need opinions please

[msumpter87]

I finnaly got my 125 up and going with ca/sa cichlids and i need opinions on what if any fish i could add to clean up the leftover food on the bottom. I do not over feed but like all cichlids they are messy eaters and i will also feed the bottom feeders sinking food to round out there diet. My current stock is 1 jd, 1 firemouth, 1 chocolate, 1 texas, 1 salvini and 1 synuspilum. I have about 1000 gph filtration and do 2 30% water changes weekly. I also have many friends who can take fish if needed due to aggression. So what can be a good addition to the bottom of the tank?? i have driftwood for cover for them to hide in.

 

[Aski247]

I'd say you are well stocked if not over. The chocolate, syn, and Texas all get over 10"-12" jd/sal can reach 8+" and then there's a fm.

So at what point with all these aggressive fish is said bottom dweller gonna have a place to hide that wont be stolen by any of the fish already in the tank?

This would be my vote.

 

[msumpter87]

i do weekly gravel vacs with one of my water changes

 

[Aski247]

i do weekly gravel vacs with one of my water changes

I understand that. I'm more or less saying you don't have room for a bottom feeder. And all you would be doing is adding another med/large fish to a already over stocked tank.

I'm sure they are not full grown, but you have already mentioned might having to re home fish, so why add more?

 

[Mogurako]

My fish don't even leave a scrap on the bottom of tank, so I fail to see how there can be left over food. Unless the pellets are feeding are to large for them to sallow whole and they have to "chew" them and if you're feeding flakes that just goes with out saying that this will be messy.

I agree with Aski that you are at capacity, just do your gravel vacs once a week an everything should be fine.

 

[msumpter87]

i dont use flakes, and the pellets are medium and easily fit into there mouths, but i do once a week blood worm and mysis shrimp feedings and they get very messy and the large fish do not get all of it out from substrate and driftwood. thanx for the input

 

[Aski247]

i dont use flakes, and the pellets are medium and easily fit into there mouths, but i do once a week blood worm and mysis shrimp feedings and they get very messy and the large fish do not get all of it out from substrate and driftwood. thanx for the input

Start cutting the cubes in half. Sometimes less is more.

 

[Mogurako]

What size are the fish?! Just because the pellets fit in their mouth doesn't mean they can swallow it whole.

Frozen foods are indeed messy, I'd still stick with the gravel vac.

 

[msumpter87]

all are 4 inch + and a couple are much larger, i watch them and they are big enough that they dont chew them.