suggestions on a good bottom feeder

[dasanipig]

id love to have some house cleaning (besides me) but am unsure of something that would be compatable with my fish. i've got 2 gold severums (7", the other 8") and two bichirs. 16" and 14".

so i need something rather large and tough enough not to be bullied.
any suggestions?

thanks

 

[Cutlass]

A common Pleco would be happy in a 90 gallon. Something like a school of Ottos probably wouldn't last two nights against the Bichirs (and possibly the Severums too). You're right, you need something tough, and a common Pleco seems like the best choice. Most pet stores should have decent sized specimens (4"+) that people have turned in because they got too large. Plecos tend to get lazy as they get larger, but in a tank that size one may feel more inclined to move around and do some cleaning.

 

[dasanipig]

thanks for the suggestion but plecos are out, they love to "suck" on the sides of jimmy and axe. thus angering both me and them. ive already gone through about 2, 5" + plecos. jimmy doesnt take to kindly to being poked at.

i was wondering for any other suggestions.
thanks again

 

[FroggyFox]

Well...the plecos that you had...were they "common" plecos? Maybe if you found one that was different you wouldn't have the same problem. Different meaning a Sailfin pleco or a bristlenose pleco or any number of other plecos. I'd think a good size bristlenose would do fine as long as you give him a driftwood cave or somewhere to hide when he wants to. I dont think I've ever heard of a common pleco sucking on a fish's slimecoat...thats usually something you hear from some of the other little algae eaters.

If you cant find any...my apple snails sure help cleaning up sometimes...you could get a couple of big apple snails?

 

[dasanipig]

i'll try getting another type of pleco. mine where just common plecos. and i love snails, the problem is so do my severums. they enjoy plucking them from the glass, and with any luck eating then.

thanks for all the suggestions ill let you know how it goes.
(and i've already got tons of hiding places for them the way i see it if i can see my fish them i don't have enough hiding places)