Algae Eaters

[mimifish]

All,

I have a 75 gallon planted tank with an algae problem. I get the growth on the glass, bogwood, rocks, and the plants. The algae is sort of a green filamentous growth on the plants and bogwood, I also have the "black beard" algae, tufts of dark filamentous algae on the bogwood and on some plants. I do a gravel vac & 30% water change every week.

I read up a bit on the plecostamus, read that they "poop" a lot and need an efficient filtration system (tank is currently on an Eheim 2215 canister filter). I would like to know the following:

1. Are they aggressive? I have a community aquarium.
2. Will they eat my plants?
3. Do they get pretty big?
4. Is my filtration good enough?
5. Will they eat the "black beard" algae?
6. What are other algae eaters that I should consider?
7. How many will I need? Are they schooling type of fish?

Another thing I would like to ask is what else can I do to control the algal growth besides reducing the time that I have the lights on.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Auratus]

Good questions. Common plecos get about 14-16 inches. But there are bristlenose plecos that stay small. It would be a good choice for a 75 gallon. They are great algae eaters and do well in any aquarium. From tetras to cichlids, they get along with everyone. If you want a fish that likes to group there are ottos. They get 2 incehs max and love to be in groups. But they are better known for eating brown algae.

Besides an algae eater, you could get a brand of algae distroying liquid which kills all of the algae. But, you can't have any inverts. because it will kill snails, lobsters, and shrimp. I have a magnetic algae scrapper that cleans the glass but for the algae on your rocks and wood, you would need liquid or a pleco.

Also, since I removed my cichlids and my pleco is the only thing in my tank, I have noticed how much he actually poops. And it's a lot. But when fish were in there they would stir up the gravel and the poop wouldn't have time to settle and would go into the filter. But in a 75 gallon aquarium a bristle nose pleco wouldn't do much damage to a tank.

There are also gold nugget plecos and zebra plecos which are VERY beautiful but are more expensive. As long as you don't go with a common pleco(because of their size), you should be fine.

 

[Paradise_Gourami]

Plecos rarly get up to 16 inches in a aquarium but they do usually get over a foot long, there are some dwarf types.

 

[Beesboer]

I have a Starlight Bristlenose. My tank is spotless! He is really doing a great job @ cleaning the thank & he don't get too big!

 

[CFC]

The ONLY fish that eats black hair algea is the siamese flying fox/algea eater crossocheilus siamensis, some plecos will eat algea from the glass but will usually ignor the green hairy stuff on plants, many are also omnivors that preffer to eat meatier foods like bloodworms and catfish pellets if they are offered as well as algea, for plant cleaning otocinclus are better for the job.

Stay away from algecides which can affect bactria colonies within the filter and substrate and drop oxygen levels in the tank which stresses fish causing disease outbreaks.

 

[Moe]

I had a problem with black beard algae. It is very hard to get rid of. I got a Siamese algae eater (SAE) and he did a good job eating it. Algae in a planted tank is sometimes caused by overfertilizing. Are you using any ferts. in the tank?

I have a bristlenose catfish and he does a good job keeping the tank free from brown algae. He will not touch the green algae growing on the glass. I've also had pleco and IMO the bristlenose catfish does a better job keeping the tank clean. Actually none of my fish are eating the green algae. I have to scrub it off the glass every week with an algae scrubber thing.

SAE get to be about 4-5 inches and prefer to be in a school of three. I don't have the room now so mine is on his own. If you want more info in SAE check out this link. It explains how to be sure you get a true SAE and not one of the look alike fish like flying foxes. http/www.bettastarz.com/sae.htm

I never tried leaving the lights off because I read that you had to leave them off for a week or two and I was afraid that by that time my plants would all be dead also.

 

[Braddah]

Rubber lippedPleco's only get about 5" and do a good job of cleaning my tank, I also Have 3 otto's inthere and between the both of them they lick the algae platter clean.......Word!