Good bottom feeder& algae eater suggestions

[raseii]

Hi,
We are starting to ad fish to our aquarium and are looking for suggestions for a bottom feeder and an algae eater. Preferrably something that will mix well. In our 55 we will be putting
3 balas
2-3 clown loaches
some type of Gouramis ( I like the pearls)
Also some Rainbow fish if I can find them.
Not sure what else, but we need help in finding some kind of bottom feeders and algae eaters. My husband wants some Pictus Catfish, but I'm not sure. Will they eat what falls to the floor of the tank? And are they peaceful fish?
Thanks for any suggestions you can give.

 

[dss2004]

Clown loaches are bottom feeders. I would suggest adding 1 or 2 more.

Look online for rainbow fish at aquabid.com. A myfishtank member turned me on to that site for my rainbow hunt. Great selection and reasonable prices. If you look around at fish stores you will find that most rainbows are priced extremely high. They do best in shoals and most of the sellers on aquabid sell them in groups of five and six which is ideal because you get a good rate and you instantly have a nice school. They will look great in the 55. Give them a lot of plants (fake or real) around the edges and back to make them feel comfortable.

Algae eaters: A bristlenose pleco might be a good choice. SAE eat a lot of algae so do flag fish. Otos are also great algae eaters. Just really depends on your set-up. Let us know how you are planning on laying out the tank and maybe we can help you find a suitable algae eater.

EDIT: Welcome to the tank!!!! *celebrate

 

[public_slots_fr]

if you get a pleco you will never see a spec of algae. Just be aware that they can get a foot long. A rubber-lipped pleco is a smaller species that will only get about 5 inches.

 

[raseii]

Thanks for the suggestions and the website. I really didnt read anything about the clown loaches being bottom feeders, so thats good, but since they get so big, I am hoping to find some other bottom feeders that I can put in the tank that are compatible with the loaches, something that will not get big. Any suggestions? I have 5 plants along the back of the tank and then I have slate rocks stacked to make hiding areas and such. Also is a peice of driftwood in the center sitting on more rocks. I have the rocks layed out in the middle of the tank because we have the tank between our living room and dining room, so we can see into the tank from both rooms so there really isnt a whole lot of room for a big fish to be swimming around down there, so I would want to stay more on the smaller end of things for the bottom feeder. So as far as the algae eaters, will the plecos help with the algae on the rocks and plants and not tear the plants up?
Thanks again

 

[Avalon]

If you want to go the pleco route, make sure you don't get a regular pleco. You might also look for a "pit bull" pleco. They stay very small, about 2-3". Check 'em out here: http://www.planetcatfish.com/cotm/2004_10.php
Also, otocinclus catfish are great fish to have, along with Siamese Algae Eaters. Beware the "false" SAE's.

I wouldn't worry about the clown loaches. It will take many years for them to outgrow a 55g. They will eventually get big, sure, but they also can live for over 40 years, if you can keep them that long. I would be more worried about the Bala's, as they get very large, way too large for a 55g. I would choose another fish. You might consider corydoras as another peaceful bottom dwelling fish.

 

[foty89]

I would highly recommend that you consult the fish descriptions section on this site as well as others on the Internet. They really are a valuable resource in planning what to put in a tank. And don't just look at one or two for each fish you are looking at, check out at least three different descriptions of each to get an accurate view.