# Bottoms feeders for Dats And Flags?



## eternity302 (Apr 22, 2010)

Hey Guys

I'm seriously suggesting on getting a few fish, more like a cleaning crew for these 1.5" Dats and 2-3" Flagtails! They're making a HUGE mess when eating! what's the best fish to clean up there mess? Doesn't matter if it's a bottom feeder or not, but keep in mind, the tank's heavily planted, dun want anything uprooting or destroyed!  I'm just confused what I should try... maybe a school of corydoras?

Thanks, any suggestions would be great! I just need something that'll do the job and survive!


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## BigPete (Apr 22, 2010)

loaches / catfish / stingrays  haha
my clean up crew are ripsaw catfish, motoro, tig / jurense catfish
hope it helps =D


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## eternity302 (Apr 22, 2010)

Ahhhh... loaches that'll survive? I know medium clownloach will, but will destroy my plants! I'm seriously getting confused what to do now =(

Ripsaw gets too big too fast, and rays? I had bad experience and not the biggest fan =) no offense to ray lovers, I just can't keep them properly! Anyone else?


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## snow (Apr 21, 2010)

How about a wood eating pleco? Or some other type of pleco that will not destroy your plants?


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

Wood eating plecos would get too much protein from that tank. I would consider a vampire pleco (L240) or Three Beacon (L91). Both of those will be > 6" when fully grown so you have to consider that. A Sultan (L264) would do well in that environment and stays smaller, but might get beat up in the environment.


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## eternity302 (Apr 22, 2010)

Sigh.... I'm not the biggest fan of pleco! As I already have a sailfin pleco that got a little too big than expected, I'm a little scared from plecos already! LOL!
So Clownloaches... but would corydoras species do okay? Like a small school?
=( Anything else?


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

You're not a big fan because you have a sailfin.  Remember that I used to have one and got rid of it. Sailfins and very territorial and aggressive as they get bigger and they get big fast.

As for Cories, a school of bigger ones would be nice, but I'd be concerned that your Dats may view them as food as they get bigger, but Cories would be much more efficient at scouring the bottom clean of food and also produce less waste than plecos. I have 30 or so in my 125 gallon also and love them. If I didn't have my cichlids I would get more, but I've lost a few and worry that a) they get eaten, and b) the cory can get lodged in the throat of the cichlid.


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## charles (Apr 21, 2010)

try geo...


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

I think you missed the planted tank part. Geos would be as bad as putting an Oscar in there wouldn't it? Or am I mistaken about the Geos?


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## eternity302 (Apr 22, 2010)

Thanks for the heads up!
How about clownloaches? I hear that their spikes around the eyes will tear up plants!

I'm really considering corydoras! Dun need nuttin fancy, just something to do the job! LOL!

The dats... I might need to plan for a bigger tank later on! But right now, I'm trying not to add ANYTHING at all, I'm trying to give as much tank space as I can! Anyways, I'm very uncertain what to do now!
I need a few cleaners... and ones that'll survive!

Oh crap... forgot to mention... there's a sengalus polypterus in there! Would i experience problems with him? he's about 5 inch or bigger... he's a little.. umm... fiesty... I've had him for 2 years and can't give him up =(


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## eternity302 (Apr 22, 2010)

charles said:


> try geo...


Thanks for considering Charles! But I'm trying to find soemthing that stays small and to clean up... i'm not sure if geo's can make a good clean up crew~


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

Well with that in there, cories would not have a chance. I'd just skip it and do more tank maintenance.


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## eternity302 (Apr 22, 2010)

2wheelsx2 said:


> Well with that in there, cories would not have a chance. I'd just skip it and do more tank maintenance.


OMG!!! Are you serious?
I really really dun wanna dump him back in his 29 gallon  he's been happily living there with his bestfriend "the pleco"!
Sigh.. should i fish him out and add cories?


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## charles (Apr 21, 2010)

geo usually stay around 6". Will clean up left over food very well.


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## eternity302 (Apr 22, 2010)

charles said:


> geo usually stay around 6". Will clean up left over food very well.


Humm... hard to decide!
I want something under the 2" mark... I'm trying to give as much clean water as possible to these guys! so that's my tough decision right now.. i really dunno what to do... starting to find that these fish can't mix in!


