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Tag: clown pleco

  • 9 Best Bottom Feeder Fish for Freshwater Aquariums

    9 Best Bottom Feeder Fish for Freshwater Aquariums

    A Brief Summary of Bottom Dwellers

    Bottom Feeders are the backbone of a lot of aquariums. These fish are the janitors or part of the cleanup crew in your fish tank. There are many different kinds of species of bottom dwelling fish. They all come in different shapes, sizes and nuances. This article will discuss some of the best bottom dwelling fish for freshwater aquariums. The fish here will vary in species, aggression, colorations and more.

    1. Cory Catfish

    You can’t start a bottom dweller list without Cory Catfish. I lumped them all together because (in my opinion) all Cory Cats are great. These beautiful shoaling fish are excellent bottom feeders. They love sitting at the bottom of the substrate, waiting for food or they’ll swim around scavenging. They’re fun fish with amazing personalities and are incredibly friendly so they’re perfect for community fish tanks. There are two species of Cory that I will highlight because of unique characteristics they possess.

    Pygmy Cory

    The first Cory Catfish I wanted to highlight is the Pygmy Cory. The unique characteristic this fish has is in the name. The Pygmy Cory is a small fish and it remains fairly small its whole life. You will likely never see see one larger than 1.5 inches (~3.2 cm). Because of it’s max size being so small, this fish is excellent for fish tanks that are 10 gallons or larger. A fish tank this large will allow you to create a shoal that is at least 6 corys strong. Larger shoals are always better so the more corys you can keep the happier they will be.

    Emerald Green Cory

    The Emerald Green Cory is the second fish I would like to highlight. This fish’s unique characteristic is its coloration. There are green fish available purchase but it’s not as common as blue, red and silver colorations. The Emerald Cory’s green color is vibrant and very well looks like an emerald! Unlike the Pygmy Cory Catfish, the Emerald Green Cory grows to have a max size of 3.5 inches. They require at least 30 gallons of water to be happy. Similarly to other Cory Cats, this species of fish requires to be in a shoal of at least 6 fish to be happy.

    2. Bristlenose Pleco

    bristlenose pleco
    Image by JanRehschuh on wikiMedia

    The Bristlenose Pleco, sometimes called the Bushy Nose Pleco, is a fantastic fish to add to fish tanks that are 30 gallons or larger. The Bristlenose Pleco is a fantastic algae eater which does not get incredibly large. It will grow to be roughly 6 inches in size but does a great job eating algae at every stage of life. If this pleco runs out of algae to eat, you will have to supplement it with algae wafers or other foods. The Bushy Nose Plecostomus has a unique feature to it. The males of this species grow a face full of whiskers. On the other hand, the females grow much smaller whiskers. It’s a unique but incredibly cool feature of this fish. You can find different variants of Bristlenose Pleco for sale in stores and online. You can find them in regular, albino, red and other varieties.

    3. Kuhli Loach

    The Kuhli Loach is a long “noodle like” fish that is very popular in the hobby. This fish species spends a lot of its time scavenging for food along substrate and is an excellent bottom feeder. A Kuhli Loach’s max size will be around 4-5 inches. This makes it perfect for aquariums that are 20 gallons or larger. They love to burrow so having sand in the aquarium is incredibly beneficial for them. Overall, they are a very peaceful fish and does well with other community fish like tetras, rasboras, and other fish. They can get territorial with other Kuhli Loaches so I would recommend adding 5 extra gallons of water for each additional loach.

    If you’re looking to remove pest snails, you will have to look at other loaches. Unlike other loach species, you will rarely see a Kuhli Loach eat snails. However, it is possible for these loaches to eat smaller species of shrimp. If you really want to keep shrimp with this loach, Amano Shrimp and other larger shrimp have a better chance of survival. If you’re looking for ways to remove pest snails, check out this guide, which shows different methods of controlling and removing nuisance snails.

    4. Clown Loach

    Clown Loaches are a fantastic bottom feeder, if you have the room to house it! Although it is a very slow grower, the Clown Loach size maxes at 1 foot! They require at least a 100 gallon fish tank once they are fully grown. If you can house one, I highly recommend it. They have very cool colorations and interesting personalities. This fish species will spend quite a bit of time foraging for leftover food and invertebrates in a fish tank. That’s right, the Clown Loach is an excellent invertebrate hunter. There is no snail or shrimp that is safe from this fish! If you have an infestation of snails, consider getting a Clown Loach or for smaller tanks, get a Yoyo Loach which is further down this list!

