question about cleaner fish

[FishLover888]

I was told that a cleaner fish like corys could clean up the tank for the leftwover food and contribute to the better quality of the water.

My problem with that logic is that the cleaner fish will have to breath, poop and do other thing too. So I think in order for the cleaner fish to live and grow, the net effect on the tank water can only be worse becaus the fish can only extract a samll % of energy from the food. More goes to the waste as the result.

My point is that we maybe better off just let the leftover go rotten and vac them out from time to time. Where did I go wrong with this logic?

[Graham]

I'll have to go digging for the exact info, on the wall of books in front of me but if memory serves me correct, the ammonia produced from a fish eating the food is less than what the hetertrophic bacteria produce decaying it.

The fish are capable of utilizing more of the protien/amino acids than the bacteria
are...thus less NH3 produced..............I think???

G

[FishLover888]

That makes sense. So our question is to find the balance of having enough cleaner fish to eat leftover food, not too many of them that create more bio load.

[swinters66]

And dont depend on just your bottom feeders and cleaners to keep food waste down. Keep up the water changes as well. That and good bottom feeders make things so much easier!!

I would think leftover food going bad at the bottom of a tank is worse than fish poop. Not sure if that is true, thats just what Im guessing.