What are those fish called that suck on the side of the tank?
Posted on September 28th, 2009 by admin
Fish
i have a COLDWATER fish tank and my goldfish, peny, recently died at a ripe age of 9. i want to get one of those fish that suck the side of the tank. what are they called?
New York City Job Listings
i have a COLDWATER fish tank and my goldfish, peny, recently died at a ripe age of 9. i want to get one of those fish that suck the side of the tank. what are they called?
New York City Job Listings
Filed under: Fish
Dolphin Hosting
You want a Plecostomus ( sucker mouth catfish)
New York City Job Listings
Everyone I know calls them “Bottom-feeders”. I’ve had two bottom feeders in my lifetime and they’re quite helpful for cleaning the tank for you. But I’m sure they have a more scientifical name.
they are called sucker fish. they generally are black in colour.
YouTube Marketing
You’re thinking of a plecostomus. There are many different species of plecos; the most commonly sold one in chain stores is the common pleco, who unfortunately can get over 12 inches in length… There are others like clowns, rubberlips, and bristlenoses that only get about 4-6 inches long.
Another species (not a pleco though) is the otocinclus. Otos only get about 1-2 inches in length but like to be in groups of 4-5 or more. They are cute little guys and a great alternative to a poop machine pleco in smaller tanks.
You can register here to ask more questions and get answers and help from friendly and experienced fish keepers.
EDIT: Some people mentioned “bottom-feeders.” This is not what you want. Corydoras is the scientific name for cories (peppered cories, pygmy cories, albino cories, etc.) These fish DO NOT eat algae. They eat left overs that fall to the ground, but NOT FISH POO! No fish eats poo.
EDIT: Sorry about the confusion, Jessica.
What I meant by “they don’t eat algae” is that, at least mine, don’t go around on the walls and eat the algae off. It probably depends on what kind of algae it is though. I feed mine algae wafers. Basically, getting bottom-feeders is not as affective as getting otos for example. As for the poo eating fish, as far as I know, tilapia get too large for most tanks anyway. I was referring to common fish like community fish and such. 
EDIT: No problem.
I was going to make that comment too about algae problems. If you have an issue, getting a fish to help is not going to solve the problem. It’s just going to cover it up, not solve it. 
The Mexican Flu – Swine Flu
plecos
Swine Flu Map
Are you talking about a Pleco?
Is this what you are thinking of getting?
If you wan to get one for your coldwater tank then I suggest you get a heater.
They are tropical fish and will most likely die if kept in coldwater or get sick.
Hope this helps!
Good Luck!
New York City Job Listings
There are a few “suck on the side of the tank” type fish that are Tropical. Plecostomus, Chinese Algae eaters, Otocinclus etc all have the same type of mouth in which they forage for food along smooth surfaces.
Now, depending on the size of your tank and what other fish you wish to put in it, these fish may not be right for you. Make sure to research as much as possible about them long before even considering to purchase one. Many Plecos can grow very large (a foot and more) and are usually sold in pet stores. The employees may try and tell you that they only grow to the size of their environment, but with these guys it’s certainly not true. They will grow and grow so you don’t want to get anything that will outgrow your tank. This goes with the Chinese Algae Eater as well that can hit 10 inches. Many Otocinclus, on the other hand are very good at eating certain types of algae and usually stay pretty small, but really prefer to be in groups of at least 4 since they are social creatures.
EDIT: Sorry Mezmoco, but Cory cats do in fact eat certain types of algae, but do have a taste for protein enriched foods as well. They aren’t the best at eating algae, but they certainly need it in their diet which is why they should be fed algae wafers and shrimp pellets on a daily basis.
Also, there are certain types of Tilapia that eat feces (amongst other detritus and plant matter). It’s true. They eat other fish’s crap and can be a real help when it comes to cleaning water.
EDIT: That is true, Cory cats aren’t the best at eating many types of algae like that of Otocinclus and even Plecos. So I don’t recommend them for cleaning either.
In fact, I should have stated in my initial answer that I don’t believe in using a fish or snails for cleaning purposes, but if they do it it’s an extra. Obviously, algae means something isn’t right in the tank unless it’s just cycled (diatom algae). Otherwise, there is a call for checking water parameters and more tank maintenance and cutting tank lights out for longer, not adding more fish to a tank to clean.
Yea, Many Tilapia get huge and I’m not even sure there is any common aquarium traded Tilapia that is a known fish poop eater, but I just thought you didn’t know. My apologies.
WordPress Dating Plugin
plecosomus, algae eater and bottom feeders
Hide Folders
hi, you want a “plecostamus”or “plec”, i know of a really good type known as a “snot plec” there really cool and the only ones i know can live in cold water. hope that helps.
YouTube Marketing
Plecostomus, or an algae eater.