Clean up crew advice (what do you use)?

[1HawksFan70]

Starting a 75g. African Cichlid aquarium.  What does everyone use for a substrate clean up crew? I already know I'm getting a Bristlenose pleco for the glass but I'm unsure what to get( and how many) for the sand. Thanks!

[DiscusLover]

On 1/30/2023 at 9:56 AM, 1HawksFan70 said:

Starting a 75g. African Cichlid aquarium.  What does everyone use for a substrate clean up crew? I already know I'm getting a Bristlenose pleco for the glass but I'm unsure what to get( and how many) for the sand. Thanks!

I personally would add a red tailed shark or a pictus catish. Since its a african cichlid tank stocking option is limited

[1HawksFan70]

Thank you!

[mynameisnobody]

African cichlids is a very broad term. Depending on the species, a pleco can be decimated. I’d pick your center piece fish first, then whatever cleanup crew is compatible. Your options are definitely limited because they are Africans, but again it all depends on what species. 

[JettsPapa]

Specifically what do you want this clean-up crew to do?

[1HawksFan70]

Clean up some of the waste on the sand, and algae off the glass 

[Lennie]

This may help

 

[JettsPapa]

On 1/30/2023 at 2:28 PM, 1HawksFan70 said:

Clean up some of the waste on the sand, and algae off the glass 

I'd suggest nerite snails for cleaning the glass (with the caveat that I don't know anything about African cichlids, but I assume nerites would be okay with them).

[Procrypsis]

Rethink your bristlenose pleco for cleaning glass. If that is all it has to eat, it will starve as they do not feed on algae for the most part. There are better options such as otocinclus for glass cleaning. Having cichlids in the tank does limit your options, though.

Edited January 31 by Procrypsis

[Biotope Biologist]

African cichlids and South American species tend not to mix well due to the higher pH and high kh and gh in their tanks. Id avoid them entirely. Common plecos don’t seem to mind but also grow far to large and produce far more waste.

 

The way we think about “waste eaters” in the aquaria is all wrong. Fish will not clean up waste. They produce more than they’d consume anyway. If you want a clean up crew id look for nerites, rabbit snail, or malaysian trumpets. They will be fine with the cichlids as most are not active snail eaters. Although I’ve heard of them being picked up and moved.
 

African cichlids like a tidy home and sometimes snails just don’t match the decor. Free ride for the snail I guess. Other tank cleaners tend to be eaten, detritus worms, shrimp, scuds, etc. 

[EVoyager31]

+1 for nerites for the glass. Best algae cleaners I’ve ever seen!

[John Henry]

Nerites for the glass, Malaysian trumpets for the substrate.  Only downside to nerites are the white egg concretions.

[Scapexghost]

Shell dwellers will constantly move the substrate, this will prevent detritus piling up of the sand.

[OnlyGenusCaps]

On 1/30/2023 at 11:56 AM, 1HawksFan70 said:

Starting a 75g. African Cichlid aquarium.

In my 75gal mbuna tank I have Colombian ramshorn snails who help clean up the uneaten food (leftover Repashy  Super Green gel food with veg'n stuff thrown in the mix) and do a little on the glass.  I'd also add limpet nerites, or any "horn" nerites with spikes for better glass clean up. 

[1HawksFan70]

For the Nerites and Malaysian Trumpets, what numbers are good to start with in a 75? Thank you. 

[Lennie]

On 2/1/2023 at 4:42 PM, 1HawksFan70 said:

For the Nerites and Malaysian Trumpets, what numbers are good to start with in a 75? Thank you. 

Personally, I've only seen my nerites grazing algae and biofilm and ignoring any type of food put in the tank, any fish food, wafers, blanched veggies, and snellos.

So I personally wait for some time before introducing them into a new tank. I make sure there is natural food growing in the tank.

generally people recommend one for every 5g or so, but to my experience, it is too much. They constantly graze, think like shrimps as a snail. I would personally go for 5-6 or so. They really are hard working, I don't think you would face any issues, if you do, you can increase their number anytime.

 

For MTS, think twice. I have them, they are great at turning substrate especially in a planted tank, but they can be annoying as well. I personally don't think limiting food is enough for MTS population, even if you keep up with weekly water changes and gravel vac. It worked for bladder snails for example, but It never does with MTS in my experience.They breed like crazy, and anything, decaying plant matter, fish food, algae, biofilm, etc can be counted as a food source for them. Also to my experience, adults are pretty nocturnal but babies are not nocturnal at all.

 

Edited February 1 by Lennie

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

I only have experience with Nerites not MTS so I can't help there. But as @Lenniepointed out they don't eat commercial foods and rarely do I see them on veggie offerings but they will partake at times- however we cannot count on that. Nerites do move about the tank quite a bit constantly scraping their little teeth against things. I have found in keeping several types that some specialize in cleaning some things more than others. I think my favorite has been my Olive Nerite and my Horned Nerites, though they are all awesome. 5-6 is probably perfect if they are the only snails. The great thing about them is that they won't reproduce. You don't want them to have to compete for food. This is Curleque my Olive Nerite female: 

The thing with girls and some fish keepers is that they don't like the hard white (totally infertile) eggs they lay sometimes everywhere. I personally do NOT mind them, I only scrape them off viewing glass with a razor and I don't care a whiff when they lay on other hardscape, the eggs fade after time. I would not trade my Nerites for anything. 

Edited February 1 by xXInkedPhoenixX

[Lennie]

On 2/1/2023 at 6:58 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

Olive Nerite and my Horned Nerites,

Agreed. I've been keeping olive horned nerites(combination of your two :D) and zebra nerites. Would never get zebras again. They are hardy and beautiful looking, but their females lay WAY MORE eggs than my horned ones did a whole year long in my experience. They even layed on big MTS- Like.....

Have you ever noticed the amount of different egg laying between your olives and horned ones?

Probably I will never keep nerites again anyway. Besides all wild caught perspective, the egg laying behavior really ruins the tank for me. I've seen nerite eggs laid on substrate particles. I don't wanna say anything more. They are repairing my rabbit snail's shell erosions succesfully.

Medic snail reporting for duty🐌

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

@Lennie I have 15 assorted Nerites and out of those only 3 females. I know a lot of fishkeepers gripe about the eggs but I really don't have any issues with them myself. It's all part of tank life and the Nerites do such a great job that I forgive them for the tank decorations. 

I usually tell people to ask their LFS if they get a female if they can return/exchange it if it's that big of a deal to them. 

Since I've only had 3 females I can't really determine if one type lays more eggs than others. Of the females I had 2 Zebra and my Olive, Curlyque is a female.

I have several types of Nerites and always good with adding another type but you're right, my 3 Horned Nerites (Lock, Shock and Barrel) are also Olives and they are super small yet are just aces at cleaning my tank. 

 

[OnlyGenusCaps]

On 2/1/2023 at 7:42 AM, 1HawksFan70 said:

For the Nerites and Malaysian Trumpets, what numbers are good to start with in a 75?

Nerites: 5 will keep your biofilm down and the glass pretty clean (except for the eggs, which you'll have to scrape off), they won't eat leftover food that cichlids leave behind though

MTS: start with any number, you'll have plenty soon enough