tandemcartshrimp Posted June 11, 2013 Report Share Posted June 11, 2013 Hi all, I'm looking for a fish that will help clean the glass on my 45 L room temp tank. The tank is silica sand substrate with some dwarf hair grass, and some hygrophyllia poylspermia (I think that's how its spelt). I am trying to slowly make it a native tank (in terms of plants and fish). I currently have 7 native freshwater shrimp that have been going for about 3-4 months (and have moulted a few time, of which I'm pretty happy with ) what can I have in there that will be happy at room temp through out the year and will help clean the glass (preferably native)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr A Posted June 11, 2013 Report Share Posted June 11, 2013 Various fish sold as "Borneo Sucker"'s would fit the bill, although they tend to like hi-flow/hi-oxygen environments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M@. Posted June 11, 2013 Report Share Posted June 11, 2013 No native fish are algae eaters, so for natives you would be looking at snails or limpets. I have some shrimp with my Borneo suckers. They eat basicaly the same stuff as the shrimp (diatoms and fish food) but can suck onto the glass where your shrimps might not be able to get to. Won't have much, if any impact on green algae though. Your other option in an unheated tank could be a Chinese Algae Eater. I havent kept them, but from what I have heard, I would be worried about them harassing the shrimp, and they eat less algae once they get a bit bigger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted June 11, 2013 Report Share Posted June 11, 2013 The Chinese Algae Eater that I have just moved into my native tank didn't seem to worry the shrimp in his old tank, just everything else. Today the temp in the native tank is down to 15.4 (when I got home at about 3.30pm) and the CAE is just sitting under a driftwood cave not moving at all, but at 17.5 he was still active and eating - so I would say the min for them would be about the 17-18 deg mark. I wouldn't bother with one as they can be stroppy and may end up hassling other tank mates when they arrive. In my native tank I have let the algae/diatoms grow on the side and back walls (not much grows on the back wall) and only clean the front glass with each waterchange. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tandemcartshrimp Posted June 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2013 Blue: is there a reason for not cleaning the sides and back other than just not having to? also what plants are you stocking in your native tank? I would like at least to have a fully native tank with just shrimp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted June 11, 2013 Report Share Posted June 11, 2013 With the hood that I have on the tank it is almost imposable to reach the sides or much of the back so I got lazy As for plants it only has moss (and algae and cyano), but I have a few natives in the two tropical tanks - do a search on here and look at the fnzas home page for some hints on native plants Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tandemcartshrimp Posted June 12, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2013 How low a temperature can a borneo sucker go? My tank is an unheated 45L would that be alright or would they die? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M@. Posted June 12, 2013 Report Share Posted June 12, 2013 most sources recommend around 18 minimum My tank got down to 12 degrees at one point last winter, and they seemed fine. It wasnt at that temp for very long though (used bottles with hot water in them to warm it up a few degrees) so I would say if your tank doesnt go below 14 you should be ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted June 12, 2013 Report Share Posted June 12, 2013 I had three die after the tank they were in got down to about 12 last winter, heater got unplugged, was set at 20 deg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tandemcartshrimp Posted June 12, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2013 so that seems like a no to the borneos. what other fish are fine down to lower temperatures. well and higher ones as it would be nice to have them over the summer months too. so really, what are some small(ish) fish for a 45L tank that dont mind a wide range of temperatures Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted June 12, 2013 Report Share Posted June 12, 2013 Don't discount the hillstream loaches (Borneo Suckers), especially some of the more northern Chinese species, they will do OK if the room doesn't get too cold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M@. Posted June 12, 2013 Report Share Posted June 12, 2013 mine are the chinese versions (Beaufortia kweichowensis) rather than (Pseudo)Gastromyzon so that might make a difference, Like I said, it only got down that cold the once, and I increased the temp a bit as soon as I noticed it, but they still seemed pretty active. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted June 13, 2013 Report Share Posted June 13, 2013 mine were B. kweichowensis as well :dunno: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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