Cleaners with Cichlids?

[fishfool58]

75 Gal African Cichlid tank.. Just curious if there is any sort of invert or something to get left over food from the bottom? I have a couple albino BN plecos.. But is that all id need? I dont need anything, just curious if anything helps.. ha. THanks!

 

[Andrew McFadden]

If you have food on the bottom that africans are not eating you are way over eating. Synodontis catfish is what a lot of us have I keep Pictus cats

 

[fishfool58]

If you have food on the bottom that africans are not eating you are way over eating. Synodontis catfish is what a lot of us have I keep Pictus cats

over feeding? & Theres not a lot on the bottom.. & what i see that makes it too the bottom, normally isnt there after a couple of minutes.. I was just curious.. i like Shrimp & i know they wouldnt survive with Cichlids, i was just curious if there was anything neat that would go with the cichlids.

I like the look of Pictus Catfish, but i dont think id have enough room for any? after my cichlids grow..

 

[bettaowner]

Cories might be able to stand up to the cichlids.

 

[fishfool58]

I like the look of Pictus better But Im not entirely sure how big they get.. Cories are alright, but they look at tad big funny lookin when they grow up..

 

[bettaowner]

What species of cichlids do you have? Pictus cat have spines. A my old teacher's oscar tried to eat a pictus but the spines got stuck.

 

[fishfool58]

What species of cichlids do you have? Pictus cat have spines. A my old teacher's oscar tried to eat a pictus but the spines got stuck.

I have 42 Fry right now, 10 of each, Yellow Labs, Rusty, Hara, & Maingano. I know its alot, as they grow i will be keeping a 1:4, M:F ratio.. THen i have a Frontosa, who was given to me, about 2-3 inch.. Will be rehoming him soon.. a couple Albino BNP, & some Zebra Danios i used as starter fish to make sure my tank was completely cycled..

 

[bettaowner]

The pictus cats will eat the fry I think.

 

[fishfool58]

Probably right now, the fry are about an inch long.. Im actually surprised the Frontosa has left them alone.. But he doesnt mind them.. Also, the pictus ive seen in stores are fairly small.. I might invest in a pair in the future, when the fry grow a bit.. they are growing fast.. If i was to get them would pictus and Albino BNP get along?

 

[bettaowner]

Pictus cats have a big mouth and would try to go for any fish. I had a pictus choke to death on a platy.

 

[FishyBusiness]

I keep 2 pictus cats in my mbuna tank and try do good. My mbunas are all between 1-2". Yes, pictus can live with plecos

 

[FishyBusiness]

Pictus cats have a big mouth and would try to go for any fish. I had a pictus choke to death on a platy.

Very true. Most all fish are opportunists. Catfish mouths get real big and they can reach lengths UP TO 10". Most people I know that have them get to be between 6-8". Mine are only about 3" now but they'll grow with my other fish so I'm not worried...

 

[fishfool58]

Very true. Most all fish are opportunists. Catfish mouths get real big and they can reach lengths UP TO 10". Most people I know that have them get to be between 6-8". Mine are only about 3" now but they'll grow with my other fish so I'm not worried...

Awesome, that's good news, yeah I will let my fry grow a tad bit more before I grab a pair.. & they eat same as plecos, algae wafers, & veggies?

 

[FishyBusiness]

Awesome, that's good news, yeah I will let my fry grow a tad bit more before I grab a pair.. & they eat same as plecos, algae wafers, & veggies?

I feed mine sinking pellets (API brand "bottom feeders") and they eat flakes too that fall to the bottom but I've never fed them anything else. However the cichlids will eat algae wafers too. It's quite amusing watching them swarm around a few. They also eat veggies so your pleco will compete with the cichlids on those but he'll be fine. They'll all get enough. I feed my cichlids 3 small meals a day and at night I feed them flakes and on the other side of the tank I hurry and drop my sinking pellets for the pictus so I'll know they get them because my cichlids eat them too lol. Their lil piggies!

 

[Andrew McFadden]

I also have a turtle lol not recommended so I'm telling you not to try it. Corys are not a good idea as they can get stuck in the mouth of the cichlid. Some people have kept like blue lobster things or whatever they are called. Never tryed it so I'm not sure how that would go over

 

[FishyBusiness]

I also have a turtle lol not recommended so I'm telling you not to try it. Corys are not a good idea as they can get stuck in the mouth of the cichlid. Some people have kept like blue lobster things or whatever they are called. Never tryed it so I'm not sure how that would go over

I love the turtle lol! Yeah I've seen YouTube videos of people keeping blue crayfish with them but like you said, I don't know how that works out...

 

[Jacobsal91]

I love the turtle lol! Yeah I've seen YouTube videos of people keeping blue crayfish with them but like you said, I don't know how that works out...

Ive kept lobsters/crawfish with my african cichlids, They do great until the molt... Then my cichlids get an expensive lobster dinner! I even made these caves for
Them to go into and it worked
Until my aratus was diging around and found them... I personally wouldnt even waste the money in buying
Crawfish for african cichlids. Im no specialist with these
Animals but malawi crabs might do better than a crawfish ever would, but they are expensive and usually hard to come
By at least in my area... Upsidedown catfish might pick at the substrate a little. And theyvare more commonly
Kept with cichlids. Ive seen people get away with clown loaches too but imnot sure how well that works in the long run

 

[Andrew McFadden]

I love the turtle lol! Yeah I've seen YouTube videos of people keeping blue crayfish with them but like you said, I don't know how that works out...

I think they can take down a fish especially if they're too small. It maybe ok with big Cichlids at around 2-2.5" but not sure how the Cichlids would do with a crayfish. They may kill it and eat it, but it would be cool if they would get along. I thought about trying it but with my turtle I wasn't sure hmmmm.

 

[fishfool58]

I hAve a crayfish in a 10 gal by his self.. It's a common one, nothing expensive.. I don't like it much though.. & my cichlids are still fry, so the cories would grow up with them, but I like the look of Pictus much more.. & I feed my places algae wafers at night, all my cichlids hide
In the Tiny cracks in the rocks.. So I know they get the food, pictus are nocturnal feeders right?

 

[FishyBusiness]

Yes their nocturnal. Mine come out a little around 10 am every day, I don't know why. Their just weird, lol. But as soon as the lights are off there zippin' round all night.