    5. Otocinclus

    Ottocinclus on driftwood

    Otocinclus are incredible bottom feeders that are an excellent addition to nano fish tanks. They do great in fish tanks that are 10 gallons or larger. Ottos love being in groups. I would keep a minimum of 6 in a fish tank but more is always recommended. Otocinclus eat brown algae as well as green algae. They’re fantastic fish to own and having a group of them adds a liveliness into the fish tank. The one drawback to this fish is that they can be very sensitive. They’re not known to be hardy fish and even in established fish tanks sometimes struggle. With that in mind, be cautious when adding Ottos into your fish tank.

    6. Yoyo Loach

    If you need a pest snail hunting fish, Yoyo Loaches might be what you’re looking for. This fish is an excellent invertebrate hunter and will take down snails and shrimp. Keep that in mind if you have snails and shrimp you want to keep in the tank. With their very interesting colorations and pattern work, a Yoyo Loach should be kept in fish tanks that are 30 gallon or larger. They will spend their days hunting inverts and consuming whatever food makes its way down to the substrate.

    7. Redtail Shark

    red tail shark swimming
    Image by Astellar87 on wikimedia

    Knowing that Redtail Sharks aren’t always the kindest fish in the fish tank, you have to admit that their colorations are beautiful! A lot of people miss out on keeping Redtails because of their temperament, which is understandable. This fish can take over the fish tank and pick on everything inside. If you’re lucky, they can be incredibly peaceful and keep to themselves. Redtail Sharks will definitely be more aggressive towards bottom dwelling fish. I would not recommend keeping them with Cory cats, Plecos, and most other bottom feeders. This fish can potentially pick on other fish even outside of their territory. Be vigilant when keeping Redtails.

    Redtail Sharks get to be 4 inches in length. This might not seem very big but their aggression can make up for it. If you are thinking of keeping this fish, I would suggest housing it in aquariums 55 gallons or larger. Also, provide it with plenty of plants, hiding places of varying sizes and other nooks and crannies it can hide in. Providing all of this may help in keeping the Redtail Shark’s aggression down a bit. You can find Redtail Sharks for sale at most pet stores and online!

    8. Clown Pleco

    The Clown Pleco is a unique species of bottom feeder. Along with algae and leftover food, much of the fish’s diet is driftwood! It’s a unique quirk, and you may even hear it munching on wood from outside the aquarium. A Clown Plecos size maxes at around 4 inches. It is great for fish tanks that are 20 gallons or larger. Some hobbyists do not keep Clown Plecos because of the amount of waste they produce due to their unique diet. If you’re interested in learning more about this fish, check out the Clown Pleco Complete Care Guide!

    9. Hillstream Loach

    I had to add the Hillstream Loach also known as the Reticulated Hillstream Loach into this list. Not as much for it’s ability to be an excellent bottom feeder but because its overall appearance. The Hillstream Loach has a very flat body which helps it stay put in fast flowing waters. In the wild it lives in fast moving, highly oxygenated and cooler waters. Your aquarium should mimic the appearance of a river, with strong filtration and possibly a powerhead/circulation pump to provide fast currents for this fish. Hillstream Loach care might limit what can be mixed with it. Regardless, this is a very fascinating and rewarding fish to keep in a fish tank!

    Final Notes

    There are many other bottom feeders that will do very well in a fish tank. I wanted to name off some of the best and unique that I have come across. If you have bottom dwelling fish that you love, let me know! I am always happy to learn more and spread the information along.

  • Clown Pleco – Complete Care Guide

    Clown Pleco – Complete Care Guide

    Clown Pleco Information

    The Clown Plecostomus is a freshwater fish that is often missed in this hobby. it is a gorgeously colored fish that is an excellent addition to an aquarium. This beautiful fish spends its time in a fish tank eating away at leftover food, algae and driftwood. Yes, this species of fish love and require driftwood in the fish tank. They munch on driftwood often, to the point that you can sometimes hear the crunching outside of the fish tank. It is great for smaller aquariums because a full grown Clown Pleco is only 4 inches. One thing to note, is that Clown Plecos will produce a lot of waste due to their unique diet. You may have to siphon and physically remove the waste from your aquariums.

    You can find the Clown Pleco for sale online and not as commonly in stores. This guide will go over the aquarium requirements, diet, tank mate compatibility and breeding habits of this fish species. All of this will help you provide proper Clown Pleco care.

