Lake Tanganyika Species • Bottom feeders for a frontosa tank.

[Cwebber26]

Hey guys,

I was wondering, what are some of the better bottom feeders out there? Should I go with a pleco or something else?

The tank is 6 feet and 120g and the Fronts are between 3-6'' for general info.

[nodima]

What problem are you trying to solve with "bottom feeders"?

In my tanks, the fronts hang very low, and do most of their eating from the substrate (sinking pellets), so adding a bottom feeder would provide competition.

[tirzo13]

here are some ideas of Plecos to search for.

L07 vampire pleco, gets 10-12 inches and is a nice spotted pleco.
L14 Sunshine pleco, get 12-15 inches and is nice site in an aquarium, maybe the best looking pleco IMO.
L24 Flame pleco, 12-15 inches, nice red edging to fins.
L25 Scarlett pleco, 12-15 inches, grayish/red to grayish/yellow, not as red as name implies.
L26 blue spot pleco 11 inches, nice armored type with bluish/white spots.
L27 royal 15 inches, many royals get pretty big.
L47 mango pleco 11 inches, nice greenish brown with yellowish/white edged fins.
L48 gold spot pleco 10-12 inches, another gold nugget type.
L 56 Parancistrus aurantiacus rubber pleco 8-10 inches, my favorite, range from yellow/orange to solid black or calico. color can change so beware if your orange prize reverts back to black
L81 small spot nugget, 10-12 inches, with very fine small spots.
L90 royal, 15 inch.
L114 leopard pleco 10-12 inches, one of my favorites, opposite coloration of nuggets, these are gold/orange with huge black spots.
L142 big white spot pleco, 10-12 inch, black with big white spots.
L182 starlight bushynose, ancistrus, 8-9 inch, black with white spots.
L273 titanic pleco 10-12 inches, very similar to leopard pleco, more blotchy instead of spots.
L282 galaxy pleco, 12 inches, black with white spots.
L362 12-15 inches, black with white spots.


Clown loaches that are over 6 inches work OK. IMO they are too sensitive for a alkaline tank.
Certain Synodontis species such a very adult Synodontis multipunctatus.
harder to find Synodontis types include...
Synodontis tanganaicae
Synodontis njassae
Synodontis granulosus
Synodontis frontosa
Synodontis eupterus
Synodontis angelica

I also like the Pimelodidae types, like this one i caught in south america.

[tirzo13]

If you want to breed your Frontosa however, Catfish will eat the eggs.

[ssondubs]

Clown loach are a nice color offset to frontosa