Bottom feeder that is peaceful with betta

[jonc711]

Hi AQ,

Recently there has been a problem of dirty glass and sometimes on the substrate (pebbles). The glass would sometimes have algae or white stuff on it. During water changes I would remove it but I feel that it isn't a long term solution. Does anyone know what type of bottom feeder/sucker fish helps to clear this?

[Emokidz]

Sounds like you may be overfeeding. Try to reduce your feeding quatity to cut down on uneaten food.

[jonc711]

No those mostly aren't fish food but other things like stray leaves and waste? How to get rid of them?

[stormhawk]

Use a gravel vacuum then. You can use a fish net to net out the dead leaves or just siphon out the stuff when you do maintenance. If you see "white stuff" and it looks fuzzy then you have fungus and that comes with uneaten food.

[darylets]

so far for my I have tried feeder shrimps and corys and both are peaceful with betta. But on another note, your betta may pick on feeder shrimps once in a while, but nothing of that lethal sort for me. Maybe because i feed them enough and also its a community tank with my whole spawn of betta inside.

[Trichopsis]

Feeder shrimps (i.e. riceland prawns) are alright, but not the smaller shrimps like cherry or Malayan. Large yamato shrimp might probably be alright. It all depends on how large the shrimps are: anything below 2cm in length is probably going to get attacked non-stop. At least the larger riceland prawns are able to hold their own against an approaching betta.

[Blue Whale]

For all the ugly thingy on the soil bed, use a siphon, like this.


Now inorder to control the water flow, you have to nip one end; usually left hand. Right hand would be guiding the suction cup into the soil. Now if you nip the water flow, it should not be so strong to pull the plants out. Available at most LFS, going for less than $10 or around that price.

1. Clear off dead plants.
2. Trim your plants, use a small fish net to net out the broken leaves and stems. Do it slowly.
3. Reduce the amount of food or number of feeding cycle, e.g. From 3 times per day to 2 times per day or from 2 times per day to 1 time per day. Feeding can be a bit bit, fish finished already, then a bit bit more. You do not have to feed everything in one go which is usually the cause of it. Everyone goes through this at one point or another.
4. Maintain your filter regularly.

[Emokidz]

Haha. I quite agree with that... Usually the best creature to employ in maintaining the aquarium - though not a bottom feeder - is the hobbyist himself !

Ironically, that same creature is almost always the cause of widespread deaths too

[Blue Whale]

Haha. I quite agree with that... Usually the best creature to employ in maintaining the aquarium - though not a bottom feeder - is the hobbyist himself !

Ironically, that same creature is almost always the cause of widespread deaths too

Did we not go through this phase before? It's a learning curve, and everyone is learning it. Active maintenance or face retribution....I always said. People who pay tuition fee tends to remember it better.