    Aquarium Requirements

    Because of the Clown Pleco size in adulthood, it should do well in fish tanks that are 20 gallons or larger. This should provide it enough room to move around. A fish tank this large will help prevent water parameters from negatively spiking because of this fish’s ability to produce a lot of waste. A full grown Clown Pleco will be very happy in a 20 gallon aquarium as long as plenty of hiding spaces are available.

    Clown Plecos should do perfectly fine with live plants although it may nibble on plants if hungry. They normally focus on algae and driftwood for sources of food. Also, Clown Plecos are normally not known for jumping but still consider keeping a well fitted lid on your fish tank.

    Do Clown Plecos Need Driftwood?

    The answer to this question is yes. Clown Plecos do need to be able to chew on driftwood to provide them with additional nutrients and supplements not normally found in regular foods. Check out some driftwood on Amazon but really think of your aquarium’s size before finalizing a purchase! As a side note, certain driftwoods will leach tannins into your fish tank. It is recommended to boil your driftwood for about 30 minutes to help prevent this from happening.

    Water Parameters

    Like any other fish or aquatic invertebrate, having excellent and stable water parameters is one of the most important things to keep your pet happy and healthy. Clown Plecos are no different in this aspect. The following water parameters will help keep this fish comfortable and not stressed:

    • Temperature Range: 74-80°F
    • pH Range: 6.5 – 7.5
    • KH Range: 6-10

    Healthy water parameters for freshwater fish tanks do not really have a sweet spot. You will have to research information on fish species and determine parameters that the fish thrive in. Many fish are incompatible because of this.

    Clown Pleco Diet

    As stated before in this article, you will need driftwood for Clown Plecos which you can easily find on Amazon or many pet stores. A Clown Pleco’s diet will primarily consist of driftwood, algae, leftover fish food and algae wafers you provide. If there is no algae in the fish tank, supplementing your pleco with algae wafers is a must! If you Pleco goes on the glass, you can monitor how fed it is by observing the belly. Indented bellies are signs that your Plecos are starving.

    Clown Plecos like most other plecos primarily have a herbaceous diet. However, like any other fish, they are opportunists. If there is a chance to eat, they will take it. Clown Plecos will not actively hunt fish and freshwater inverts but if one is on its last legs or freshly dead, they will more than likely try to eat it.

    Tank Mates

    Clown Plecos are very peaceful fish. They will normally keep to themselves and not bother any fish swimming about. If there isn’t enough room, Clown Plecos will fight with others of the same species for territory. Otherwise they’re excellent for community tanks. They do great with fish such as:

    This list isn’t the full extent of what can be kept with Clown Plecos. They will do great with just about every species of Tetra, Livebearers, Rasboras, Gouramis and more. I would personally keep them away from more aggressive species of cichlids like Tiger Oscars, Jack Dempsey and others. They are also incompatible with fish like African Cichlids because of the differences in water parameters. Do some research before deciding what species of fish to add into a fish tank!

    Clown Pleco Breeding

    Breeding Clown Plecos is a little difficult. In order to do so, first you have to find a male and female to breed. Male Clown Plecos will have a few more bristles on its head compared to the female. If you are not purposely trying to breed them you can house a male/female pair together in a 30 gallon fish tank. Otherwise you would have to provide a breeding tank for these fish.

    Aquarium Setup

    In a normal aquarium setting, it will be important to provide this fish with a lot of driftwood and caves. Clown Plecos will more than likely lay their eggs in these caves. If you are using a breeding tank, you will have a similar setup. Furthermore, you will have to lower the water level in the fish tank roughly 30% to trigger a drought season. Once 30% of the water is removed, you will need to refill it with clean water to initiate a large rain event. If you do this there is a chance Clown Plecos will begin to breed.

    Feeding & Time

    I would recommend feeding your Clown Plecos a diet rich in nutrients after refilling the fish tank with clean water. This replicates an increase in nutrients & resources which are ideal breeding conditions. Otherwise, only time will tell whether this fish will breed and spawn. Males will guard the eggs until they are hatched which can take about a month.

    Final Notes

    Clown Plecos are a cool fish to add into a freshwater aquarium. If you are okay with the amount of waste they produce, they can be a fantastic talking point to visitors and viewers of the fish tank. They stay small so are excellent for smaller aquariums but still are great addons to larger fish tanks. If are interested in other great algae eaters for freshwater aquariums, check out this list!

    Image by Jarne Colman on wikiMedia