Need advice on another cleaner

[yenner]

So my fish are getting huge (see link in my sig for comparison pics) and I need to upgrade from the 20 gallon desperately. I found a local listing on CL for a 55 gallon complete with oak cabinet stand, hood, substrate (which I won't use), decor (also not to my liking) filter, etc. etc. for $80 OBO. Definitely jumping on this opportunity.

My problem is as my goldies get larger they obviously produce more waste. When they were a bit smaller and I had a growing pleco and a fiddler in there the tank stayed pretty clean. Since the fiddler died (RIP Charlie Daniels) the pleco just can't/doesn't clean the bottom/whole tank as well. At my last rescape in that same post I had to do a pretty good cleaning. The bottom was filthier than usual for obvious reasons.

What I'm looking for is a good bottom feeder that will not only help with the biosphere of the tank but will also be a good addition for a healthy community and be entertaining to watch. Some I have tried finding more info on via search here and google are:

- Mexican Red Legged Hermit Crab
- Ghost Shrimp (and other shrimp)
- Snails
- Blue Lobster

I'm really just trying to find a good tank mate for my 2 goldies and pleco that will help out once I moved them into my 55 gallon. I'm sure I will eventually add more fish as well. Probably Black Moors. I love the way they look. I also want to make sure that my ginormous goldies won't eat a small shrimp or whatever I try to put in there.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[yenner]

Also just looked into weather loaches. Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[JohnPaul]

As someone who is somewhat of an invert specialist, I can tell you:

1. Decent-sized goldfish will almost certainly make a meal of ghost shrimp, even adults. You may get lucky but I wouldn't count on it. The positive side to trying ghost shrimp is that many aquarium stores sell them as feeders for ridiculously cheap prices (like 10 for $1) so if you put them in there and your goldies eat em all up...well you're only out $1 plus you've given your goldfish some live food. Could be worse. And if the shrimp survive, they certainly can be entertaining. Of course, it would take a LOT of ghost shrimp to keep a 55 gal cleaned up! You could easily put 3 dozen in there.

2. "Blue Lobsters" (almost always blue color variants of the freshwater crayfish Procambarus alleni) make fine bottom scavengers and a 55 gal would be large enough to hold them (they can get up to ~ 8 inches), but I am not sure the cray would "play nice" with your pleco. If the pleco is small enough, and the cray is large enough, then expect one day to wake up with your cray feasting like a king. And since these crays are hunters, I wouldn't rule out entirely one (or more) of them at least making attempts to take down a goldfish--though whether they could succeed is another story. Note that these crays will also rip up most (if not all) live plants in the tank. Not a good choice if you like having a planted tank! Also these guys are master escape artists...I had about a 5" long one escape from a tank where there was about a 1/2" gap between the lid and the side of the tank. To this day I don't know how the cray squeezed himself thin enough to get out...but he did. And then squeezed under the door of my dorm room and walked about 50 feet down the hall.

3. Never kept hermit crabs, but my understanding is that all of them need substantial access to air and really belong in paludariums (terrarium/aquarium rougly 50/50) rather than a true aquarium. Though if that particular variety of hermit has different needs, I could be wrong.

4. Snails are always a good choice. That size tank would be large enough even for the biggest snails (Apple Snails), but smaller species would work too.

5. Another option, if you like the idea of crays but are hesitant due to the aggressive nature of the P. alleni ones, would be to go with some dwarf crayfish. I am thinking here of the Cajun Dwarf Crayfish, Cambarellus shufeldtii. They only get to about 1.5" long at full adult size so they would pose no harm to your goldfish or your pleco, and they are safe with plants as well. They are great little scavengers with just as much personality (if not more) than their larger-sized cray cousins. Doubtful you will find them in your local stores but they are usually pretty readily available online, via Aquabid or just from making connections in the freshwater invert community.

 

[yenner]

Thanks for all the info. Very thorough and much appreciated.

1) That was my thought. It's kind of a win/win/lose wituation. The shrimp will clean while alive, the fish get a good treat, the shrimp get eaten. I'll think about this.

2) I've read that about the lobsters. The agressiveness, the fact that they're truly crayfish, etc. That's crazy about yours.

3) I was also worried about this. I read online, so I am taking that with a grain of salt, that they're great for FW setups. I don't know though.

4) This looks to be my best option. Do snails clean gravel substrate well or will they just be competing with Bono for the walls and decor surfaces?

5) I will look further into this. Very interesting to me.

Hopefully I'll get that bigger aquarium. So far no response. This 20G won't last much longer!

 

[yenner]

Ended up going with a Panda Cory Cat. He looks so small compared to the others!

 

[mfdrookie516]

Make sure that you get 5 or 6 (or more) cories when you do. One wont be happy, and alot of times will die (been there, done that) without a few 'friends'.

 

[mudraker]

Please watch out for the goldies nipping the fins off of the cories. I just inherited one that got stripped down (I can't believe its still alive down) by black moors, which are gold fish. Its not that the goldies are mean, its just that they pick at the bottom for food constantly and the cories are mostly on the bottom doing the same thing. For algae control with gold fish, I recommend those yellow colored "Chinese Algae Eaters" but with caution. They clean the tank real well when young, but get really mean when they get big.

 

[yenner]

Crap. Now ya tell me. I'll try to get more Corys soon.

The goldfish kind of checked him out then left him alone. Now I can't find him. Great.

I read they burrow. I hope that's the case.

 

[mudraker]

They are excellent at hiding, but also remember, cories dont' eat algae, only detrious. With gold fish, there is usually not that much left as they forage the substrate constantly. I'd find the cory and take it back. I know it will be hard, because those panda cories are so cool looking.

 

[yenner]

Well I have a pleco and the Cory is cool. Can't I just keep him? Please?

 

[mudraker]

Only if you go get another aquarium and get at least five more to keep him.her company.

 

[mudraker]

Pandas are one of the coolest of cories in my opinion, but totally incompatible with goldies. I keep both goldies and cories btw but not in the same tank because I do love them.

 

[yenner]

Made it through the night. No signs of stress and the fins still look good. I'm gonna keepa close eye on them.

Thanks for all the advice everyone. I appreciate it.