FishProfiles.com Message Forums

What fish or creature is the best for cleaning the bottom of ur tank? Getting all the yuky stuff out.

A gravel vacuum.

While many bottom feeders will eat leftover food bits, they shouldn't be purchased for the purpose of cleaning the bottom. Dead plant matter usually won't be touched, nor will fish waste be eaten (of course). Of all the gunk that hits the bottom of a tank, food (dead tankmates are included) is the only thing that most bottom feeders eat. The rest is going to just decay and get nastier. Not only that, but any bottom feeders are going to add their own waste to the mix. That would make the problem worse. If you want any bottom-dwelling fish, want them because they are cool, not because they "clean".

---

And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

i agree with books in that the only answer is a gravel vacuum. bottom feeders will eat leftover food, but they should have their own food in the form of pellets or somethink that sinks. and bottom-feeders, like any fish will add to the mess with their own waste.

--------------------------
Billy was a scientist, Billy is no more. For what he thought was H20, was H2SO4

Agree with the other 2 posters and would add eco complete which breaks down waste and feeds it to any plants which are in there.

As already stated above, you must clean your tank & not the bottom feeders.

Other than that, Corydoras & Loaches are very popular bottom feeders & i prefer the Corydoras, but you must feed them food & not leaving them the left over food only.



http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/s8xi5heh/my_photos
http://www.geocities.com/s8xi5heh/classic_blue.html
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/buzaqq/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/corydoras/
Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970.
http://www.maltaaquarist.com

yes i understand that, however, its nice to have a fish that helps out abit. I asked for the best not the the one that does all the work. a fish that is cleaner then most yet does eat alot of the snails, food or plant matter.

What size tank do you have and what other fish are in there?

Do you currently have snails in there that you want to get rid of?

ya i have lots of common snails i want rid of

i already am playing my cards in my tank of 29 gal

but thinking of trading some fish

The two loaches that are best known for eating snails are clown laoches and yoyo loaches but for the long term they are not suited for small tanks. Clowns loaches will grow up to 12 inches should be kept in groups. Yoyos grow to 4.5 inches and 3 or more seems to be the recommended number. You could try a single yoyo and see.

Another option would be to try either Dojo (weather) loaches or kuhli loaches. Both are bottom feeder and have been known to eat snails.

Hope that helps.

i also was looking at the goldzebra loach

That is an option, but again they are schooling loaches. Optimal in numbers of six or more which would be way too much for your given setup.

I would try a weather loach or kuhli loach if you are only getting one.

but they both get nice and big so i couldnt keep him for too long just long enough for the snails to be gone. I think i can get away with just 3 Yoyos

buy fishes only if u want to rear them..dont buy them just for the sake of cleaning those snails]:|

its nice to have fish that help the eco system too

then arent u in the ecosystem as well? rearing fish is a hobby..not some 'garbage collecting'...ALL fishes do not eat wastes

never said they did, but all the fish have a purpose. just curious what bottom feeder does the best job at getting rid of snails or food at the bottom. Nothing wrong with that. I buy fish for a few reasons combined

very cool fish all my fish are cool
help the ecosystem
-top feeders
-mid feeders
-bottom feeders
-alge eater

and dont hinder the other fish

so is it so bad to want that in a fish?

sure im part of it but so are they