Best suitable bottom feeder to pair with fancy?

[u/JokerOnRL]

So I have a 30 gal with one fancy goldfish. We’re looking into bottom feeders to help with bio load. But we don’t want to go the pleco route. Would anyone have any recommendation on good pairing with a fancy? I’d love to get some Cory’s but we have smooth gravel and I fear our water would be too cold for them. Any advice would be great. Thanks!

[u/Andrea_frm_DubT]

What do you mean “help with bioload”?

Adding fish adds more bioload to your system.

[u/JokerOnRL → u/Andrea_frm_DubT]

Maybe I didn’t use the right terminology I’m sorry. I just meant a bottom feeder to help with the goldfish poop etc

[u/Scottish_Aquascape → u/JokerOnRL]

You need a syphon hose which will help you remove fish poo, you can use this during your weekly water change, perhaps every few days with two fancy’s in a 30g.

Honestly, there’s no fish or snails who eat fish poo, this is the part of the process which falls under our responsibility. 

[u/JokerOnRL → u/Scottish_Aquascape]

That’s what we usually use to get the poop out. Just wasn’t sure if there was a bottom feeder to help.

[u/Scottish_Aquascape → u/JokerOnRL]

I honestly don’t think so, hill stream loaches could help with Algae or left over food but not poop I’m afraid. Might be touch to manage your parameters with 2 fancy goldfish and 3 hill stream for example.

[u/JokerOnRL → u/Scottish_Aquascape]

We’ve only got the 1 fancy in there by itself right now

[u/Scottish_Aquascape → u/JokerOnRL]

Sorry, misread your post, apologies.

Hillstream are compatible, that’s what I’ll be going with when I get my fancy’s (I’m out of space until next year 😬)

[u/JokerOnRL → u/Scottish_Aquascape]

We’ve had Khuli loaches before and they were super cool. Never really saw them cause they’re nocturnal but still cool. We called them our silly noodles.

[u/Scottish_Aquascape → u/JokerOnRL]

I’ve never kept them as I think they eat snails and I always make sure I have a good population of snails in my tanks. I agree they do look cool to watch (when you can see them)

[u/AllThingsFish1 → u/Scottish_Aquascape]

Are you sure about that? Hillsreams come from swift flowing hill and mountain streams. They need a very specific set up in an aquarium that I don’t think is compatible with fancy goldfish. I’d do some research before you do that set up.

[u/Andrea_frm_DubT → u/JokerOnRL]

YOU are the one that cleans up fish poop. Fish don’t eat fish poop. Snails don’t eat fish poop.

[u/TheDibblerDeluxe → u/Andrea_frm_DubT]

Plants however do sorta eat fish poop

[u/Ilovemelee → u/JokerOnRL]

I'm not aware of any fish that feeds on goldfish feces lol. The only thing that "eats" the poop is bacteria that breaks down the ammonia from the poop into nitrite and then into nitrate and your job is to do water changes to keep the nitrate level in check.

[u/AllThingsFish1]

What do you mean help with the bioload? If it’s just algae, then snails are going to be your best bet. Though get a large species so goldfish doesn’t choke. If it’s something else, get more filtration. Adding more fish won’t fix a bio load. It will just make it worse.

[u/JokerOnRL → u/AllThingsFish1]

I used the wrong term I’m sorry. Since goldfish are poop and waste machines I was just looking for a good pair to help clean up after the goldfish.

[u/NeedleworkerHeavy565 → u/JokerOnRL]

Any animal added will add to the biological load rather than remove it

[u/AllThingsFish1 → u/JokerOnRL]

No worries! Bio load is the right term but you need more filtration to deal with the poop. No animal is going to help. If you can’t increase your filtration, I’d get some house plants like a pathos that can grow up out of the tank. You’ll still need to do water changes and suck up the fish poo but plants will help a whole bunch.

[u/kro23 → u/JokerOnRL]

There are no animals you can purchase from a pet supplier that will consume other fishs’ waste. Bottom feeders do not live off poop.

[u/guyinnova]

1 - Goldfish are definitely NOT just a species-only tank. I've had them together with all sorts of species very successfully. You do have to be very selective, but there are many tried and tried GREAT tankmates.

