Good bottom feeders?

[jackson123]

I have a 110 gallon sa/ca cichlid tank and was planning on getting rid of my convicts, jewel and green terror to make room for some loaches to clean the bottom of the tank. Any suggestions?

 

[Bichir Bro]

Most synodontis cats work well in cichlid tanks to my knowledge. I personally like the Angelicus's and eupterus's and from what I've heard those can work in a cichlid tank like yours if there's enough caves, wood and general spots to retreat if the cichlids just get a little too rowdy one day.

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

With those, not much might work

You can get some mbuna, or some more peaceful cichlids
I think synodontis Petricola will work

 

[Bichir Bro]

If you get rid of the convict, terror and jewel I believe quite a bit can be done. However with those extreme trouble makers in it I'm siding with goldfish boy, very little if anything can go in the bottom.

 

[NYgiantsRP]

If you are getting ride of the convicts, jewel, and terror what WILL be in the tank?

 

[jackson123]

An oscar, a pleco, a jd, black belt and a Senegal bichir

 

[NYgiantsRP]

That's pretty stocked. You were definitely very overstocked before. Did you have any territory problems? Are these fish all small right now? Maybe just a syno eupretus if you really want and your water parameters are good.

 

[Bichir Bro]

An oscar, a pleco, a jd, black belt and a Senegal bichir

EDIT:
Forgot it was a 110 gallon, my bad!
For some reason I was thinking 55gallon. Sorry everyone. That stock is still high but I personally don't think it's overstocked.

 

[jackson123]

Ok thanks for the input

 

[jackson123]

What if I get rid of the jewel, the convicts, the green terror and the pleco?

 

[Bichir Bro]

What if I get rid of the jewel, the convicts, the green terror and the pleco?

If those go you'll clear up a fair amount of space in the tank and in your stock.
You could probably do one of the bigger synodontis or a striped raphael cat. Just if you do do that make sure there's tons of caves, driftwood and plenty of other cover especially since you've got the Senegal in there. Senegals are, however, one of the most peaceful bichirs out there and are generally very tolerant of other bottom dwellers as long as they both have plenty of territories!

 

[djhamp]

I have 2 clown loachs and a couple of eclipse catfish in a SA tank. The are very active and are doing great, much more personality than a pleco.

 

[jackson123]

Do they clean up the excess food pretty well?

 

[djhamp]

Do they clean up the excess food pretty well?

Yes, always looking for food. The eclipse's are always squeezing into the smallest cracks between rocks. The loachs are all over my driftwood besides cruising the bottom.

 

[toddnbecka]

Clown loaches are schooling fish, really bad idea to keep 2. A tiger loach would be fine by itself, or a single Asian upside down catfish (look like Syno's, but they're all black with a few gold or silver flecks on the sides.) They're generally as nasty as most larger cichlids, and hold their own better than Syno's in general.
On the bicher note, I had a fair-size ornate some years ago. Picked up several baby Syno eupterus, thought the spines would keep them safe from being eaten. I actually saw the last one going down the bicher tail-first, spines and all, squeaking like it was calling for help.