Fish Poo

Libbyd23 · Mar 21, 2011

Hi all

Anyone have any suggestions on how to reduce the amount of fish poo?! I have recently upgraded to a 125l aquarium and changed from gravel to sand substrate. It looked great when I originally set it up, but now it's fully cycled and I've started stocking - the fish poo is so obvious! I've got a good external filter and good aeration in the tank and do my weekly water changes - but I really could get carried away and use the gravel cleaner everyday but I obviously wouldn't do that.

Are there any additions I could get that eat poo by any chance? Like shrimp or snails? I already have assassin snails but they don't eat the poo.

The poo is only bothering me aesthetically, but isn't affecting my water quality as all is good there and the fish are healthy.

I look forward to your replies to my poo problem :lol:

LibbyD23

lilfishie · Mar 21, 2011

nothing will eat poo, unless you have a fish that poos alot (plecos spring to mind) then i wouldn't worry about it too much, you will get used to it :lol:

Libbyd23 · Mar 21, 2011

Funny you should say that - I have bristlenose plecos and I can't believe how much they poo! Compared to other fish I've had I've never noticed it before, I just assumed it was because I had a light coloured substrate. Oh well, nevermind - I'll get used to it!

lilfishie · Mar 21, 2011

how did i know, plecos are poo machienes

with a decent filter (which you have) i wouldn't worry about it too much, i just get dead spots in mine where i get a pile mainly under the wood so its out of sight anyway

Bignose · Mar 22, 2011

Bacteria breaks down solid waste in nature, but that does take time. No higher being is going to get much nutritional value from solid waste -- it is waste because a higher being's body already decided it couldn't use what was in it. Occasionally, there will be an animal that will consume solid waste, but that is almost always indicative of some nutrient deficiency or other health issue -- again higher beings are just simply not designed to consume solid waste.

hillmar77 · Mar 22, 2011

plants consume poo. The more plants you have, the more it consumes!! You can see it all stuck there in the tangled roots sometimes. :lol:

Bignose · Mar 22, 2011

hillmar77 said:
plants consume poo.

As wonderfully interesting as plants are, they aren't really considered a "higher life form". That said, this is a very good answer -- Diana Walstad's El Naturel planted tank methods rely on the fish waste being the source of plant fertilizer.

felicity1111 · Mar 22, 2011

Libbyd23 said:
Hi all

Anyone have any suggestions on how to reduce the amount of fish poo?! I have recently upgraded to a 125l aquarium and changed from gravel to sand substrate. It looked great when I originally set it up, but now it's fully cycled and I've started stocking - the fish poo is so obvious! I've got a good external filter and good aeration in the tank and do my weekly water changes - but I really could get carried away and use the gravel cleaner everyday but I obviously wouldn't do that.

Are there any additions I could get that eat poo by any chance? Like shrimp or snails? I already have assassin snails but they don't eat the poo.

The poo is only bothering me aesthetically, but isn't affecting my water quality as all is good there and the fish are healthy.

I look forward to your replies to my poo problem

LibbyD23

hey im new here so idk if im doing it right
anyway try a sucker fish (alge eater)
or 2 try it and see what happens

lilfishie · Mar 23, 2011

Bignose said:
hillmar77 said:

plants consume poo.

Click to expand...

As wonderfully interesting as plants are, they aren't really considered a "higher life form". That said, this is a very good answer -- Diana Walstad's El Naturel planted tank methods rely on the fish waste being the source of plant fertilizer.