# Can I add a feces eater to a Malawi mbuna tank?



## Avril (Apr 22, 2007)

What are they called - corprusscular fish or something like that? There are Malawi and Victoria ones. Can they be added to a tank with labs and Dems and those sorts of fish? Just to help out with the cleaning efforts - which require a fair bit of effort as the fish get larger and more numerous. Anyone try this with any success?


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

There are no fish (or at least nothing common) that eat other fishes waste that you would put in with cichlids... e.g. plecos are NOT poop eaters despite what some people call them.

There is nothing as cheap and easy as vacuuming and water change with fresh water... suggest you bite the bullet or reduce the bioload in the tank.


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## Avril (Apr 22, 2007)

What about "Otopharynx lithobates" - according to my book on Cichlids, this is lake malawi, grows to only 6 inches, and dietary notes say it is a copraphage. 
Remarks: It might come as a surprise to many hobbyists already familiar with the outstanding appearance of this species that it is in fact a cave dweller. Rarely are O. lithobates in breeding dress observed outside their secluded hideaways. They scavenge the sediment in caves and FEED ON THE DROPPINGS OF OTHER FISH, mainly herbivorous species.

Anyone had any of these in their tank?

Do they help?

- A.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Otopharynx lithobates are not true copraphage, but rather scavengers who pick up many items off of cave floors, and it often includes droppings of other fish.

O. lithobates is commonly available in the aquarium, but I've never seen them doing this in the aquarium.


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## kingdave (Mar 9, 2007)

"What goes in must come out."

Even if there were a fish that would eat feces, it would also produce feces of its own, actually adding to the accumulation of poop, not reducing it (assuming at also ate fish food).


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## F8LBITEva (Nov 9, 2007)

you could add Synodontis Multipunctatus, they look cool and stay small.


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## why_spyder (Mar 2, 2006)

Number6 said:


> There is nothing as cheap and easy as vacuuming and water change with fresh water... suggest you bite the bullet or reduce the bioload in the tank.


Exactly! For the time, money, and probably headache of finding, buying, and housing such fish would be so much of a waste. If you had all the time and money in the world, then go for it - but then why not invest in a 100,000 gallon tank - it would probably be a better investment.... :lol:


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

Synos don't eat poop. They are cool and I love them, though!

My lithobates doesn't eat poop either. Maybe I should have a talk with him . . .


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## why_spyder (Mar 2, 2006)

hollyfish2000 said:


> My lithobates doesn't eat poop either. Maybe I should have a talk with him . . .


 :lol: :lol:


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

F8LBITEva said:


> you could add Synodontis Multipunctatus, they look cool and stay small.


This is exactly the type of myth we need to correct! The poor catfishes of the world are always given this horrible reputation of eating poop... heck, Discus will sift detritus from the substrate and that doesn't mean that they are eating it! :lol:


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