# Bottom feeders with guppies?



## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

I have originally going to get 3 guppies and 4 cories, but things never go as planned! lol After a visit to my LPS I come home with 5 male guppies! They currently reside in a 10 Gallon aquarium at 77 degrees. I know that If I added the 4 cories, I'd be overstocking, so is there any other bottom feeders that could act as a clean-up crew?


----------



## fishy friend2 (Aug 28, 2011)

shrimp, or Pygmy cories could work, i especially love pygmy cories, here is a pic of one of the ones that i have, they are schooling fish so you would need a minimum of 6 though


----------



## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

Would the shrimp eat un-eaten food? My Guppies are messy, especially Mango.


----------



## fishy friend2 (Aug 28, 2011)

Yes the shrimp would definitely eat the uneaten food


----------



## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

Great! Mango is a messy eater.  Is there any other options?


----------



## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Shrimp are a wonderful choice, with a low bioload. You can have large numbers, (6-10 usually is what people have) without a problem, and they do a wonderful job scavenging the rocks for fallen food. They do better in at least a group of 3, and since their bioload is small they beat the cories.... Adding cories, you need usually 4-6 or more, and they poop a lot. :/ or at least, that is what I found.

For a 10 gallon, it is harder. cories are...iffy. Plecos are a definite no. Any other fish, which there are ones like tetras or platys, or molies, that also scavenge wouldn't fit in the tank.


----------



## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

Sena Hansler said:


> Shrimp are a wonderful choice, with a low bioload. You can have large numbers, (6-10 usually is what people have) without a problem, and they do a wonderful job scavenging the rocks for fallen food. They do better in at least a group of 3, and since their bioload is small they beat the cories.... Adding cories, you need usually 4-6 or more, and they poop a lot. :/ or at least, that is what I found.
> 
> For a 10 gallon, it is harder. cories are...iffy. Plecos are a definite no. Any other fish, which there are ones like tetras or platys, or molies, that also scavenge wouldn't fit in the tank.


How long do the shrimp live? The less gravel-siphoning the better! Yeah, cories are iffy with 5 guppies! Would a snail clean up food? What about an oto?


----------



## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

I don't think I'd recommend otos... Unless the tank is teeming with algae. Most, will ignore the algae wafers, and need actual algae to survive. Some will take algae wafers... But I recommend having the tank cycled for 6 months, or more before considering oto cats.

Snails, are nice too. I've had an apple snail. Although they poop more than say... a pest snail (which some people like to have) they also CANNOT breed by themselves, unlike the asexual pond snails. Mystery and apple snails, are good.

Shrimp can last I think for a year or so (like most fish anyways) the key is to NOT have them get eaten :lol: or die from ammonia poisoning (uncycled tank, too many fish, etc)


----------



## redchigh (Jan 20, 2010)

If you're just worried about uneaten food, then get some ghost shrimp. they're super cheap and extremely active.


----------



## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

So, my options are:
Apple Snail
Mystery Snail
Ghost Shrimp
What about an ADF?


----------



## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

actually, yes. But, you'd need 2.... they need a buddy system to feel secure  And plus plants and hidey holes :lol: they are funny to watch. and get pictures of.


----------



## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

I've heard it's hard to feed ADF's. Is that true?


----------



## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

I never had a problem with him. Since you said that your fish are messy eaters, leaving behind a mess, the ADF can find food. In case, you can always getting him some type of sinking foods - but I'm not sure what. I usually soaked a pellet or flake, and with a baster stuck it down, next to him and pushed the food to him and he'd eat it.


----------



## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

I'll consider the ADF's! I'd probably feed them while the guppies are eating their flakes. It's like a frenzy feeding them, they are such pigs. xD 

So, just soak a few tropical flakes, stick em in the baster, and squeeze in front of the frog? Is there any brands that are good? At the moment I'm using these:
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11148541&lmdn=Fish+Food
How long do they live?


----------



## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Tetramin should work for guppies, and I do not think the ADF will mind.. You can also see if you can find frozen/live/freeze dried bloodworms... they'll LOVE those (and so will your fish ) Oh and I looked it up and I guess they do make "frog and tadpole bites" o.o
I've never found them.

The average life of a ADF, is approximately 5 years but some live longer..


----------

