Mussels/clams

[arnola]

I have a 125 gallon tank. Long, narrow and not too tall. Half is in small to medium gravel the other half in crushed coral. I have 2 good size plecastomas that DO NOT keep the tank clean. They just seem to exist. I've been thinking of putting in some mussels or clams to help clean the tank of junk but I've also read somewhere that they are not easy to keep alive. What do you think?

[Puffer Pita]

I ordered 40 freshwater clams. Within 2 days, all of them were dead in various tanks. They don't live well in aquaria.

[Gump]

its not a good idea since if you dont pay attention to them and they die they will be little ammonia bombs.

[cheseboy]

I have one musscle in my 10 gallon and it's survived quite a while and really the only thing a bunch if clams would do is get rid of suspended algae and polish the water. They won't eat algae off anything so they can not substitute a pleco.

I suggest you send in a team of shrimp to take care of the job the right way. Like 40 or so Amano shimp and about 10 or a little less bamboo shrimps should clean up your tank to the point it is sparkling.

[arnola]

I have 2 plecostamus's (plecostomi?), 1 is about 8" theo ther a good 10-11", 1 8" striped raphael, 1 9" pictus cat, 1 danio, 1 cichlid, 2 barbs and a missing in action loach. If I use shrimp, won't the catfish eat them? Really the plecostamus don't eat or clean anything. Algae on the tank glass is not much problem though. I think I tend to over feed sometimes, i guess, because I get a lot of stuff in the bottom, be it food or feces.

[arnola]

What about crayfish or "lobsters" ?