Algae Eaters

[Sheridanp]

Correct me if I'm wrong, do they just suck on the brown algae on the glass? Like, all the brown stuff on the glass.

 

[WILDER]

Mine cleaned glass, ornaments, plants, even saw them cleaning the heater, and stones.

 

[guppy_man]

they suck on everything, well mine do anyway

 

[-Deano-]

Mine Likes To Hide Behind My Heater, But At Night It Does Its Fair Share Of Cleaning Up!

 

[WILDER]

Love the cat avator.

 

[-Deano-]

Hehehe, Thanks
BTW, These Algae Eaters (Im Refering To Plec's) Wont Hesitate To Eat Or Pick At Dead Fish Layin Around The Tank!He Ate My Dead Neon Tetras...But Then Again It Saves Me Diggin Around Trying To Find A Net And Getting Water All Over The Floor!

 

[Sheridanp]

Haha. I have some pebbles of algae also, so it should be fine. Tiger Barbs are sure nippy at him.

 

[seb_negrete]

i have a couple of neritina snails in my tank to eat the algae and they are great!
they make an interesting addition to the tank, they look cool, and they really chow down on the algae. i was in awe when i first put them in there and one cleaned off a large rock that was covered in a significant layer of algae in a matter of hours.

 

[MoreCoffee]

It depends on the type of 'algae eater' - hopefully not a Chinese algae eater ! (too aggresive) - Plecs are good if you have the tank space ... but you need lots ! (although most fish shops will happily sell you small Plecs without asking about the size of tank) a 3 or 4 inch Plec in the fish shop can easily grow to a foot long over a few years. I would always go for Otocinclus (dwarf suckermouth) (Just my personal preference)

I have 3 Otocinclus in my 30 Gal tank and they do a great job of clearing away the algae.

They are especially good at cleaning algae off plants without causing any damage to the plants themselves, even the most delicate plants are left unharmed.

I find these fish better than Plecs, a fully grown Otto is only about 2.5inches and I have found that Plecs eat less algae as they get older/bigger, but the Otto's just keep on grazing on the green stuff (and the brown stuff).

Combine that with the fact that they dont produce much waste (unlike Plecs) and are quite active (when kept as 2+ ).
Just be sure to get good healthy ones from your supplier, they should have a 'pot belly' otherwise you could lose them soon after adding them to the tank.

Mr G

 

[James007]

I have never had any algae problems at all and put this down to the presence of my amano shrimps which are great entertainers as well.