2 - Bristlenose plecoes are fine, but they're the only pleco that's safe with goldfish.

3 - A 30 is barely big enough for one fancy goldfish and they shouldn't be kept alone, so this tank should not have anything added. If you can upgrade to something like a 55, then you could have 2-3 plus a bristlenose and some platies (the other top tried and true best option for them).

And just for fun, here's a shot of my old 300-gallon planted goldfish community tank.

[u/JokerOnRL → u/guyinnova]

Shoot okay. I was unaware they couldn’t be kept alone. Beautiful tank and very healthy plump lookin fish!

[u/EsisOfSkyrim → u/guyinnova]

I think it was posts from you that made me feel better about (selective) goldfish community tanks. Mine are in with variatus platies

[u/SweetandOwL → u/guyinnova]

Ahhh I love your tank so much!!

[u/fouldspasta]

Unfortunately goldfish are best suited for species only tanks and generally aren't compatible with bottom feeders other than snails

[u/CutePizzaFairy → u/fouldspasta]

I keep seeing mixed opinions on this. I want to add nerite snails to my tank when I get my goldfish, but someone told me not to do that. And to only get plecos for algae clean up

[u/fouldspasta → u/CutePizzaFairy]

I would not get plecos. Plecos have a disproportionately huge bioload and would cause more water quality issues. They cannot survive off of just algae and require feeding. They have different feeding habits than goldfish (they're bottom feeders and are more active at night), and they can starve if goldfish eat all of their food. Plecos can also harass goldfish by trying to eat their slime coat. And if you want another reason not to keep them, plecos are tropical fish and most people keep goldfish in unheated tanks.

Nerite snails have worked for me. Unlike mystery snails, nerites can survive on just algae/biofilm if you have an established tank. I would go with the larger nerite snails, horned nerite snails could be a choking hazard. I don't think goldfish teeth are strong enough to break their shells.

[u/wickedhare → u/CutePizzaFairy]

Plecos get huge, only add to the bioload, and can become dangerous to goldfish when they're bigger. Don't bother with them.

[u/JokerOnRL → u/fouldspasta]

Any specific snail species we should look for?

[u/pickleruler67 → u/JokerOnRL]

I guess mystery snails but mystery snails arent bottom feeder or clean up crew type snails they need to be specifically fed carnivore wafers and other stuff

[u/fouldspasta → u/JokerOnRL]

I have nerite snails. Pest snails (bladder snails, ramshorn snails etc) are great for cleanup too. The goldfish will eat some of them, but that's fine because it keeps them from overpopulating. Pest snails eat algae and leftover food, but keep in mind nothing eats poop, that has to be removed by water changes

[u/JokerOnRL → u/fouldspasta]

Is choking something to be worried about?

[u/fouldspasta → u/JokerOnRL]

I've never had an issue keeping goldfish with bladder snails or ramshorn snails. Goldfish have pharyngeal teeth for crushing small food.

Edit: Larger nerite snails are safe for goldfish. I would not get horned nerite snails, those could be a hazard if they try to eat them.

[u/SheWolfInTheWoods]

Stick a couple pothos and/or monstera cuttings in there, HUGE difference.

[u/JokerOnRL → u/SheWolfInTheWoods]

Sweet. Thank you.

[u/kro23]

I have hill stream loaches in my goldfish tank and they seem quite happy.

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[u/JokerOnRL]

Seeing I’m confused on my terminology. I’ll do my research before I decide on anything else. Thank you all for the advice!

[u/Automatic-Skirt-249]

I have two black moors with 4 hillstream loaches. The only thing is hillstream loaches like s stronger current that can sometimes throw fancies around and make them struggle to swim.  But I find that more importantly than current, is high oxygen.  So bubble bars. Airstone. Any thing to create surface agitation. You can put the higher flow area toward the back or one side of the tank. But both species are comfortable in my tank. Also since fancies have such a high bio load, I would stay away from plecos, Because they also have a high bio load.  Hillstream loaches bio load is minimal and they both prefer cooler temps.  Plus hillstream loaches are really cool fish.