Best Cichlid cleanup crew?

[Jhefnerjr]

I’ve moved my Cichlids from a 55 gallon to a 150 and wanted to get some opinions on what the best addition(s) would be to help with excess food sloppiness cleanup and algae. I’d prefer not to have a pleco since they are such shietters themselves. I have two canisters cycling 1000 g per hour and a HOB for mid level cleaning.

Here’s the current stock:
12 inch tiger Oscar
6 inch blue Texas
12 inch Fla Gar (he’s stunted from an adoption I took in)
10 inch chocolate cichlid
8 inch peacock eel

Thinking of “helpful” additions to keep things tidy. I’ll still be doing weekly H2O changes and glass cleaning.

 

[fishguy1978]

Python hose with a syphon tube unless you are looking for another poop factory

 

[tlindsey]

I’ve moved my Cichlids from a 55 gallon to a 150 and wanted to get some opinions on what the best addition(s) would be to help with excess food sloppiness cleanup and algae. I’d prefer not to have a pleco since they are such shietters themselves. I have two canisters cycling 1000 g per hour and a HOB for mid level cleaning.

Here’s the current stock:
12 inch tiger Oscar
6 inch blue Texas
12 inch Fla Gar (he’s stunted from an adoption I took in)
10 inch chocolate cichlid
8 inch peacock eel

Thinking of “helpful” additions to keep things tidy. I’ll still be doing weekly H2O changes and glass cleaning.

View attachment 1467477

I wouldn't add anything because whatever you add will contribute to the bioload adding more nutrients for algae. Consistent large wc's would be best with weekly gravel vacuuming and filter maintenance.

 

[Deadeye]

Raphaels are good for cleanup...but it will only put more waste into the water.
A water change and gravel vac are the only ways to effectively remove waste without just turning it into something else.

 

[SalviniCichlidFan]

You can get Chinese algae eaters for algae

 

[celebrist]

Snails

 

[Deadeye]

Snails

Agree, snails like Malaysian trumpet add almost no waste and are very effective. Peacock eel would love the snack too!

You can get Chinese algae eaters for algae

No CAE. They do not eat algae as they age. Slime coats are their preferred diet.
It’s siamese algae eaters that eat the algae and do a good job of it. Only issue is that a rather small, slender fish is good oscar food...

 

[Rocksor]

Tank is fully stocked with all those fish as adults. You’re just trading food scraps for poo scraps

 

[Jhefnerjr]

I’m not as worried about the algae. I don’t mind some algae on some things. Gives a more natural look. But I though something to eat up the missed smaller bits of food would be helpful. I use corys in other tanks but definitely not with big cichs.

So it sounds like the consensus is not to use any other fish to clean up missed food but vaccum more vacuuming instead.

A few Geophagus I guess wouldn’t help enough to warrant the extra bio load.

 

[cmsbthebest]

I’m not as worried about the algae. I don’t mind some algae on some things. Gives a more natural look. But I though something to eat up the missed smaller bits of food would be helpful. I use corys in other tanks but definitely not with big cichs.

So it sounds like the consensus is not to use any other fish to clean up missed food but vaccum more vacuuming instead.

A few Geophagus I guess wouldn’t help enough to warrant the extra bio load.

Besides the extra waste, Geo's would be tough because of the large gravel you have. They need sand or at most small gravel.