Best scavenger fish for 29g

[jenema]

I was thinking about getting a small school of Otos for algae and I would like something for any leftover food I might miss taking out (obviously the tank would be vacuumed regularly but any help would be appreciated). Not looking for anything that needs a school (if they need a buddy that would be fine), and I'm not a fan of plecos. Also looking for something less likely to be eaten by a rainbow cichlid.

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[F.Sam]

Kuhli loaches are notorious scavengers, as are corydoras. But don't let them rely on leftovers solely! They both prefer sand substrates though!


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[jenema]

Kuhli loaches are notorious scavengers, as are corydoras. But don't let them rely on leftovers solely! They both prefer sand substrates though!


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The substrate will be sand. I've heard corys actually aren't as good scavengers as people say, and I don't want a full school of something. Are kuhli loaches any better or are they about the same? Do they need full schools or could I get like 3?

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[F.Sam]

Well cories will look continuously for food as they cruise on the bottom! Kuhli's are preferably in groups of 6. But I've kept a pair of them for two years now, and they're as happy as can be


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[Pseudomugil]

Mexican dwarf lobster they are so cool! I know what everyone is thinking. It's a lobster, it will kill everything, but it won't! It grows to an inch long and I have 2 in my 56 gallon community tank.

 

[jenema]

Mexican dwarf lobster they are so cool! I know what everyone is thinking. It's a lobster, it will kill everything, but it won't! It grows to an inch long and I have 2 in my 56 gallon community tank.

I was actually looking into lobsters until I learned they kill things haha. Are they territorial like others, so I could only have one? Will it try to go after the fish? I have horrible luck getting nippers when I buy fish that really shouldn't be. Do they really do justice to missed food particles?

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[Pseudomugil]

I'm not sure if I would trust the rainbow cichlid not to eat the lobster.

My 2 lobsters have never been aggressive towards each other, but I've had some crazy luck mixing different fish, so I wouldn't recommend it.

I find that they are great at cleaning up uneaten food. They hide most of the day, but when food is put in the tank, they both run out as fast as they can and start eating scraps that fall to the bottom. They also enjoy shrimp pellets.

 

[jenema]

I'm not sure if I would trust the rainbow cichlid not to eat the lobster.

My 2 lobsters have never been aggressive towards each other, but I've had some crazy luck mixing different fish, so I wouldn't recommend it.

I find that they are great at cleaning up uneaten food. They hide most of the day, but when food is put in the tank, they both run out as fast as they can and start eating scraps that fall to the bottom. They also enjoy shrimp pellets.

Maybe I'll try one out if I can find any in my area, I don't want to pay a ton with shipping if my rainbow will just eat it. The tank will be planted so it might work out.

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[trennamw]

I like loaches better than cories. They fit into little spaces so well. The Wet Spot Tropical Fish has many varieties of various sizes and they ship. They do need companions.

You might also consider malaysian trumpet snails. They reproduce to the extent the waste food will support them then stop. They're often free at the fish store too. Some consider them a pest, I consider them the best cleanup crew ever. They till the sand too.



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[Toad]

Yeah I love my Malaysians, I've had cories, have khuli's, but the snails do the serious work. Cories just aren't my fish tbh, love my loaches but they definitely need to be fed and watched like other fish, and would probably be eaten like a noodle :/