Bottom Feeders For Coarse Substrate?

[newfishaddict]

My situation in my tank now is that any food that sinks to the bottom is just going to stay there and rot because the fish I have in the tank now only feed in the mid to high level of the tank. I am aware of stocking a tank with bottom, mid, and top dwellers. I want some kind of fish(s) that is/are a bottom feeder(s) to eat food that falls to the bottom (no plecos unless there are "dwarf" plecos less than 10cm), but I know about corries sensitive barbells and I am wondering if there are some other bottom feeders that will be more suited to my tank because of my coarse gravel. My substrate is about 1 to 1.5 cm in diamater, most of it is relatively smooth but about 1% of the substrate is rather sharp and rough....I also have a very strong current in the upper portion of the 55g tank tank.....

 

[SkiFletch]

Cories, shrimp, or Ottos would be your best bet. Cories are the hardiest and easiest to keep. A school of 3 or more should do for you. Same goes for Ottos but the can be difficult to acclimate to new tanks. However in mature ones they thrive. I dont have a lot of personal experience with shrimp, but I hear they make excellent bottom feeders

 

[yvez9]

otos eat algea and nothing else... they are not scavengers.

shrimps could work to some extent but cories remain your best bet. I have aenus cories with medium gravel. Unless your gravel has sharp edges, they won't hurt themselves

 

[The-Wolf]

My substrate is about 1 to 1.5 cm in diamater, most of it is relatively smooth but about 1% of the substrate is rather sharp and rough

I belive that kuhlies would be your best bet.
cories may find the sharp pieces and cause problems with their barbles.

 

[osteoporoosi]

I would not go with corys or kuhlis, that are much happier in a fine sand substrate. Shrimps and bristlenose plecos (grow up to 13cm) don't mind the rough substrate.

 

[sylvia]

I agree, avoid cories if you have coarse gravel. However, your problem is much more simply solved by feeding less to your existing fish and doing a gravel vacuum each week when you do a water change. Also, whichever bottom-dweller you were to add, it won't live off leftovers alone. It has to be fed its own food daily.

edit: I just edited twice due to spelling mistakes!!!

 

[laurasmithuk]

i have two amano shrimp and they clean up real good