# wanting to add another bottom feeder.. ideas



## cichlid420 (May 8, 2013)

So I'm wanting to add another bottom feeder. I know I could add another pictus, but I was wanting to try something different... Any ideas?


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## dalfed (Apr 8, 2012)

any of the synodontis would work


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## cichlid420 (May 8, 2013)

Would they get along with my pictus


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## DigitalBuddha (May 25, 2013)

I love chinese algae eaters! (Gyrinocheilus) They are in my experience the hardest working sucker fish I've ever had and they are quick which has helped them get along good in my african tank. also get along good with the pictus in my tank.


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## cichlid420 (May 8, 2013)

I need a pic of ur pictus.... Don't u love it


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## DigitalBuddha (May 25, 2013)

Yeah! Love him its the fish I've had for the longest time, he's seen quite a few fish come and go. Lived with an oscar, a convict, and a couple other randoms that I donated back to the LFS. He is an all around bada$$ who Im pretty sure thinks that he's a cichlid haha! He has been known to swim to the top at feeding time and fill up on pellets every now and then! in one of the pics below you can see how he always finds himself a spot and that spot becomes his, I rearranged my tank yesterday and this is his new spot. (In that pic you also get a bonus shot of one of the aulonocaras) 





The only thing that bums me out is sometimes it gets one of the two long "whiskers" bit off but it usually grows back in a week.


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## DigitalBuddha (May 25, 2013)

I think I should mention that I just read this in a sticky posted on this forum about algae eaters 

"Chinese Algae Eaters (Gyrinocheilus sp.)

Avoid these little monsters like the plague. These are sold often as good algae eaters to unsuspecting aquarists, and while it's true that they do eat some algae when small and young, they very quickly give up the vegetarian lifestyle to pursue more carnivorous fare. It's not unheard of for these cretins to rasp the scales off the sides of larger fish, and they're just plain naughty regardless. Add their eventual size of almost a foot, and you have a fish that's unsuitable for a very large portion of the aquarists out there."

Well then I may have spoke too soon. I've had these 2 chinese algae eaters for 4 months and they haven't stopped cleaning my tank yet.. I'll let you know when they start eating my fish's scales.


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## cichlid420 (May 8, 2013)

Well im trying Kuhli loaches im thinking of adding about 5


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## dalfed (Apr 8, 2012)

I went to the cichlid forum to search on Kuhlis with ACs and most posts ended with the loaches as meals eventually or at best always buried in the sand and never seen, please remember you have some of the most aggressive species known that bumble bee will be 7 inches of attitude in a year. Rubber lip plecos and bristlenose seem to work fine.


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## cichlid420 (May 8, 2013)

True it's an experiment... We'll see


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## cichlid420 (May 8, 2013)

Yeah the first loach I got is hanging.out under the sand perhaps I'll add a couple clown loaches instead...


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## tbub1221 (Nov 1, 2012)

DigitalBuddha said:


> I think I should mention that I just read this in a sticky posted on this forum about algae eaters
> 
> "Chinese Algae Eaters (Gyrinocheilus sp.)
> 
> ...


I personally love my Chinese algae eater he was my very first fish when I set up somethingbigger than a Betta bowel and mine 6.5" is not aggressive in the least , he's the pappa and when the loachs act up and chase he brakes it up by joining in chasing the pursuers til they deviate . He is neither lazy nor aggressive. He will gladly accept a wall tab or algae tab but never sucks fish. I also red all that almost 2 yrs back , only fish iv ever seen such slime and scales off were plecos on goldfish at dirty pet shops (wallmart also is the main) maybe some do but like most fish keep it fed and its a teddy bear , but underfed in will resort to doing what animals do.
My bud Marty has one that's like 10yrs old in a 300g show tank full of mumbas and some others some of the largest a cichlids iv had the pleasure of viewing the cichlids pay it no mind and it pays them none its 11" easily as big around as my wife's wrist . Marty said he doesn't feed it anything (you know I said .. damn what u feedin it) no algae tabs or anything , it could swallow big tabs whole , any ways his only cleans rocks and being the only cleanr has lots to eat , my tanks aren't that big so I supplement .


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## tbub1221 (Nov 1, 2012)

I just read you want to try kuhlly loachs , dalfed is spot on in what she said.
Your cichlids will eat them , maybe not rite away but they will hide all the time and not grow because they won't feed good causing eventual death anyway. It isn't a experiment its a garontee it will happen. Also kuhlly loachs do best in a fine gravel/sand bed they are burrowing scailess fish that digs a lot cichlids prefer rock gravel substrates and let's not forget the ph difference , I realize most fish if slowly adjusted can handle most ph if its not way off from there needs, but its not healthy really , they will be bigger stronger fish that feed better and have brighter color and will live longer , if your ph in your cichlids tank is to high the kuhllis may die like that.
If your cichlids are smaller 3" or less you could try clown loach or tiger loach. My tiger and a skunk loach both live with my malawai bunch the ph in there tank is 7.5 he was there from the beginning and feeds up top and crises the rocks night n day like a shark looking for lost cichlid bites , he even catches minnows and feeder guppies now he is 6" probably will get no bigger. The skunks hide in caves a lot a night guy.but does well. Those loachs are tuffer than kuhllis , and they look like a little worm all it will take is a cichlid to see his wormy but wiggling undr a rock and spaghetti time . I have 18 kuhlli AMD probably 30 or more my fav is the reticulated hillstream loach , his name is hank .


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## cichlid420 (May 8, 2013)

I have caribsea black sand for substrate and my cichlids love it.


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## ratbones86 (Jun 17, 2013)

i wouldn't do the chinese algae eater. I had one and my cichlids killed it. Even broke the glass thermometer. Which is why i dont use them anymore lol. i would go with synodontis Because for a few reasons. 1. They are from the lakes the cichlids are from. 2. They can stnd up to the beating the cichlids can dish out. 3. They do best in groups and are some of the best bottom cleaners.


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## cichlid420 (May 8, 2013)

Loach is no more


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## seneca654 (Aug 7, 2013)

I have 2 upside down catfish (Synodontis eruptus) and they keep my bottom of my tank spotless. And they have no cares as to who else is in the tank. they do need a log or some place to hide out but come feeding time and at night especially they are like little vaccuum cleaners thus their names are Kirby and LG. I had one named Dyson and he died to an illness to what I think was poisoning from a plastic like log (long story for a different forum)


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