Biggest Waste Producer

[ncguppy830]

awnser what you think

 

[Blondielovesfish]

Goldfish. Plecos being a close second.
It does depend on the specie of Pleco though. i.e Comet Goldfish Vs. Common Pleco = Common Pleco producing more waste.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Loaded question, which goldfish species and which species of the >1200 Loricariidae {plec family} (http/www.planetcatfish.com/common/family.php?family_id=4) are we talking about as well as their size at any given time?
 
Some goldfish types reach ~30cm SL in outdoor ponds, but they will be dwarfed by the likes of ~45cm SL Gibbiceps Plecs. 

 

[ncguppy830]

both in general

 

[DreamertK]

Goldfish are coldwater fish while plecos are warm water fish. The warmer the environment, the faster cells work creating a greater metabolism and therefore producing more waste.

 

[KirkyArcher]

From the two I'd say Plecs, but In my experience and based on their size my amano shrimp leave the most obvious largest quantities of Poop in the tank.

 

[ncguppy830]

if plecos are big waste producers what the point of them being bottom feeders for aquariums , like algae eaters i suppose?

 

[KirkyArcher]

They are usually bought/sold as problem solvers IE Algae eaters, which they do well, lots of algae available = lots of food = lots of poo. 

 

[ncguppy830]

ok but what takes care of the waste so whats the point

 

[KirkyArcher]

Bacteria then take care of this waste as it decomposes it produces ammonia and so the importance of having suitable amounts Biological filter media to cope with it all.

 

[MBOU]

There is absolutely no point in buying a plec to just eat algae!
 
The more algae the plec eats, the more it poops and the more it poops, the higher the nutrient levels and nitrates are in the tank which means the algae will grow faster.... which means the plec eats even more which means he poops even more.....
 
You just go round and round in a vicious circle.

 

[ncguppy830]

so would snails be a better "bottom feeder" than plecos?

 

[MBOU]

Really not much point in 'bottom feeders' if you expect them to do much...
 
Personally, things like Khuli Loaches, Cories, Pygmy Cories etc are great for clearing through uneaten food. Zebra Nerite and Ramshorn (pink ones!) Snails and Algae Shrimp are good for controlling algae on stones/wood/plants etc...
 
And for the glass... Otos if you have to have a fish... but really there is little point in expecting a fish to clean the glass, at best... all it's going to do is leave little sucker mouth prints in a trail through the algae and you will still need to clean the glass anyway (by which point the fish go hungry until it grows back). 
 
Better off trying to figure out why you have algae in the first place and fix that problem. It will be an imbalance between lighting, nutrients and co2.