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

If you want as clean water as possible, don't add anything. Anything you add will add bioload. Just vacuum the bottom after feeding with an electric vacuum that recirculates the water.


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## eternity302 (Apr 22, 2010)

2wheelsx2 said:


> If you want as clean water as possible, don't add anything. Anything you add will add bioload. Just vacuum the bottom after feeding with an electric vacuum that recirculates the water.


Can you explain a little more in details of what you mean?
And Im starting to get confused after reading how people feed! Some people are feeding once a day, some people are feed 3 times a day! What I'm hearing from people is that they feed once a day purposely just to keep the water more pristine, but what I know is feeding small meals 3 times a day is better for the growth of the fish... not sure what I should decide! Any insights from the pros here?


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

Well, the fish use up oxygen and excrete urine and feces. Adding more fish will never make the tank cleaner. It's really as simple as that.

You got the gist of the feeding right, if you want less waste, feed less but more often. Feeding once a day with lots of food would probably end up with more leftovers.

For people who claim to keep water quality better, they are essentially keeping the food supply restricted to limit waste, such as not feeding before shipping fish and not feeding while they are on holidays to limit the fish waste.

The best way to keep a tank clean is with maintenance. Just ask any discus keeper. Those are some of the most finicky fish out there for water quality.


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## eternity302 (Apr 22, 2010)

Ahhh, my problem is when they eat ANYTHING except Tetra Color Bits, they will suck on it and spit it out! Especially those algae wafers! And when i feed carnivores pellets, they still spit and then eat again! The tiny pieces are flying EVERyWHERe =( I need someone to clean that up! And I dun want to resort to 3 water changes a week! =(


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## eternity302 (Apr 22, 2010)

Anyone else?

btw... Anyone know if a 7" weather loach be a good cleaner? =) I so happen to have one hiding in my planted tank! LOL!


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## _TiDy_ (Apr 29, 2010)

What kind of filtration do you currently have on this tank? Maybe just up the filtration and the water movement so the filter will suck up everything and do bigger water changes? My aro and silver dollars make a complete mess of hikari sticks. I got a fx5 in my 90 gallon at the moment and it sucks up everything out of the water then i just do my 70%-80% water change weekly. Fish are doing good so far


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## King-eL (Apr 21, 2010)

eternity302 said:


> Anyone else?
> 
> btw... Anyone know if a 7" weather loach be a good cleaner? =) I so happen to have one hiding in my planted tank! LOL!


Weather loach will uproot your plants as they like to hide under the substrates. Flagtails are already good at cleaning up left over not sure why yours won't do it. Best to get some spiny type plecos as as the cactus type or vampire type that stay smaller than 6" and Charles can recommend you a species for those size. A sultan vampire pleco might do. As for clown loaches they can uproots plants as well. Your plants can also need those waste for extra nutrition.

Not sure what's your plan for both dats and falgtail as sooner in just a few months they will be at 4-5 inches. Many people that keep monster fish that keep worrying about water quality actually stunts their fish growth rate due to improper feeding. Dats need high protein food at that small size they will need constant feeding for proper growth. High protein food can make the water foul very easily as no matter what bottom feeders will eat the left over the protein that got consumed will still break down to waste. Best way to get it clean up is to have a good filter or have a filter that can get the bio-load fast. For example their are monster fish keeper that does JDM style tank. They pack their tank with lots of monster fish that the tank look like a supermarket tank but with a massive filter doing most of the clean up helps the water clean. Regular maintenance is always the best way.


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## eternity302 (Apr 22, 2010)

THanks guys! OMG!! So glad to hear from the king!!!

I'm running an XP3 on this tank, I'm thinking should i run 2 xp3, cuz I got another sitting around!
And like you said, I will just do regular maintenance!
And as for lots of protein, I've been feeding contantly carnivore pellets and tetra colorbits, that's what's killing my water! It spiked to 80ppm nitrate last nite, but 0 ammonia and nitrite! So I'm going to do the water change right after I finished checking out these messages!

Thanks for the help, as I think i'll just leave these flagtails to do their job!


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## bullybog (Jul 28, 2010)

if your looking for a school of cory's i'm selling mine.


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## eternity302 (Apr 22, 2010)

Thanks!
But I've resorted to using 3 small tinfoil barbs for the time being! =) And a large weather loach!
They re definitely giving it a good clean up!


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