Aquarium cleaner fish: features and types

All aquarium fish owners know how important it is to keep everything clean. Dirty water can not only harm the health of the inhabitants, but also completely destroy them. It is much easier to keep the aquarium clean if there are cleaning fish among the inhabitants. They are unpretentious to care for and get along with most other species.

Algae deposits form on the sides and bottom of the aquarium over time. This process leads to a decrease in light inside and spoils the appearance. Nevertheless, everything is quite natural and predictable. There are many unicellular green algae in the natural microflora that never stop multiplying. Fish "orderlies" feed on these microorganisms.

The inhabitants cannot clean and maintain the condition of the aquarium alone. Manual cleaning and the use of special products are still necessary. Cleaners eat algae only when they are hungry, but it is strictly forbidden not to feed the fish on purpose. With age, aquarium inhabitants may stop spending time on cleaning altogether. Many types of fish are good at cleaning the aquarium from green plaque. All of them belong to ototsinklus.

Quite a lot of fish are cleaners. Below is a list of the names of the most popular fish for the home aquarium.

Fish perfectly destroys vegetation in the aquarium and will be a good decoration for it.The Siamese algae eater can be aggressive towards fish of its own species, but towards others it is absolutely neutral. The best living conditions are considered to be water with a temperature of + 24– + 26 ° С.

This is a fairly popular fish from the chain mail range. The catfish does a good job of the cleaner, which earned everyone's sympathy.... Its content does not require any special delights, in relation to other fish, it behaves calmly. It is noteworthy that such a catfish cleans not only the walls of the aquarium and decorative elements, but also large algae. He can feed himself on his own, but treats with plant food will be useful.

Such fish are found in most artificial reservoirs and aquariums. Active sanitary activities, unpretentiousness and high livability make catfish literally mega in demand. It is noteworthy that the structure of the mouth really visually resembles a suction cup. Outwardly, Ancistrus is one of the strangest fish.... There are small growths on the head, and the color is dark, which, in tandem with a secretive lifestyle, creates a rather mysterious role.

Under optimal conditions, fish can live for about 7 years.

Many aquarium owners choose these fish for their attractiveness. The brown catfish has fairly well-developed back fins and protruding nostrils. It is noteworthy that the fish can grow up to 55 cm in 15–20 years of life. Cleaner with a benevolent disposition feels great with any neighbors... However, in slower fish such as scalars, catfish can gnaw on the scales. The aquarium for such a resident must be at least 400 liters. At the bottom, you need to place several decorative driftwood.

Fish with a bright color from the Lorikariev family. They are quite aggressive and defend their territory. The aquarium must have decorative elements at the bottom. The catfish will choose one shelter as their home. Periodically, you need to check whether the fish is stuck in the scenery, otherwise the catfish may die. An omnivorous fish loves to eat greens and lettuce leaves. First, they need to be doused with boiling water.

Viviparous fish eat green filamentous algae. Mollies need a large open area with dense algae. It can clean both unwanted algae and young shoots from the aquarium. True, this only happens as a result of a lack of food.

The big cleaner has a small list of varieties. The fish grows in length up to 15 cm, therefore the aquarium should be quite large... Breeding together with other species is quite dangerous, they are aggressive. They can attack not only congeners, but also other species... As a result of attacks, fish scales are damaged, which is noticeable with the naked eye. He eats plant foods, he can be fed with ordinary greens.

Most of all, representatives of the species love fresh salad and spinach. Fish live a long life, and reach sexual maturity only at the age of 3 years. However, it is quite difficult to breed such cleaners and it is not recommended for beginners.

This is one of the most unpretentious fish. Experts assure that for 1 individual, only 1.5 liters of water is enough. The fish are small and can be placed in any aquarium. We'll have to install additional artificial lighting, since guppies need a long day of light for at least 10 hours... Food is not limited to algae, they eat dry food, slices of bread and even meat.

To feel full, you need a lot of vegetation in your aquarium. The water temperature should not exceed + 20 ° С.

This type of chain catfish has a rather original appearance. The elongated body and long tail visually resembles a spindle.Representatives of the species are unpretentious in care. They grow quite large, about 15–20 cm in length in 10 years of life. The largest representatives of the species are golden sturisomas.

Outwardly, the representatives of the species are quite original, they have a very long tail and an elongated body. They slightly resemble the cleaners described above. Unpretentious orderlies grow up to 15-18 cm, maximum live in the aquarium for about 9-10 years.

The life and comfort of cleaner fish directly depend on the size of the pasture. They can fight very aggressively for food. The life of neighbors can be significantly complicated if they encroach on the territory of the "orderly" of the aquarium. Otozinklus and SAE get along well with each other, but this is considered a unique case. This is all due to different food preferences, they do not see competition in this case.

You cannot combine several different types of cleaner fish in one aquarium. Girinoheilus and SAE or ancistrus and labeo are fierce enemies who can never live together. There are other important compatibility features worth paying attention to.

• Keeping cleaners with cichlids is not worth keeping. The latter are predatory and will attack the "orderlies". The only exception are Siamese flying chanterelles. They themselves are quite aggressive and large, they can defend themselves.
• The best neighbors for cleaner fish are peaceful species. Moreover, it is better to choose residents of small or medium-sized ones. It is preferable that the fish have no interest in algae. So the cleaners will not suffer from encroachments on their territory.
• In a small aquarium with few hiding places, Siamese algae eaters will sort things out. But the girinoheilus are ready to kill their relatives.
• For aggressive slaves, you need to select large neighbors who can defend themselves. If the cleaner is fast, then the other inhabitants must be active.

The aquarium should be quite large for keeping cleaners and other fish. For some species - at least 400 liters. So the "orderly" will get his own place and enough food. Most of the species feel comfortable in water at a temperature of + 18– + 24 ° C and a hardness of 6–12. The acidity should be neutral, but slight deviations to one side will not lead to serious negative consequences.

The water in the aquarium must be fresh. Otherwise, the cleaners will die. Catfish can breathe through the skin, moreover, with atmospheric air, so they are completely unpretentious in terms of oxygen regime. The situation is the same with other fish that eat algae. For most cleaners, it doesn't matter what kind of soil is on the bottom of the aquarium.

Planting live plants in an aquarium requires thoughtful thinking. Some sanitary fish may eat them. You can use large algae with developed roots.

It is important to limit the space for the cleaner fish. Other neighbors should not encroach on its territory. Sometimes, even quite peaceful fish start chasing others around the aquarium to show who is the boss.

For the aquarium cleaners (orderlies), see the next video.