find in fish stores, good luck.
 
the only thing i could think of was to get a iradesent catfish....they are pretty tough
 
why not get ridda the clown and get a ghost knife instead?

both get enormous so...

there is a fish store in Jersey that has a clown knife thats just over 2 feet long...crazy looking at that size
 
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