# How do you clean your Shellie's tank?



## Salsafish (Sep 28, 2007)

Just some normal housekeeping......I siphon up uneaten food and poop from my tank. I try to get all the stuff before they bury it.
Should I worry about crud building up inside the vacant shells? How about buried crud...uneaten food etc. I am worried about nasty bacteria building up under the sand or inside the shells. I am reluctant to move the shells because they have to re-establish their territories when you move the landmarks.
How do you do your shellie tank cleaning? I try to change water for them once a week. they really resent the intrusion, and it takes them a while to get back to being their normal grumpy selves. I always trickle the water in to avoid disturbing the sand.

How much current do they like?
I also have 3 babies in the tank.
I would appreciate any pointers.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

> How much current


They live on the bottom of deep lake, so I'd guess not much. They can hide in the shells, though, so they don't hate it as much as bettas do. I never kept them with sand, just siphoned around the shells in bare-bottomed tanks. Or totally graveled washed my gravel bottom tanks periodically. In my experience, fish from Lake Tanginika are more tolerant of nitrates and more annoyed by disturbance than most other cichlids. However, they are cichlids, they are tough and adaptable. They don't seem to mind if the tank gets covered with algae and you can't see in. The best advise I can give you is get a microworm culture. Shelldweller fry are large enough to eat flakes, but do better on a tiny live food (bbs & daphnia are good too).


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## shade2dope (Jan 21, 2007)

I allway stir my sand before I clean to release stuff stuck under the top of the sand.I have read some where(not sure where)Tht bad gases can get stuck under the sand and if its not stirred it can biuld up.If I am wrong please tell me.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

I've heard of "anaerobic patches" in unstirred sand or gravel. That "organic matter" decays without air with different bacteria than live in the filter, then when disturbed, nasties are released.


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## Salsafish (Sep 28, 2007)

I have heard the same things. That is why I am concerned about the insides of the shells. I think the same thing could happen. uneaten food rotting inside or waste getting trapped there.
I have watched the little buggers bury waste and food, it's always a race to get it out before they do.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

The dangerous places are never disturbed, so if you fish regularly move the sand about and go in and out of the shells, that may be enough. Have you considered snails that dig through the sand for food?


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## Guest (Jan 16, 2008)

Malaysian trumpet snails are great for stirring sand and gravel, but you can stir the sand yourself when doing water changes to clean the crud out.


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