# Perfect Clean Up Fish???



## LasColinasCichlids

Does it exist? 
I would love to find a fish that is a great clean up fish, in a small package (under 5 inches full grown, and of course freshwater). 
I would like to find a fish that eats, debris, fish poop, and the swaying brown muck that looks like algae but isnt (or so I dont think... I know what diatoms are, but this is more like debris). An extra bonus is if the ate some algae too, but not need as I have plenty of algae consumers. 
Of course, it would have to be a complete community fish as well. 
Anyone know of such a fish??? 
I am thinking a whiptail catfish is close, but dont know how vivacious its appetite for debris and fish poop would be, lol. 

Just looking for ideas. (Plecos are out, dont have the tank space, and the ones I do have the space for dont eat what I need them to eat, such as the clown pleco, and my local LFS wants A LOT of money for their bristlenose...seriously, its over $50!)

I have otos and snails for algae right now, they do an okay job... probably need more otos, I know I dont need more snails!! lol

For the random stuff on the bottom I have a lot of cory, but I think I keep them too well fed on packaged food for them to want to snack on anything else excepts their own eggs. 

I just dream of an all-in-one cleaner fish!!! Unattainable, I assume?!


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## jeaninel

Hmmmm...I don't think there is a fish that eats fish poop. Shrimp will kind of pick through the debris but I don't think they'll take care of all of it and they may become snacks. Honestly, I think a good ole vacuuming is what is needed for the debris on the bottom. I have Bristlenose in three of my tanks and they do wonders on the diatom algae but leave a different kind of mess behind! lol 

$50 for a BN?? That's crazy. I paid around $10 each for mine.


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## LasColinasCichlids

jeaninel said:


> Hmmmm...I don't think there is a fish that eats fish poop. Shrimp will kind of pick through the debris but I don't think they'll take care of all of it and they may become snacks. Honestly, I think a good ole vacuuming is what is needed for the debris on the bottom. I have Bristlenose in three of my tanks and they do wonders on the diatom algae but leave a different kind of mess behind! lol
> 
> $50 for a BN?? That's crazy. I paid around $10 each for mine.


Tried shrimp in my 15g tank... the betta went nuts on a feeding frenzy, so I am glad it was just the cheap ghost shrimp. 

As far as debris, there isnt a lot in my tank because I do the vacuuming, but was hoping there was a way around it, LOL!!! 

Yeah, I totally expected $10 max for a BN Pleco... when the guy told me the price I flipped! That is just too much!! But most of their other fish are decently priced. And go figure this one... I had been asking them for months when they would get dwarf puffers in, and they said they usually dont. So when I was in the store the last time, I saw little freshwater puffers, they looked like dwarfs, I asked the guy if they were, and he was like, "no, those are pea puffers, but they are similar". I was like OMG! Similar? Try the same freaking thing! LOL


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## Mikaila31

No fish cleans up the tank. It just adds to the waste production. 

First and only time I bought BN plecos it was 4 red calicos for like $12. I found them too boring though and resold them.


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## Byron

Agree, no fish will eat what you list (except some obviously may eat certain types of algae, depending).

But snails will. Voraciously.


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## LasColinasCichlids

I have lots of snails for sure... and they do a fair job at it. 

Was just wondering if I was by chance missing out on a magic fish of some sorts, lol. 

Thanks guys.


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