Raphael Cat toxic? Best community cleanup bottom feeder?

[jaajaa40]

I am looking for a good bottom feeder for a community tank. Years ago I had a Raphael Catfish that ate a lot. I went looking for one again and a guy at my lfs told me that Raphael Catfish can get spooked and give off a toxin that may kill you other fish and that is why they do not carry them. He said he saw one kill a entire tank of Cichlids 8O Actually I noticed that many lfs do not carry them. Could it be true

Anyways looking for good clean up cats. Wife over feeds a little at times.

Plecos seem to eat more algae that left over flake on the bottom. Corydoras or Cories seem not to eat any large flakes. My flying fox seems to do a good job, maybe I should get more of them

I would love your thoughts.

 

[Meredith]

My corys do a pretty good job at keeping the bottom free of food. Perhaps its just depends on the cory.

 

[cJw]

My cories go after any flakes they come across; they don't quite sprint towards them, yet, but they eat 'em!

The only memory of a Raph cat I have from when my dad had 'em is the smaller fish 'disappearing'.

 

[Lance M.]

I am looking for a good bottom feeder for a community tank. Years ago I had a Raphael Catfish that ate a lot. I went looking for one again and a guy at my lfs told me that Raphael Catfish can get spooked and give off a toxin that may kill you other fish and that is why they do not carry them. He said he saw one kill a entire tank of Cichlids 8O Actually I noticed that many lfs do not carry them. Could it be true

I've never heard of this and I could almost bet on anything that it isn't true (at least for the ones I have). I have a full adult spotted raphael catfish (a little less than 6 inchs long) and a small (3 inch) striped raphael catfish. As far as I know and can see they give absolutely no type of toxin or anything like that off. They also hide in dark places all through the day and come out at night. But when they do come out at day they don't get spooked easily. So far I've seen them at every place I've been to that sells fish. This includes my trusted lfs, then places like Petsmart and finally Walmart :? .

IMO they are good scavengers- when other fish die (when they die naturally) in my tank they will later disappear (spotted one is big enough to consume them). They also like small shrimp (they don't bother my wood or vampire shrimp) and I've heard from another person that has them that they will eat small snails and MTS, but I've never seen it before (I keep tons of mts and trapdoor snails in the tank).

I also have pygmy cories in the tank and they are very good scavengers, and are very cool.

 

[Toirtis]

I've never heard of this and I could almost bet on anything that it isn't true

Bet correctly...no Doradid cats exude toxins of any sort.

IMO they are good scavengers-

Mine, too.....appetites from hell...they vacuum like no other cat.

....(they don't bother my wood or vampire shrimp) and I've heard from another person that has them that they will eat small snails and MTS, but I've never seen it before.

The Agamyxis pectinifrons (spotted sort) are a bit smaller, and therefore more 'safe', but the Platydoras costatus (the striped sort), get a fair bit bigger, and will indiscriminately inhale small fish, snails, and shrimp.

 

[jaajaa40]

Thanks much for the confidence to everyone.

Lance M. where did you get your shrimp?

 

[dax29]

loaches

I use loaches in one tank as scavengers. I'd take a look at them.