Clean up Fish

CrayolaViolence · 11/17/2016, 12:20 PM

I've been trying to find a good species of fish to put into my QT to clean up extra food and such from the substrate. Can anyone suggest one or two or three. I'm aware of goat fish, are there any others?
Thanks

AlSimmons · 11/17/2016, 12:46 PM

Couldn't you just feed smaller portions at a time? If you put a fish in there for the sole purpose of cleaning up the scraps it's in one end and out the other. You've just replaced one problem with another. Your best bet IMO is a siphon.

CrayolaViolence · 11/17/2016, 01:23 PM

There is always going to be food that escapes to the bottom of the tank. And I do siphon, however it's not practical to do this every day. My quarantine tank is the only tank I have an issue with due to the fact I can't use inverts to pick up the scraps. I really need a fish to stay in there and do clean up duty when I have fish waiting to go into the display.

scooter31707 · 11/17/2016, 01:51 PM

maybe some type of Goby?

AlSimmons · 11/17/2016, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrayolaViolence

There is always going to be food that escapes to the bottom of the tank. And I do siphon, however it's not practical to do this every day. My quarantine tank is the only tank I have an issue with due to the fact I can't use inverts to pick up the scraps. I really need a fish to stay in there and do clean up duty when I have fish waiting to go into the display.

So feed smaller portions at a time or perhaps switch to a food that doesn't break down into small pieces. The fact that you need to siphon the leftover food out every day sounds more like human error than anything else IMO. Food hitting the bottom of the tank doesn't have to happen. Good luck finding a suitable janitor.

chefbill · 11/17/2016, 04:28 PM

And why not bare bottom QT?

Sent from my LGL52VL using Tapatalk

anthonys51 · 11/17/2016, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrayolaViolence

I've been trying to find a good species of fish to put into my QT to clean up extra food and such from the substrate. Can anyone suggest one or two or three. I'm aware of goat fish, are there any others?
Thanks

honestly if your looking for a fish to be your fish vacuum, that fish doesn't really exist and if it did it was be the best fish ever. feed as much as you want, do no maintenance. think i pay 1000 for that fish
thats why most qt tank are bare bottom.

Walla2GSP · 11/17/2016, 05:15 PM

I've heard Kole tangs are great at cleaning substrate and rock, but definitely not a good fish long term for a small QT unless your Quarantine is 100 gallons.

anthonys51 · 11/17/2016, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walla2GSP

I've heard Kole tangs are great at cleaning substrate and rock, but definitely not a good fish long term for a small QT unless your Quarantine is 100 gallons.

kole tangs might scrape rock and glass all day, but they dont eat leftover food. they arent scavengers angers, there grazers

11/17/2016, 12:20 PM	#1
CrayolaViolence Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,867	Clean up Fish I've been trying to find a good species of fish to put into my QT to clean up extra food and such from the substrate. Can anyone suggest one or two or three. I'm aware of goat fish, are there any others? Thanks

11/17/2016, 12:46 PM	#2
AlSimmons Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: California Posts: 2,482	Couldn't you just feed smaller portions at a time? If you put a fish in there for the sole purpose of cleaning up the scraps it's in one end and out the other. You've just replaced one problem with another. Your best bet IMO is a siphon.

11/17/2016, 01:23 PM	#3
CrayolaViolence Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,867	There is always going to be food that escapes to the bottom of the tank. And I do siphon, however it's not practical to do this every day. My quarantine tank is the only tank I have an issue with due to the fact I can't use inverts to pick up the scraps. I really need a fish to stay in there and do clean up duty when I have fish waiting to go into the display.

11/17/2016, 01:51 PM	#4
scooter31707 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Virginia Posts: 4,971	maybe some type of Goby?

11/17/2016, 04:28 PM	#6
chefbill Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 530	And why not bare bottom QT? Sent from my LGL52VL using Tapatalk

11/17/2016, 05:15 PM	#8
Walla2GSP Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Out here Posts: 201	I've heard Kole tangs are great at cleaning substrate and rock, but definitely not a good fish long term for a small QT unless your Quarantine is 100 gallons.