cichlid tank cleaning crew

[Katie217]

well, im planning on getting that 56gal tank sometime this week (im going to look at it on monday, and will prob have it in the house onfriday or saturday) and its going to be mbunas, and iwas wondering if pictus catfish that i already have, would they be good bottom feeders for that tank? will they get hurt by the mbunas? OR could my 2 weather loaches go in there and be ok? im not planning on getting more bottom dwelling fish if i dont HAVE too, thanks!

 

[Katie217]

bump...anyone? i should be going to see the tank im planning on getting today, but i still need ideas for bottom feeders.

 

[Cichlid-Man]

Not worth it to have a "cleaning crew" for a cichlid tank. The cleaning crew is the owner. However some of the synodontis would probably work with Mbuna. They should scrounge around for leftovers but really won't be a "cleaning crew" as they drop wastes themselves and it just cancels everything out.

Pictus might work, idk. Weather loaches...nah.

 

[RISK2123]

synodontis catfish are usually ok. i would be kinda worried about mixing the pictus and loaches though. mbunas can be really aggressive. i have a featherfin catfish (Synodontis eupterus) in my african tank but he gets picked on from time to time, even with the sharp barbs.

 

[Katie217]

well u know what i mean by cleainging crew, basically a bottom feeder who eats scraps, but i asked on the cichlids forum on the chat thing, and some guy said that my pictus cats that i have now should be good, cuz i dont really want to buy anymore bottom dwellers. so i will give the pictus a try, and if they dont work...well oh well at leaste i tried

 

[JustOneMore20]

Mbuna are mostly bottom dwellers and alot of them will pick at leftovers. As long as you don't overfeed, you shouldn't need a clean up crew other than yourself.

I heard many different opinions on what can be kept with Mbuna. I wanted some sort of catfish or loach in my Mbuna tank, but heard too many constrasting opinions, so I just decided to go with Mbuna. Some told me I could have a pleco, others said no that they would be killed. Some said that loaches like Skunk loaches would be fine. I wasn't sure...so I'm going to have an all Mbuna tank.

 

[Katie217]

yeah i will give the pictus a try, and if they are getting picked on too much, i will either add another cave for them, or take them out

 

[wayne]

I wouldn't worry about that too much,pictus are quite robust, but I doubt they'll really act as a cleanup crew.

 

[Kephren01]

With justonemore's comment, my LFS has pleco's in every single tank they have. None of them seem to be bothered or bothersome to any type of fish. I would think they'd go fine with Mbuna's. I also have a Rafael in with mine. (Rafael is the type of fish, not his name) He is a bottom dweller, likes to be in the shade. He is more nocturnal, will come out in low light. I noticed when I first put all my Mbuna's in, they wanted to pick on the Raf b/c he wouldn't ever move, but they quickly learned not to. They have a very hard exoskeleton, and they can vibrate their wiskers in a way that the fish don't like. He is also cool looking and he speaks (litterally)*thumbsups

 

[Katie217]

yeah my pictus cats sorta grown sometimes. ill give them a try in the tank, thanks everyone

 

[yav1n]

I have a clown loach and lots of mbuna and they dont ever bother it.

 

[JustOneMore20]

There was somewhat of an argument on another site I visit about plecos and Mbuna tanks. I've seen alot of people that keep them successfully with Mbuna but there were a handful of people that said not to. Go figure!

Go with the Pictus and let us know how it goes.

 

[cinlnk]

Mbuna are mostly bottom dwellers and alot of them will pick at leftovers. As long as you don't overfeed, you shouldn't need a clean up crew other than yourself.

I heard many different opinions on what can be kept with Mbuna. I wanted some sort of catfish or loach in my Mbuna tank, but heard too many constrasting opinions, so I just decided to go with Mbuna. Some told me I could have a pleco, others said no that they would be killed. Some said that loaches like Skunk loaches would be fine. I wasn't sure...so I'm going to have an all Mbuna tank.

I keep 2 Yoyo Loaches and a Striped Raphael Cat AND a Dwarf Pleco in my Mbuna Tank.. been there for over a Year. They are doing great. The Yoyo are the ones that bother the Mbunas. PITA actually.

 

[Katie217]

yea ill give it a try for about a week, and if everything is ok, no deaths then ill keep the pictus in there. HOPEFULLY on thursday, i will be able to go over to my friends house and actually see the tank that i might buy...either way i think im buying it, but iwanna see it anyways hehe

 

[wayne]

It also depends on what mbuna you have - yellow labs, afra, you can keep with anything (oh yes). Melanochromis auaratus, vermic., forget it.