clean-up.

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
M

MonsterMinis

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Apr 28, 2009
6,048
11
0
Wisconsin
So now that I moved the evil ciclhid.. she use to clean-up the mess the floridas made with their pellets by eating the extra "peices" they would leave all over. I'm pondering what would be a good fish to add to the tank to eat the left-over food and scavange scraps? Obviousely I could just keep vaccing the tank ect, and do. But i'de rather vac poop out then left-over food.

I'm thinking a single fish, something that will get approx 12" -24" or so. not neccisarily a "bottom feeder" but something that isn't picky about eating the scraps ect. Other then Bichirs nothing else really pops out at me.
 
MonsterMinis;5130022; said:
...Other then Bichirs nothing else really pops out at me.
Click to expand...

Are you looking at something other than Bichirs? Because, an "prehistoric"-themed tank with an Endli will be awesome (or a Del if you're looking for something with a smaller top-size).

Of course, there are the "exotic" Plecos..


xander;5130053; said:
african arowana for sure.
Click to expand...

Alex, aren't those "picky" about food (at least at when they're of a size comparable to OP's Gars)?




Good luck,
 
Megalodoras Catfish. Armour plated, eats anything, lazy so it shouldn't spook the gars. I have 3 in with my smaller cubans and they are great at eating any leftover foods.
 
I recently lost my ornate bichir, and a royal pleco I had since both where babies. originally these where with my floridas as was my fire eels. an unfortunate act of stupidity/sheer dumb luck caused me to loose everyone but the 2 floridas. So I have been tossing around the idea of getting some new ones. But still upsets me. Love raising fish from babies.. but stinks that much more if you lose them.

so far Endlies where on the list, as was another royal pleco. was just wondering what else might fit the bill that I haven't kept already. I like the idea of an Afro but I am def abit hesitatnt to get one as I've heard how hard they can be to keep. Always wanted an arrow, and the silver I had did not get along with the floridas so rehomed it.

megaladoras cats did cross my mind as did girafe ( but I crossed these off because they would need a larger tank in the end then the gars in all possability) tigrinus also came to mind but don't know much in reguards to how they would be with gar, and how well they would tolerate the harder water ect.

what about something like a SAL? sticking with more primitive fish def appeals to me. or possibly more NA/CA natives?
 
MonsterMinis;5131738; said:
I recently lost my ornate bichir, and a royal pleco I had since both where babies. originally these where with my floridas as was my fire eels. an unfortunate act of stupidity/sheer dumb luck caused me to loose everyone but the 2 floridas. So I have been tossing around the idea of getting some new ones. But still upsets me. Love raising fish from babies.. but stinks that much more if you lose them.

so far Endlies where on the list, as was another royal pleco. was just wondering what else might fit the bill that I haven't kept already. I like the idea of an Afro but I am def abit hesitatnt to get one as I've heard how hard they can be to keep. Always wanted an arrow, and the silver I had did not get along with the floridas so rehomed it.

megaladoras cats did cross my mind as did girafe ( but I crossed these off because they would need a larger tank in the end then the gars in all possability) tigrinus also came to mind but don't know much in reguards to how they would be with gar, and how well they would tolerate the harder water ect.

what about something like a SAL? sticking with more primitive fish def appeals to me. or possibly more NA/CA natives?
Click to expand...

i was just going to recommend that Amy - in my original Gar-Den i have an SAL that does the clean-up job very well. in Gar-Den II the AUL takes that role (but obviously the latter is a bit harder to come by, and more expensive).

i would highly recommend the SAL as they usually get along well with gars, and i have kept them with gars (various individuals for many years). i have kept the catfishes with gars too, but as you said, they get large and the couple times i kept O. niger cats with the gars they started getting aggressive for whatever reason - traded them off before any further issues as i didn't want them spooking the gars).

African bonytongues are great, but they are best at medium to large sizes...those individuals are hard to come by and also tend to be very expensive. ABTs usually come in to stores on a yearly basis, but they come in small and they are highly sensitive as YOY - and most die very fast. i have raised up several, but it's time-intensive and costly as the best way is continuous live blackworms and water changes until they are ~8" long.

again, i would go with the SAL - some bichirs will work, but they can be picky and several species can be nippy toward gars--
--solomon
 
I think i'mna start looking for a SAL then. I've been wanting one for awhile now but just never could really justify picking one up since I wasn't sure how it'd go with my fire eels at the time. Think I'll also do abit more indepth research on the Afro's and what it takes to raise them. I actually have a readily available source of blackworms around here ( needed them a few monthes back for our aba aba knife). I'll have the time for multiple feedings soon. But not sure if it would be to much to bite off atm.

Thanks for the suggestions so far! anymore are welcome. anything particularly "unconventional" is interesting.
 
MonsterMinis;5132552; said:
I think i'mna start looking for a SAL then. I've been wanting one for awhile now but just never could really justify picking one up since I wasn't sure how it'd go with my fire eels at the time. Think I'll also do abit more indepth research on the Afro's and what it takes to raise them. I actually have a readily available source of blackworms around here ( needed them a few monthes back for our aba aba knife). I'll have the time for multiple feedings soon. But not sure if it would be to much to bite off atm.

Thanks for the suggestions so far! anymore are welcome. anything particularly "unconventional" is interesting.
Click to expand...

if you're interested in more info on ABTs, i put together a pretty comprehensive guide about them several years ago here:

http://aquaticpredators.com/forums/...frican-arowanabonytongue-heterotis-niloticus/

most of this has been transferred to primitivefishes.com, but i have not been able to update the site for a while due to time constraints. either way, the above link should be more than enough to get you started. keep in mind, they are (relatively speaking) expensive when they come in even at small sizes (often $60+ for a 3-4" specimen), and you really need to buy 3-4 fish (and they usually need to be separated) just to get a chance at one surviving and growing out.--
--solomon
 
Very informative the only thing i didn't really get was a time-line for growth? deffinately seem to be on par with how much a pita raisieng the Aba has been. none the less very interesting fish.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom