Bottom Feeder/scavenger For Betta Community Tank

[LunaBug]

I've noticed that my community tank, which houses my betta, is in desperate need of a bottom feeder or scavenger. Narcissus(the betta) is a bit of a pig and his tank mates are very similar in their eating habits. I try to get most of the food before it hits the gravel but Im not always successful, and my gravel vac tends to be lack luster when it comes to getting all their left over crumbs they've decided to spit out.

I'd like to avoid snails if possible. Since I have gravel I know corys are out since it'll damage their barbels. I have a 8gallon tank. Any suggestions?

 

[Ninjouzata]

Any particular reason you're avoiding snails? They'd be your best bet I think.

 

[LunaBug]

I've had bad experiences with snail explosions in the past and would rather not go down that road again. Plus since Im working with live plants it seems like there could be some issues. Would a few otos possibly work?

 

[Tongue_Flicker]

Snail explosions?! Now that's something that i haven't seen before

 

[LunaBug]

It started with a single snail and next thing I knew there were about 20 of them in the tank and I don't know how many that had managed to burn out the filter. I don't know if Im like the snail fertility goddess or what but since then I've avoided snails whenever possible.

 

[Ninjouzata]

I wouldn't do the otos since they need to be in groups. I've also heard they're a bit difficult to keep alive.
 
You could get nerites, as their eggs don't hatch in freshwater. They seem to be the most popular/best cleaners.
Well, have heard of them sometimes hatching but I think that's really rare
 
Rabbit snails don't "explode" as they only produce one baby at a time.
Here is a thread with them http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/424772-betta-tank-upgrade-fluval-spec-19-litre/
 
Mystery snails are large so you could just get one & not have to worry about it reproducing.

 

[LunaBug]

I will think abou possibly a nerite but Id still rather have a fish of some sort vs. an invert.

 

[hobby5]

8G? There are is no fish I can recommend for your purpose, especially if you want to house it together with a betta in such a small tank. Snails are your best choice. An "explosion" is usually a sign for too much food. Your Betta should eat everything you feed. If he cannot, because it does not find it you should change your food to flakes which float and do not sink. Or feed less so it is forced to seek all out.

 

[LunaBug]

My betta hasthe bad habit of spitting his food onto the plants and then knocking it off with his tail. The other fish in with him are top dwellers so while they try to eat everything they can there is always some that manages to fall before they get to it. With their current feeding schedule they aren't being over fed and I don't foresee any amazingly traumatizing fluctuations in their water chemistry, with the exception of a faulty ornament that was leaking toxic levels of ammonia into the water. That's why Im trying to find a bottom dwelling fish or scavenger.

 

[Wildbetta]

8G? There are is no fish I can recommend for your purpose, especially if you want to house it together with a betta in such a small tank. Snails are your best choice. An "explosion" is usually a sign for too much food. Your Betta should eat everything you feed. If he cannot, because it does not find it you should change your food to flakes which float and do not sink. Or feed less so it is forced to seek all out.

 
Bettas should not be fed flake food if at all possible.  Bettas are very easily constipated and bloated and big piggys.  Flakes are hard to control the amount of food the betta actually consumes as well as fouling up the tank with leftover food. 
 
There is no bottom feeder that is acceptable for your size tank that is a fish unfortunately.  Otos are not bottom feeders so they will not do you any good with leftover food.  Your tank is not big enough for corys even if you had sand for substrate. Snails are your best option in this case.  If you do not want them breeding out of control, get a nerite snail or a single mystery snail.  
 
Ultimately though if you are having leftover food, you need to not feed as much.  I know that food will fall into the gravel at times but if you are having enough that it is bothering you then you need to change types of food or feed a good deal less.  The betta will do better with floating pellets.  The other fish that are in the tank with him (what are they by the way?) might do better with a floating food as well.  Floating foods help keep the food from falling before the fish have a chance to eat it.  You also have to think about the fact that any other creature you add to the tank also adds to the bioload so even though you might get an answer to one problem it will end up causing another one.

 

[bigcheed]

nerite snails wouldent help you either. they only eat algae not left overs. amano shrimps on the other hand are the bomb when it comes to cleaning up your tank. they are too big for your betta to eat as well.

 

[LunaBug]

I currently have a school of white clouds in with my betta. The betta itself refuses to eat pellets, I've gone through several different brands, sizes, and combinations. Right now I'm feeding him Tetrafin Betta Flakes w/ dried brine shrimp. He hasn't had any issues with bloating or other digestive issues. The white clouds get aqueon tropical flakes and occasionally the betta will get into theirs as well. Like I said earlier, my betta has a habit of purposefully spitting his food onto the rosette sword and then knocks it off with his tail. The food is always gone in 2 minutes or so but the stuff that he's decided to play with ultimately ends up scattered in the plants and gravel making it difficult to clean out.

 

[Wildbetta]

nerite snails wouldent help you either. they only eat algae not left overs. amano shrimps on the other hand are the bomb when it comes to cleaning up your tank. they are too big for your betta to eat as well.

 
True nerites don't eat much leftover material.  Amanos however are not too big for the betta to eat.  They will just kill it and eat it in pieces if they are determined to not live peacefully with it.
 
White clouds are not good tankmates for bettas since they prefer cooler temperatures and bettas are tropical fish needing temperatures of at least 78F to be healthy.  Plus with how active white clouds are, they really need a bigger tank than an 8 gallon. You have been lucky with the freeze dried shrimp as they are a main culprit of bloating in bettas.  Sometimes getting bettas to eat what you want them to is a small battle that if you are persistent, you will win.  If he plays with his flakes then he is not really eating them much.  I suggest switching back to trying him on pellets and maybe soaking them in garlic juice as they tend to like garlic.

 

[bigcheed]

fair comment wild betta. ive just always found my amanos to be too quick and large for my betta to be bothered about. new life spectrum do a great range of pellet food. thier betta formula is a firm favourite of my betta. they float so they keep him intrested till they are all gone. they are only small and and you only need to give him about 3-4 at a time. he also likes tetramin colour crisps. he only gets these once a week though as well as a weekly treat of either live brine shrimp or daphnia.

 

[RCA]

I wouldn't do the otos since they need to be in groups. I've also heard they're a bit difficult to keep alive.
 
You could get nerites, as their eggs don't hatch in freshwater. They seem to be the most popular/best cleaners.
Well, have heard of them sometimes hatching but I think that's really rare

 
Rabbit snails don't "explode"

as they only produce one baby at a time.
Here is a thread with them http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/424772-betta-tank-upgrade-fluval-spec-19-litre/
 
Mystery snails are large so you could just get one & not have to worry about it reproducing.

Thanks for link to my topic, I can assure you that the Rabbit snails do not "explode", and to date I still only have two young from the original three.  They are great snails.
 

nerite snails wouldent help you either. they only eat algae not left overs. amano shrimps on the other hand are the bomb when it comes to cleaning up your tank. they are too big for your betta to eat as well.

I agree re: Amano Shrimps, they are great workers, just make sure they have plenty of space to hide in should they need to.  To date I have not yet seen any of mine disappear due to a Betta, but one did get trod on by a family member when it decided to leave the tank for a walk about!
 
I agree with what Wildbetta says too, re: changing his food etc., and Otos do not clean the substrate, they are algae eaters.  I always buy mine in when they have been in store at least a month, but they are very sensitive to water parameters changing.