What Fish/Inverts will clean up algae

[fishboy689]

I just came back from holiday, and I told my friend to feed the fish once a day, just not to cause a lot of algae

When I get home the walls where covered with green algae. Turns out he fed them BLOOD WORMS twice a day!

The water was filthy!

I did a 50% water change, and added some instant clear powder (really great stuff).

The good thing is that the fish are much bigger

Anyway I need some fish/inverts to help clean the algae.

Im thinking of purchasing a crab, however I would like one that can stay underwater for a long time. Anyone know a crab that stays under the water?
If there isn't one, would a crayfish eat the crap on the floor?

I really need help cleaning the gravel, so what fish or invert will eat the crap off the floor.

Thanks alot

[Blue Cray]

No fish or invert eats "crap" off the ground they will only eat extra food. Your best bet is to get either a school of cories or a couple loaches or both. Shrimp will get eaten by your angels, crabs need land and are agressive, crayfish will eat your plants (if you have any) and will go for your fish and dont go good with any bottom feeders.

You could consider doing a good gravel vac or clean off the sand (which ever you have) and then get sand or gravel sifters, for gravel you could go for a pea**************** eel, they move the gravel around so the dirty stuff sturs up and will get sucked in by with filter and loaches will do the same for sand and a bit for gravel.

Do a few water changes, throw in a pleco for the algae too.

Is your tank planted? If not you could consider getting a few plants to help keep the water clean.

A few people may argue about your current fish seeing angels and discus arent really suitable to go together and grow too big for a 40g and you should increase your amount of cories.

[fishboy689]

Arn't pea**************** eels to big for my tank?
And won't they eat other fish?

Im thinkin of giving my discus back, since they are really picky eaters, and I cannot keep feeding them live food since it dirtys the water. Or maby I fed them to much..

2 cubes of blood worms a day to much?
Should I give them half a cube?

Yes I do have plants, some are in pots, should I remove them, so they can keep the water clean, or will the pots not affect it?

So there are no FW crabs that will stay under water for life?
Doesn't the pleco sometime kill the discus, by sucking their protective mucus off, so they are vunrable to diseases?

[fishboy689]

By crap I meant everthing, food, poo, leaves or whatever

[Blue Cray]

Nope peac0ck eels are fine and are suitable for even 10g tanks, and wont eat your fish.

I'd sell the discus and buy other fish.

With the food only feed them as much as they can eat 2 cubes is too much and over feeding can cause amonia spikes.

As for the plants take the out of the pots and let the roots grow in the gravel iit helps keep it clean.

As far as I know no FW crabs are fully aquatic.

Plecos will not harm fish in that way only CAE's do that.

[fishboy689]

Thanks for the help, I'll go by my LFS to see if they have any pea**************** eels/plecos.

I've seen rainbow crabs kept fully submerged. Can I do this?

[Blue Cray]

I dont know I've never heard of em.

[fishboy689]

What about kuhli loaches or whatever their called.
Or are they to small and light to disturb the gravel.
I might try to get some shrimps, however they probaly need to be much bigger than the angel fish can handle.

Thanks for the help.

[Blue Cray]

Angels and shrimp do NOT mix dont bother with them and yes kuhli loaches work too.

[fishboy689]

Ok thanks for all the help blue cray