Hi, I have a 30gal live bearer tank with 5 mollie and 3 platies. A few babies have dropped when I didnt get prego mom out in time. This may happen from time to time so I need a bottom feeder that isnt going to be a serious problem to the occasional fry. Also can anyone think of one for the nursery tanks as well as I dont have a filter system for these because I am afraid of them getting sucked. (even with a spong or fabric over the intake. These babies are small!) Any SAFER bottom feeder ideas would be great!
2007-01-26 04:21:05 · 14 answers · asked by Little bitty 1 2 in Pets ➔ Fish
opps its a 40gal
2007-01-26 04:21:49 · update #1
Personally, I like cory catfish, cute and fairly active but don't take off after the babies either.
2007-01-26 04:29:31 · answer #1 · answered by magicman116 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
I highly recommend cories! They are cute and lots of fun to watch, and have tiny catfish mouths so they wouldn't be a threat to fry. The bronze corydoras (my favorite) is fairly hardy, but there are several kinds and colors, including some more sensitive but even cuter dwarf varieties that don't much get much bigger than an inch apiece. They get along with any fish; I have a small school of them in my tank with platies and I've even seen them playing together. :) Just be sure to buy at least 3 or 4 of the same variety of whatever cories you go with. They won't show their playful behavior unless they're in a school, and the stress also affects their health.
You can try the ghost shrimp. There's a decent chance they will be eaten by the mollies, I think, depending on how big the mollies are, but they're so cheap it's not a big loss. Also, they're more efficient cleaners than the cories.
Snails are pretty good cleaners too, but they produce a lot more waste relative to their size than either the cories or the shrimp, and can overrun your tank if you're not careful.
2007-01-26 07:50:33 · answer #2 · answered by ceci9293 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi I use to have tanks and I always loved the placo, or placotomus. It is the same things. Also try building a small cave or two in the tank so the babies can hide in them. This can be a clean lantern globe laid sideways for them to get in or buried in the sand half way just enough so they can get in to hide but still be able to get food. I prefer catfish after the placo.
As far as the filter goes, ther only thing u can do is turn it down low. And with needing a breeder tank, go to pet smart or somewhere like that and look around, normally the mom goes in the tank several days b4 she has the babies and then when she has them they drop in to a holding tank on the bottom. I had 2 of these and they work great. I took the mom out when she was done and then removed the divider making sure to feed the babies let them stay in there for a week or more, they grow fast so just have to watch them.
2007-01-26 04:36:12 · answer #3 · answered by nightowltn2003 1 · 0⤊ 6⤋
Guppies have a tendency to nip so do no longer save them with gentle fish or fish with long flowing fins. as properly that, they are stay bearers who breed prolifically and don't lay the eggs. they are hardy freshwater species. Albino cories choose faculties of a minimum of three, 4 or 5 is greater powerful. They consume greens, scraps of foodstuff/waste of the backside of the floor, and you ought to supplement them algae wafers, I want Hikari Algae Wafers. you have plenty extra area! Get a million or 2 greater albino cories. you may have a species of 6 tetras. hairy nostril pleco, zebra/ leopard/ Celestial Pearl Danios, platies, maximum small community fish. yet do no longer upload too many.
2016-11-01 08:36:38 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I like tiger loaches sometimes called zebra loaches, botia striata; not to be confused with botia helodes (which is also sold as tiger loach). I have them in with my guppie tank & I seem to have a ton of fry surviving on to adulthood. They must be bought in pairs or more otherwise they'll sulk.
They stay to about 2.5 inches & they're not troublemakers at all.
2007-01-26 05:48:16 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I swear by snails, but get the right kind, there are many kinds, some breed entirely too fast, some only eat algae and some eat live plants.
If you dont have live plants the latter doesnt matter, but you want one that eats leftover fish food, algae, and doesnt eat living plants. I got mine from a local aquarium store and they have done a far better job then the catfish and they take up less space and if your fry get eaten by a snail... well seriously... what fish is going to get eaten by something that doesnt swim and goes exactly .1 inches a second?
2007-01-26 04:39:55 · answer #6 · answered by Cryz 2 · 3⤊ 3⤋
the best for any tank are firstly, siamese flying fox, secondly borneo sucker fish. peaceful, small (ish) and do the BEST jobs. for your filter, just put a sponge over the intake.
2007-01-26 06:15:16 · answer #7 · answered by Noota Oolah 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
korydoras are good with mollies and platies and theyre a bottom feeder i own mollies and korys theyre cute lil guys.
2007-01-26 06:10:10 · answer #8 · answered by powneverforgotten 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are several bottom feeder Catfish varieties (Corey's etc..), most of the smaller ones should be safer. See your local PetSmart associate for more details
2007-01-26 04:51:52 · answer #9 · answered by cessna3000 2 · 0⤊ 4⤋
Ghost shrimp. They are cheap, eat only dead things and vegitation and do a great job cleaning up the tank. You can get like...10 for a dollar.
2007-01-26 04:23:52 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 2⤋