Want to get some "helper" fish

[BChen7106]

Hey all,

Just want to say how great this forum is!

So I have a 55 gallon freshwater which is cycled and has 6 neon tetras, 1 platy, 2 guppies, and 3 guppy fry that my female decided to pop out. I wanted to add some "helper" fish to eat any potential algae or detritus that might build up.

I was thinking of cory's, but I didn't want to get too many and I read that they're schooling fish.

Any suggestions on neat looking and fun to watch algae eaters or bottom feeder?

[NickJennings]

I've just got a Golden Algae Eater (which is just an albino version of the chinese algae eater), and although they're certainly not for every tank, he is doing fine in my tank so far.

A very hard working fish, my tank has been spotless since I got him and I am now having to add algae flakes!

A word of warning though, as they get older they can become territorial, aggresive and can also stop eating algae. My little guy is just a juvenile at the moment, so he is eating plenty of algae, and although he does sometimes scare the other fish, I don't think he is being aggressive he just moves very quickly which I think spooks some of the other fish around him. Perhaps they will get used to this.

To try and stop my guy from getting too territorial and aggressive as he gets older I have introduced a neat little piece of arched wood which provides a great hiding spot for him, and that is where I put his food every day in the hope that he will adopt that as his territory rather than the cover of my plants which my mollies and tetras enjoy currently.

[stunner]

ooo a 55 gallon, nice! I'd like to set up a nice sized freshwater tank with lots of little fish someday. You should be able to put quite a few more community fish in that tank. Also they'll help keep you're guppy population in control if you have a male and female guppy in there ahha. For bottom feeders I would definitely recommend corydoras catfish. Get 6 of them and they'll have a blast grubbing through your substrate. I don't think they'll eat algae but I'm not sure on this. They will root through the surface of your substrate looking for bits of uneaten food though (they won't eat fish poop though). They also do this weird eye movement sometimes that makes it look like they just winked at you! Cute little fish

[Lady Hobbs]

I would also go with corys all of the same kind. Sometimes different species don't interact together. They are social fish and like their own species for company so I agree with above poster.

You can have a lot more fish...but be careful you don't add too many at once. Your bacteria load has got to be large enough to support the fish you're adding so you don't get an ammonia spike.

How long has your tank been set up and how did you cycle it?

[spudbuds]

For bottom feeders, I too recommend corydoras. You could get 6-8 depending on the species you pick. For algea eaters, you could get some otocinclus or a smaller pleco. With the otocinclus, you need to make sure to give them some veggies after they've cleaned all the algea out of the tank. They can starve pretty easily without algae.

Also, I'd beef up that school of tetras. You could fit at least 12 in that tank and I think 20 or so would be awesome. Of course that depends on your future stocking plans, your filtration, you water change schedule, etc.

[Matt23]

Hmmmmm... I think that panda corys are the best corys, however, my pleco took it's eyes out because it was so lonely. I would get 2-4 plecos and about 15 corys of the same kind so they can protect eachother. (You don't want their eyes to come out LOL) Corys have powerful backbone. It stabbed one of my cichlids once. But it is not aggressive. It only uses it when it is in great danger. I wouldn't put any more neon tetras in anymore because they could get the Neon Tetra Disease.Matt23

[OscarFan]

I like plecosamuss I think thats spelled right. Mine keeps my 55 clean and spottless.

[BChen7106]

I did a fishy cycle (I know, I know, but I couldn't find any pure ammonia, and well... I didn't have the patience either).

Yeah, after researching the issue, seems like a lot of people go with the Cory's and Otoclinus. Where do you guys buy your fish from? The only pet stores around here are Petco/Petsmart, and honestly, the fish always look crappy. There seem to be a lot of online petstores, but it just seems wrong to pay 20bucks for shipping when the fish itself only costs 3 dollars.

[stunner]

I buy some of my fish from the local petcetera. Here, at least, they're tanks are decent, not too bad. But their selection isn't so hot. Their prices are also cheaper than the lfs on certain fish, and they often have a "buy 1 fish, get 1 fish free" sale.