Cleanup Crew for Aggressive Central American Tank

[Serpentine]

I suspect that the answer is "no," but is there a cleanup crew that will work in a very aggressive tank?

I am planning a couple of different tanks but for right now I have a small group of juvenile Red Terrors, a jewel cichlid and a red Texas cichlid in a grow out tank. I will be adding a jewel cichlid and selling all but one or two of the M. festae. Eventually the jewels will probably have their own tank. I know the jewels are African riverine, but they are so mean that they easily hold their own and they take the same water conditions so I am considering them honorary CA cichlids.

Is there anything that can live with these critters to do algae / biofilm patrol and vacuum the bottom without getting butchered?

I was thinking of a large Panaque plecostemus such as L001 (spotted sailfin pleco, P. joselimanus) or L330 (spotted royal / watermelon pleco, P. nigrolineatus) since they eat algae and biofilm along with wood and veggies. Also perhaps some species of Pictus catfish to keep the sand sparkly.

Pipe dream?

 

[Stanzzzz7]

I suspect that the answer is "no," but is there a cleanup crew that will work in a very aggressive tank?

I am planning a couple of different tanks but for right now I have a small group of juvenile Red Terrors, a jewel cichlid and a red Texas cichlid in a grow out tank. I will be adding a jewel cichlid and selling all but one or two of the M. festae. Eventually the jewels will probably have their own tank. I know the jewels are African riverine, but they are so mean that they easily hold their own and they take the same water conditions so I am considering them honorary CA cichlids.

Is there anything that can live with these critters to do algae / biofilm patrol and vacuum the bottom without getting butchered?

I was thinking of a large Panaque plecostemus such as L001 (spotted sailfin pleco, P. joselimanus) or L330 (spotted royal / watermelon pleco, P. nigrolineatus) since they eat algae and biofilm along with wood and veggies. Also perhaps some species of Pictus catfish to keep the sand sparkly.

Pipe dream?

Malaysian trumpet snails are a great clean up option if all else fails.

 

[fishhead0103666]

Perhaps a rhino Pleco? They're built like a tank but that big sail fin if theirs worries me in an aggressive tank like that.

 

[Toiletcar]

Still don’t get the point of a “clean up crew”. If you don’t overfeed and keep up w/ water changes, you don’t need help. A clean up crew also means more fish to feed and more waste is created.

 

[kno4te]

Royal or common plecos will work. Smaller cats will likely get picked on. Also as the others have already mentioned.

 

[Jdreal21]

how is adding a royal considered a clean up crew lol he just going to make you need another filter . you should be the only clean up crew you need adding more livestock isn't your solution this isn't a salt water set up where CUC really keeps things in check. if your having a algea problem try turning down your light or shorten hours that its on or check your feeding regime

 

[Serpentine]

There's fairly minimal cleanup required in the way of leftover food because I don't overfeed, but we do tend to get algae. I probably need to decrease the light intensity but it's a planted tank so it can't be too dim. There are always some leftovers that get away because the water pigs are messy eaters and the current carries little bits away to deposit around rocks and decorations. I vacuum and change the water once a week.

Still, more fish does equal more waste. That's a fair point.

Scraping algae in that tank is somewhat hazardous. Those little boogers can really bite!

 

[Chefken]

I have a South American tank with one exception....I have a large Syndontis in the tank. African I know but tough as nails and an incessant cleaner. Really cool behavior too. No one messes with her. She will even clean my Mata Mata from time to time. Not an algae eater but everything else!

 

[fishhead0103666]

Instead of fish how about snails? Mystery snails are big and would do a fantastic job but with their long feelers and exposed body they are at a high risk of being eaten or annoyed to death. Nerite have almost non visible feelers and have almost no exposed body. Just gotta make sure they don't get flipped onto their shell like a turtle.

 

[Serpentine]

Instead of fish how about snails? Mystery snails are big and would do a fantastic job but with their long feelers and exposed body they are at a high risk of being eaten or annoyed to death. Nerite have almost non visible feelers and have almost no exposed body. Just gotta make sure they don't get flipped onto their shell like a turtle.

Snails are fantastic. Mystery snails love hidden leftovers and nerite snails love algae.

Unfortunately cichlids love escargot. Some will pull the snail out of its shell and some will crunch the whole thing shell and all.

I tried nerite limpets because they have flat shells and cling like Super Glue to the glass. Alas, my crafty cichlids would wait for the limpets to come down off the glass or decoration and then flip them onto their backs. Then they were helpless.

I think Stanzzzz7 is suggesting Malaysian trumpets because although they are considered pest snails they are nearly unkillable. They have rock hard shells and bury themselves in the substrate, coming out at night to do their work. As long as I don't overfeed I don't think they will reproduce out of control. That may be a good solution.