Nutrafin Turtle Clean For Fish?!

[LalaCakes]

So, I went to the pet store looking for waste cleaners for my tank, and the guy sold me the nutrafin turtle clean. He told me it was what the company sent their store and that it could be used for fish and does the same thing as any other waste cleaners, but to maybe use smaller doses. The fish guy has been really reliable so far and the pet store is very popular where I live and has a good reputation... but I'm not so sure about using this. I have 2 blue german rams, 4 red eyed tetras and a couple of shrimp and I don't want to throw them off (especially since it took a while to get my water parameters stable) or bring them any harm. Could this product be used in my tank, even if it was intended for turtles?

Also, would cories be compatible with my current fish? I was thinking to get 3 or so.


Thanks in advance for helping!!!

 

[fluttermoth]

I have no idea what you would be wanting to use a 'waste cleaner' for. You should be getting rid of all the waste (or nearly all of it!) by syphoning it out during your water changes

If you're not, I would suggest that your water quality (and thus your fish) will be suffering and you should do some more!

How big is your tank and how long has it been set up?

 

[LalaCakes]

Thanks for the reply. It's a 40 gal and has been set up for about 5 or so months. I do use a syphon, but I loose quite a bit of water and kind of get annoyed using it and was looking for an alternative. Someone had told me to get the cleaners, but you're right, I shouldn't. Thanks so much!

 

[fluttermoth]

That's ok; hope it all goes well! Rams are quite sensitive to nitrates, so large water changes would be good for them anyway

 

[fishguy2727]

A good water change schedule and proper filtration should be all that is needed. Some properly selected fish to clean up extra food after feeding time can be helpful as well.

Almost all of those products are unneeded at best, wastes of money at times. They promote laziness. If aquarium maintenance was as easy as adding some liquid more people would have much nicer tanks.

 

[LalaCakes]

Yeah, agreed. I was just getting annoyed because it was difficult to use a syphon as I have a lot of planted plants, moss and driftwood, where it would be a bit more difficult to clean. Though, my tank seems to be very healthy right now, so I guess I'll just keep at it. Thanks again!

As for my other question, would a few cory fish be compatible with my rams and tetras?

 

[fishguy2727]

Yeah, they are a great bottom feeder with tetras and rams, the are all Amazonian fish.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

With a 40 gallon tank, I would up the numbers to this:


2 GBRs
8-10 red eye tetra
6-10 cories (they really do better in higher numbers) The variety doesn't really matter - they are all great. Pick out the ones that strike you the best. (Brochis, often mislabeled as cories, get bigger at about 3+ inches.)

 

[fluttermoth]

I have a lot of planted plants, moss and driftwood, where it would be a bit more difficult to clean.

Yes, that can be a problem! Just do your best around the plants, and every now and then pick up one of your rocks or bits of wood and have good go underneath; I've got a tank like that and I just do under one piece each WC.

Cories would go great with your other fish, but I would strongly recommend you get them only if you have sand rather than gravel; they really do need to be able to root around in sand IMO; it is one of their natural behaviours and I, personally, think it's unfair to keep them if they can't do that

 

[LalaCakes]

Thanks sooo much to everyone for the advice, you guys are awesome! I went out and got 3 albino cories, 3 zebra cories, 6 black phantom tetras & 2 more red eyed tetras, they all look happy and very active. The cories have cleaned out my moss already so I am sooo happy to have gotten them.

hqhq

 

[fishguy2727]

Keep an eye on ammonia and nitrite for the next week, you may have a mini cycle and need some extra water changes.

 

[LalaCakes]

Will most defs do, thanks!