# Cleaning Crew For Planted Tank



## Round Head (Sep 26, 2005)

What type of inverts or algae cleaners have you had in a planted tank with Ps?
Snails, shrimp, clams, otos, etc...

thanks


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## mr_b401 (Jul 6, 2005)

I've just recently tried a cleaning crew...
Consisted of a 3" crayfish & about 20 or so ghost shrimp...the ghost shrimp did a good job of eating/cleaning little scraps on the bottom. The crayfish has been eaten...took all but 4 hrs...the ghost shrimp are all gone except for like 3? 4?....all I could see...took a day for that....if you get some, make sure they're on the bigger side as smaller ones will probably get sucked in the filter(s)

I'm meticulous about gravel cleaning & water changes, but still wouldn't mind a cleaner or 2....

I think I'm gonna try a big snail next.


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## Winkyee (Feb 17, 2003)

I have a nice breeding group of ghost shrimp in my tank with a bunch of otos that seem to help.
I had had some problems with the ghost shrimp in my tank I believe since our water is very soft. I finely grate a frozen shrimp a day and pour it into the tank for the shrimp and others to eat.I think it helps suppliment their calcium intake. I stopped doing it for a couple weeks and started getting some white shrimp and lost a couple of them.


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## PiranhaStein (Dec 30, 2005)

defiently don't get any crawfish, those fukrs will tear the sh*t out of most plants. I caught a crawfish messing with a potted amazon sword and flicked him. The next morning the potted plant was shredded to high heavn and the plant got it too. It's hard to discipline tank folk.


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## divine (Jan 3, 2005)

i tried some algae eating shrimp but the buggers liked to swin acorss the top of the tank instead of hang out in the plant. A few got eatten and a few ended up in the sump so i left them there. I don't think i will try that again unless I can be convinced they will stay down in the plants.


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## Round Head (Sep 26, 2005)

Dr.Zoidberg said:


> I have a nice breeding group of ghost shrimp in my tank with a bunch of otos that seem to help.
> I had had some problems with the ghost shrimp in my tank I believe since our water is very soft. I finely grate a frozen shrimp a day and pour it into the tank for the shrimp and others to eat.I think it helps suppliment their calcium intake. I stopped doing it for a couple weeks and started getting some white shrimp and lost a couple of them.


So do you also have piranha/s in this particular tank?
What about snails and clams? Ever tried these guys in your planted piranha tank?
I was told that Oliver Nerite snails are pretty good to help control the algae.
I haven't been able to find these snails but the only place I found them were like $2.00 each.
Isn't that a bit expensive for a snail?

Thanks.


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## Allteeth (Sep 2, 2005)

Cana snails that don't eat plants are great. Just be sure. I keep them in all my planted tanks. A few of mine are huge, much bigger than a golf ball.
In my area I have found the orange ones don't eat plants and the brown ones do. Likely not always the case though.


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## figaro (Feb 16, 2005)

I had a snails with pygos for week or two and it didnt worked


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

Corydoras, Otocinclus, Bumblebee Catfish, Amano Shrimp, (Neo)Caridina Dwarf Shrimps, Ghost Shrimp - I've used them all without any problems in a planted tank.


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