Can these suckersw go with Betta fry?

[Sarah]

OK, so I wanted to get a couple suckers to clean my tank. My dad has a 4ft community tank which also has suckers, but I couldn't catch them without destroyed the tank set-up.

SO dad went and brought me 2 suckers for my tank, and if I need a new home for them they can go into his. One is a Bristlenose Catfish, and the other a sucking catfish. They are only little, both maybe 2-3cm. So, I wanted to spawn the pair of Bettas I got from someone, and of coarse know they can't be in there when they are breeding, or when daddy's egg-watching. But, can they go in with the fry once they are free-swimming? If so, how old would the fry have to be. I don't think they eat baby fish, but I'm not completely sure.

Also, while the Bettas are mating, and the fry are little, could the two suckers go into a barrack inside Dad's 4ft tank? I already have the barrack, and it is quite big. The size would be fine. I was just wondering if they would have enough things to suck. The barrack is made of the same material nets are made of, and it goes around a plastic frame. Suction cups go on the outside of the barrack and hold it to the tank wall. Can they go in it? I will only put them in it if they could go with the fry, and could survive.

Thank you.

[Sarah]

Oh, the Bristlenose died this afternoon.

Mr. Squiggle.

[fishbites]

:( sorry about the bristlenose.... they are fine with small fry especially if the bristlenose is only around 3cm.... adult bristlenoses can be a bit bumbling and swish things around with their tails....

if the other one is a chinese algae eater... not sure if they would be fine with small fry... I had a 10cm CAE stand up to an adult male convict in breeding attitude.... they don't back down easily so not sure if they would suck the life out of fry or not.....

[Sarah]

No not CAE. We have some SAE, and I wouldn't put them with the fry.

My sucking catfish looks a little like this (click HERE). That isn't Mr. Stripy though.

Thanks for your reply Wayne!

[Yanagi]

Sorry to hear about the bristlenose.

Are you sure the sucker isn't this? http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:8Yj3ZoSiu344MM:http://www.thefishlist.net/images/profiles/9.jpg&t=1

[Sarah]

Yes I'm sure. The picture I linked to looks like his long lost twin!

The link you gave Yan looks a bit like the SAE in my dad's tank.. but not quite.

Thanks for replying Yan!

[Yanagi]

It's an Otocinclus, I have 4. Be wary as they only eat algae. I've not been able to switch mine over to anything other than what's on the glass and algae pellets. I've heard this is common.

[Sarah]

OK. That you for the idea Yan.

So it woudln't survive in the barrack? I put him/her in a few hours ago, and a plant that has been in the tank for a while in their for hiding/sucking.

Also an old ornament... the head of a crocodile that blew bubbles and the head came up. We had an Otocinclus who got about 15cm!!!!! He loved that head.

He died earlier this year, he was a few years old by then. Had a happy life.

Thanks for your reply too Yan! You are always so helpful!

Or maybe the one we had was a the same as Mr. Stripy. I'm positive they are the same species.

[Sarah]

This is a picture of the bigger fish I was talking about. His name was Snake. I did not name him, but Danny Boy did. I didn't care much about the name he chose, because I'd thought he would live as long as he did (not that I wanted him to die, I didn't, just I wasn't expecting him to live 4+ years)!!. He was named Snake as to Danny Boy his skin looked like Snake pattern...

It is a photo of a photo. I couldn't be bothered to do a scan. :embarrass:

[TasV]

This is what's commonly called a sucking catfish... not an otto. IMO they are not much use in an aquarium and don't even do a very good job of eating algae. As far as being an effective part of the clean-up-crew, they will be good at it whilst small but once they get large (I've had them to almost 20cm in length... not a good size for a betta barrack), their preference changes from one based on vegetable matter to one more carnivorous in nature. I would not be housing them with fry. They are popular because they will stand quite low temperatures and work ok in coldwater tanks (goldfish tanks) in most parts of Australia (not Tas) and are cheap. I've had problems with them sucking onto the sides of broad-sided fish such as Angels, Discus, and Pearl Gourami where they can inflict quite serious wounds. They become very territorial and quite aggressive as they get bigger. As you can tell... they are not in my top 10 most favourite fish. It's worthwhile getting more bristlenose and making them work and taking the sucking catfish back. Yan mentioned Ottocinclus... they are great small algae cleaners but they often starve in community tanks unless they have lots of algae. I use to have a series of large flat rocks that I would rotate between the tank and a bucket outside. Outside in the bucket of water they'd develop a healthy crop of algae whilst the other one was in the tank getting cleaned by the otto. You need a few rock going to keep the supply up. They can go onto algae wafers too. I've ofen wondered if they'd take nori???

Edited October 7, 2010 by TasV

[Yanagi]

That's an awesome idea TasV. I'm going to have to try that. I read somewhere that they do eat nori but have yet to try it myself.

Also agree on getting rid of that sucker and getting either BN or Otos. Otos stay much smaller so are probably a better option providing you can feed them.

[Sarah]

Thank you TasV! OK, I won't put it in my fry tank, he can go into my dad's tank. He'll like it there.

THANK YOU!!! :D