Cleaners for the Cichlid tank

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Finatic

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Aug 2, 2006
Messages
163
New to cichlids and setting up a 75gal Mbuna tank. I was just wondering what if any cleaner fish can or should be added to a typical Cichlid setup.

Thanks for the help.
 
if looking for algae eaters i have heard many have success with plecos.

if looking for catfish... Synodontis cats seem to work well with mbuna.
 
My favorite cleanup crew? Myself.

I'm careful to not overfeed. Fo algae removal, I prefer an algae scrubber. It isn't territorial or aggressive and it'll never outgrow the tank.;)
 
A guy at my FLS said to get a bristlenose, as his "barbs" would help protect him. I have always wanted a golden nugget or one of the more "pretty" pleco's, think that would be an issue in a Mbuna tank? Would a regular pleco work better as they get larger?
 
Menagerie said:
What are you hoping to clean?

Just something to clean up the detritus and the food that drops to the bottom of the tank, maybe something to go after algae if spots start to crop up.
 
leftover food - none with mbuna. IME, they are extremely efficient foragers.
algae on rocks - mbuna themselves are the best for the job.
algae on glass - as voodoo mentioned.
 
I have a bristlenose in my SA tank. She gets after it and is very active. She also doesn't take any "crap" from any of the inhabitants.

You could also put a common pleco in, but you will have to take him back or relocate him in a few years. I have seen some at my LFS that give me nightmares, they are huge!

IMO the more expensive gold nuggets are awesome, but I would hate to lose one due to being stressed out in an aggressive tank.

Good luck, let me know what you decide. I have a 55 gall CA tank that I was thinking about adding a bottom feeder to as well.

Does anyone know if an albino african frog would do well in a 55 gallon cichlid setup?
 
I don't think I'd try to add a frog to a cichlid system: some frogs can be aggressive (which can be a problem with cichs), others can be timid (which could be a huge problem for the frog). Too many "what-ifs" that could go wrong with the combo, IMO.
 
Back
Top Bottom