Fresh Water Detritivores

[noodles]

Just pondering the question as per the title? Saltwater aquariums seem to have lots of options on this, but is there any sort of creature that is readily available for the tropical freshwater aquarium that can carry out this job?

I know there are various shrimps, but they tend to eat the algae and remains of uneaten fish food rather than the actual waste. I suppose some snails might too. but not sure really. any ideas? or is it just the good old bacteria that we are left with to do our recycling?

 

[kniesh]

I don't think there is anything available in the trade that actually eats the waste. The best solution is to get things that play around in the substrate and break up the waste. Shrimps, snails, Corries and Hoplo Cats are the best I find. With the Hoplos and Cories it's best there isn't that much though as this can harm them if they are constantly playing in poo.

 

[paul-discus]

Aquarium hoover is the only thing i can think of.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

yup, a siphon

nah you can get fish and inverts that eat algae and uneaten waste but nothing eats poop

 

[noodles]

yup, a siphon

nah you can get fish and inverts that eat algae and uneaten waste but nothing eats poop

ah well but some marine things do! things such as sea cucumbers, some urchins and stars do precisely that! They take in vast quantities of poop, process it to get every little last bit of tasty matter out of it, and then poop out the rest! lovely.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

yup, a siphon

nah you can get fish and inverts that eat algae and uneaten waste but nothing eats poop

ah well but some marine things do! things such as sea cucumbers, some urchins and stars do precisely that! They take in vast quantities of poop, process it to get every little last bit of tasty matter out of it, and then poop out the rest! lovely.

yup i know, but sadly there's no FW equivalent