# Filter Feeder Tankmate for Africans



## mrfeddown (May 9, 2009)

I made some homemade food for my cichlids, taking cues from the recipes on this site. The fish seem to love it, and I can't wait to see how they color up. However, the food clouds the tank pretty bad, and while the filter can handle it, I think it'd be nice if I could get a few filter feeders to grow and benefit from it as well. I have a 135, with an fx5 and one HOB with charcoal that I use when I'm not fertilizing. I know there are some freshwater shrimp that filter feed, but I doubt they'll do anything but get eaten. Am I right? Suggestions? Thanks for the help.


----------



## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

im interested as to what kind of fish live in filters...never dawned on me this was possible.


----------



## mrfeddown (May 9, 2009)

haha, sorry, guess that wasn't clear. Though I have had fish hang out in a bio cube filter for several weeks before I noticed he was missing.

What I meant was fish (or inverts) that feed by filtering particles out of the water to eat. The ocean has whales and tons of crustations that do it, and I know of at least one type of freshwater shrimp that does it. What I want to know is if anyone else knows of a freshwater filter feeder, and if people think there is any way to keep a shrimp from being lunch for my Africans.


----------



## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

ooohhhh ok lol in that case yes something like shrimp would be a nice snack for africans


----------



## xalow (May 10, 2007)

I am not aware of any fresh water filter feeders that would go well with African cichlids. With the filters working well the particulate matter would likely be gone before a true filter feeder would be able to get enough from what I understand about filter feeders. I think most freshwater shrimp are scavengers.

This is an interesting idea, I wonder if the lakes or rivers of Africa would tend to have more filter feeders.


----------



## mrfeddown (May 9, 2009)

I'm not sure, but like you I thought it would be interesting to try. We'll see if anyone else has any ideas, if not, I'll mess around with a filter feeder in one of my other tanks.


----------



## xalow (May 10, 2007)

You may want to look into this: http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/shrimp/vampire.php

They are an African filter feeder though that source above says not to keep them with cichlids. I suppose with a 135 you could cordon off an area near a filter intake with sewing mesh or screen material. I can't imagine an easy way to make that look nice though, but it could be like a pre-filter composed of shrimp a tank within a tank. To honest, I think my own idea is horrible.

Maybe a refugium would be effective using the fx5? I think that would be great, and I know I have seen this done before with cherry shrimp if i remember correctly.


----------



## mrfeddown (May 9, 2009)

I'll check that link in a bit. I'd love to do a refug, but problem is the way my stand is designed, I can't get a tank underneath without removing the tank on top, and I neglected to think of this when I set it up. I don't have the space to do a refug outside of the stand, though that would be sweet.


----------

