![]() ![]() These fish can also be easily identified through their flat ventral regions. They can literally latch onto surfaces to feed just like a suction cup, which helps prevent them from being thrown away by the current if they are in fast-moving waters. These types of fish include the plecos and other catfish that have suction-shaped mouths. Some bottom feeder fish classify as suckermouths. They help the fish taste and identify food long before they start to consume it with their mouths. These whiskers are fleshy and serve as sensory organs. They have whiskers called barbels placed near their mouth region. They can easily feed without having to move their eyes away from prying hunters. This means that their mouth is placed towards the lower side of their bodies, so that it is easier for them to pick up food from the substrate. These include: Lower mouthīottom feeders have lower or inferior mouth placement. You will usually find them at the bottom of the aquarium, but there are a few other features that distinctly set them apart from other fish. Some scavenge and consume dead fish, invertebrates, and pests, while others simply feed on algae, dead plants, and other debris. So, how do you actually differentiate bottom feeder fish from others? Simply put, these fish are usually found lingering near the substrate in search of food. So, once you add them to your tank, you simply need to stop worrying about dead matter, algae build-up, and debris completely. These are known as bottom feeder fish, and they are actually detritivores, meaning they feed on dead or decaying organic matter. Yes, you read that right! You can actually get fish that will help maintain your tank’s ecosystem. Not much point in overstocking a tank.Are you an aquarium enthusiast looking for more pet fish to add to your aquarium? Are you interested in fish that are not only unique and exciting, but can also help you maintain and keep your tank clean? I'd check out the stocking proposal with, see if it'll work for you. If your tank has the room for them, a small school of Pygmy Cory cats, or Panda Cories maybe, might work. I would not keep bottom-dwelling fish with barbels on that particular substrate, but ordinary aquarium gravel is usually rounded and coated in acrylic, and should not pose a problem. ![]() There are some gravels do have rather sharp edges, I have one tank with gravel like that pieces of chips, stone and clay flakes, all edges, not rounded. Keep the bottom well vacuumed and it should be ok. I have kept the aforementioned cory cats and some loaches on gravel and none had barbel issues. Which isn't to say a very coarse substrate would be good for them, but lots of them live good lives on gravel, not sand. It's related to how clean the bottom is, not the substrate type. Never kept Chinese Algae eaters, so I can't say what they'd be like, but they get too big for this tank anyway.Ĭommon Plecos, especially large ones, can mess up plantings, just by moving, but you haven't the room for one of those, or a burrowing eel species either.īarbel erosion in fish that have them, like the catfish and loaches, are now thought to be caused by a bacterial infection, something like fin rot. They've not once dug them up, so that's no worry. I've kept various Cory cats, Kuhli loaches, and Dwarf Chain loaches, all in planted tanks with lots of low growing stuff. There aren't too many bottom feeders that would dig up plants. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |