What Are The Best Tropical Scavengers

[monstermatt72]

Hello All,
I'm new here and newer to fish keeping.
I'd had a pH problem that has since been remedied. However, that pH problem kept algae all but invisible.
The pH problem has been remedied (naturally, yeah!) however, algae is now starting to grow on surfaces and live plant leaves.

I read somewhere that Ghost Shrimp helped get rid of not only the algae, but ate other fish waste as well.
My first question is, it that true??
My second question is, are there any other peaceful species that will do the same in a community tank?

ANY help is greatly appreciated!
Cheers!
Matt

BTW - The specs are as follows... 10gal tank, 5 live plants, 2 Micky Mouse Platty's, 5 Lyre Tail Guppies, 1 Neon Tetra, 1 African Frog.

 

[england]

you could try a bristlenose plec, but if algaes that bad moving tank and waterchanges will help, but best thing is elbow grease,,hehe
welcome by the way

 

[Monty-2010]

I think the guppies might nip any shrimp, how big is your tank as you could get some small bottom dwelling fish...

 

[MBOU]

helped get rid of not only the algae, but ate other fish waste as well.
My first question is, it that true??

Without being patronising... if people looked at the question logically.... you'd come up with the answer... why would an animal feed on other fish's waste? (there might be some random exception of some parasitic fish or something but not in the trade). Its a very common question, you are far from being the first and i hear it on a daily basis.

There is nothing nutritious in fish waste for other creatures to live on. N fish or shrimp will clear other fishes waste and more often than not, algae eaters are some of the biggest producers of waste, the more algae they eat, the more they poop, the more they poop the more nitrates and phosphates there are in the water which promotes faster algae growth which the plec eats... poops... pollutes water... see where i'm going?

Depending on the size of your tank and your substrate etc... Corydoras catfish are good for sifting throug gravel and turning up the dirt that allows the filter to pick up the dirt.

You are far better geting a gravel cleaner (manual one) rather than depending on a fish to do your job

 

[Caprichoso]

If you want a fish that produces an insane amount of waste then a pleco is perfect! A good cleaning crew is the otocinclus. some amano or ghost shrimp as they feed off of detritus and bits of algaes, plus the amano is great at eating up any dead fish that you may not know about. Although I'm sure you can keep track of your number of fish easily enough. A word of caution on getting any shrimp though...your frog will try to eat them if they are too small so make sure you get some adult shrimp. Do not get any of the dwarf shrimp varieties. Make sure water stats are perfect with shrimp(no ammonia allowed!) Your live bearers will show interest in shrimp but they will not eat them or anything. I have platties in my tank with several shrimp and all is fine. All in all I agree with the statement above, you are the best clean up crew!

Good luck!

 

[micko]

I've never heard of anything feeding of waste (that's not to say there isn't) so I not the person to advise but algae shrimp do an amazing job of cleaning your tank. One or two won't make much of an impact though.

 

[Geoff-]

everything turns food into poo and nothing eats poo. it's as simple as that!

a bristlenose will eat some algae, but siamese algae eaters are much more active. i have both and love the SAEs. my BN usually stays hidden during the day.

 

[Tizer]

two girls one cup says differently.

 

[james_fish]

Some Shrimp, Snails and Crabs will root through fish waste for undigested food. But there's not really anything that will 100% eat all fish waste.

Nerite snails are excellent for algae eating I believe.

James.

 

[KISSfn]

two girls one cup says differently.