# Bottom feeders for CA Tank!!! 90 gallon



## Thewood45 (Jul 19, 2011)

Hi-

So in my new 90 gallon I have all young CA CichlidsÃ¢â‚¬Â¦.I have a JD, a Blue Acara, and a firemouth as of now and I may possibly add 1 small female Convict here shortly. So my question is what do you guys recommend to clean the bottom of the tank? I do not want anything big. I wanted a school of cories, but some guys said the JD will eat them for dinner, so IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢m stuck now, and as of now there is no bottom feeders in this tank. I like the look of a pictus cat, but they get big correct? please help!!!!

Thanks in advance.

Eric


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## Aulonocara_Freak (May 19, 2011)

Pictus cat get to be 5 inche's long.


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## irondan (Nov 22, 2007)

i have read that pictus can get to 10" but have never seen any more than 6". i have modesta botias, clown loaches and a yoyo with my ca's. clowns get big but modestas max at around 6 inches and are great cleaners.they also have great personalities and are fun to watch when you 3 or more


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## cage623 (Feb 2, 2008)

Pictus catfish get larger than 5" for sure. Mine was about 7" a few years ago and most sites online will state they can get up to 10".

If I were you I'd look at different pleco species. There are some like the bristle nose pleco that stay on the smaller size and actually do a very good job cleaning the thank, unlike the larger common plecos.

But you are right to stay away from corys. They are great fish and fun to watch but once your JD gets big enough, they would most likely get eaten.


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## ivanmike (Jun 15, 2003)

To be honest the firemouth will sift the bottom, the convict will pick at it, and in general all cichlids will pick food off of the bottom - so you don't "need" bottom feeders.

Likewise, with these bigger messier fish, you should be vacuuming the substrate along with changing the water every week, so you really shouldn't have issues with the bottom being "dirty".


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## Thewood45 (Jul 19, 2011)

I do 50% weekly on both of my tanks. I know I don't "need" a bottom feeder, but I think it will give the tank more character


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## Adrian101 (Jan 24, 2011)

Avoid pictus because if one of you fish try to eat one then they both die. They have barbs that shred the predators throat. Id say a cuckoo catfish or any syno really. Try planetcatfish.com it really helps.


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## Thewood45 (Jul 19, 2011)

I never did add any bottom feeders yet...I was at my LFS today, and they had 5 beautiful panda cories....is this a possibility or will the JD for sure kill them?

thanks,

Eric


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## ivanmike (Jun 15, 2003)

you will have dead corys, I lay $$$ down on that.


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## mlancaster (Jul 24, 2009)

Hi *Thewood45*,

It is hard to say with the cories. Sometimes they are ignored and sometimes they are killed. I have juli cories with my med-large CA/SA cichlids including an EBJD. If you do get them make sure there are plans (real or fake), driftwood, and small intricate caves for them to hide in.

Panda cories are great. However, they are notorious for being one of the weaker/harder to keep alive cories; but man are they cool. Make sure to get a school of them approx 5, they do much better in groups.

Thanks,
Matt


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## Thewood45 (Jul 19, 2011)

Looks like I'll pass on the Panda's, oh well they sure look cool, but at 6 bucks each its not worth the risk. Thanks for the feedback.

Eric


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## belxavier420 (Aug 19, 2010)

I would get 4 pictus catfish, they are fun and good looking fish. I have never seen one near 10 inches, 6 is more realistic. I love how you wont see them all day but as soon as food hits the bottom they come swarming in attack mode and eat everything in sight. Just make sure you have plenty of hiding spots for them as they like to hide a lot.


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## reflexhunter (Jul 25, 2009)

These get up to 5 inches, Narcissus Corydoras

I known it is not ca but syndontis Eupterus can hold it's own with a lot bigger fish and are really cool!


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