Fish That Will Eat Diatoms?

[Preston019]

I have a 55 gallon freshwater aquarium that has been set up for about 2.5 months now and I have been getting a large build-up of diatoms on all of my decorations and the walls of my aquarium for about a month now. I go over the walls of the aquarium with a mag-float and that does a great job clearing up the Diatoms--for about a day. I know that I should clean the decorations as well to reduce the population even more. I know that silicone is a major part of a Diatom's "diet", along with other nutrients and what-nots. I used the CaribSea Super Naturals black sand for my substrate. Also, I got the tank used and the former owners informed that the tank had been resealed due to a leak after moving it full of water!

I'm sure that, after the former owners resealing the tank, caused some very microscopic silica particles to be added to the water; but I'm not sure whether the sand would have any silica in it, or enough to cause a growth in Diatoms. I do perform bi-weekly water changes of about 30%-45%

But to my main question is this:

Is there a fish that does well at sort-of keeping the population of these Diatoms to a minimum?
I already have a clown pleco and all it does is hide all day; go figure!

I'm wanting to add about 2 Bristle Nose Plecos, regardless of whether they will eat the Diatoms or not.

The other fish I have are:
5 Green Tiger Barbs
5 Black Ruby Barbs
And 11 tetras

I'm really trying to avoid snails, just because they repopulate; but if there is a species of snail that doesn't repopulate at all or in captivity, I'm willing to try it!

Thanks in advance!

 

[IcQb]

As far as snails go:
Neritini! (zebra snail)
They eat algae (not sure about diatoms) and will only reproduce in brackish water.
Although they will lay small white eggs (infertile)

Whatch out with two ancistrus (bristle nose) as they are territorial and will fight! (unless male-female form a couple)


normally daitoms go away after a while and they are fairly common in new/nearly new setups...

 

[Preston019]

Whatch out with two ancistrus (bristle nose) as they are territorial and will fight! (unless male-female form a couple)

Is this just with the Bristle Nose? Because, at my LFS, I've seen them put 2 normal, full sized, plecos in a, im guessing, 40-50 gallon tank and they never bothered each other, or the much smaller fish, for that matter.

 

[mike455555]

personally i love otocinculs they do a great job and are social fish 4+ in a tank

 

[Preston019]

personally i love otocinculs they do a great job and are social fish 4+ in a tank

Well, my tank is already about fully stocked and I was going to be rehoming a good portion of my tetras but replacing them with larger groups of tetras because I have a bunch of different small groups of tetras (2-3 per group) and I'm keeping all of my barbs.

I don't know if adding 4 ottos would be good for my bio load. Also, I'm not sure if my LFS sells ottos or not.

 

[mike455555]

oto's are tiny fish about the same size as tetra's =]

 

[IcQb]

I absolutely ADORE otto's
Very social creatures. They swim with my corydoras trilineatus at lunch time! very entertaining to watch.

To answer the pleco question:
Bristle nose pleco is not actually a pleco! It is a fish of the ancistrus genus.

They belong to the same family of Locirariidae, but this family covers pleco's, panaques and ancistri (amongst others!)
Bristle nose pleco's are in fact ansistrus and they WILL fight.

regards