Pleco/algae Eaters For 150g Oddball Tank?

[odettebottier]

Hey there, everyone! :]

I was thinking of getting some sort of an algae eater for my 150 gallon tank. Currently in the tank, I've got: 2x Black ghost knife fish, 1x brown african knifefish, 1x senegal bichir, 1x ropefish, 1xpeacock eel, 2x SA puffer, 1x raphael catfish. I do not want chinese or siamese algae eater; and I heard flying foxes are terrible algae eaters (if they survive through my knifefish!). What kind of algae eater would be good at cleaning, and not get eaten? I will probably have to find one more than 4-5 inches. I used to only have common or hifin plecs but I think I want something more interesting for this tank. ;] I tried to get a zebra pleco but they were million billion dollars :'[ ... so any ideas?

and! my 29 gallon tank has 10x glass fish, 6x glass catfish, 1x african climbing perch, 1x figure 8 puffer (they're all smaller in size-nothing bigger than 3") I think it's already full enough but would a itty bitty 2" pleco be alright? or should I hire an apple snail? Snail will work for cheaper but I like plecs better. *swishing hair* and snails are a little..

SOOOO what do youguys think? any recommendations? should I even have any?

any ideas will be appreciated!! thanks everyone!

xoxoxo,
Odette

 

[invader]

For the 150, I'd suggest a Flagtail Pronchilodus (Semaprochilodus taeniurus). They are great at eating algae and don't make the mess like plecos do. They are also a pretty lovely fish!

 

[jayjay]

Flagtail or BN plec. Zebra plecs also wouldn't eat algae. Is your 29g brackish?

Is the algae on the glass/rocks etc. or in the water?

 

[odettebottier]

Thanks for the ideas! How big do flagtails get? and I don't know where to get them since none of my LFS have them.. :[ Any informations on flaggies? O_O

Flagtail or BN plec. Zebra plecs also wouldn't eat algae. Is your 29g brackish?Is the algae on the glass/rocks etc. or in the water?

zebra plecs don't eat algae? omgoshhh, thanks so much for telling me that, otherwise it would have been messing with my brains for EVER! "they are pretty." "I need an algae eater." "they eat algae." "but they are expensive." "worth it? or not?" "maybe?" "Lotto ticket?" and so on.... XPthe algae in on rocks and decor, since I do pretty good job with algae on the wall. :]

 

[jayjay]

Flagtails will probably get around a foot long.

I'd go with BN plec's personally.

Zebra plecs do not eat algae, they are mainly insectivores, proffering bloodworm over algae.

 

[odettebottier]

Flagtails will probably get around a foot long.

I'd go with BN plec's personally.

Zebra plecs do not eat algae, they are mainly insectivores, proffering bloodworm over algae.

BN Pleco maybe better then? O_O thank you very much, jayjay! xoxo
any ideas for my mini tank?

 

[roseK]

ottos are good little fish, but like to be in groups

 

[odettebottier]

ottos are good little fish, but like to be in groups

Oh? I thought they were alright singly.. ok then :] How big will they grow? I do not know if I should put any more than one fish in my mini tank.. it's already quite full and my catfish and perch will grow..

 

[roseK]

im not sure how many they like to be with.. ill guess 3, and they only grow two inches

 

[odettebottier]

im not sure how many they like to be with.. ill guess 3, and they only grow two inches

Hmm.. two inches may fit. Well, what do you think? look at my sign, think it will 3 may fit in the tank? thanks for the suggestions anyways :]

 

[jayjay]

Is it fresh water? (Asking as you have the fig. 8 puffer in there). How aggressive is the puffer?

 

[odettebottier]

I think I've decided to get a pleco of some kind. Still searching for the specific breed, though. I was also wondering what size pleco I should get. I do have couple of knifefish and a bichir, but in my experience my Bichet never ate my ex pleco as small as 3" when Bibi was 10". (My gave my pleco to my friend who desperately needed a pleco for his tank with a few eels). My knifefish are couple of years so he is fairly big: somewhere around 11"14" (never measured them) and my senegal bichir is about 12", too. Along with ropefish and eel, I am not sure if I will be comfortable having a 2-3" pleco. What is the minimum sized pleco I should get?

Is it fresh water? (Asking as you have the fig. 8 puffer in there). How aggressive is the puffer?

Hi jayjay!!

It is freshwater, so the figure 8 puffer is still a juvenille. Therefore he isn't much aggressive, though he is a total food addict! I am planning to move him to a more suitable home soon enough. He is about an inch right now. One of my kind-of-friends gave him to me because she wanted to change her brackish tank to a molly/guppy brackish tank and didn't want any nippers. I can either give him away to LFS or give him to one of my friends since I've got a couple of friends with backish tank. If he is the reason for not getting a nice, suitable algae eater, I can get rid of him pretty quickly before getting my algae eater. I just keep him because he is SO adorable!! So.. Total freshwater, although I do use freshwater salt for my glasseys.

xoxo,
Odette

 

[darknirvana217]

I like plecos in the peckolita group personally. They stay small and come in several varities. i wouldn't get ottos becuase they are so small and may be eaten by your knife. they also have spines that can cause infections in your fish if they eat the ottos. For your 29 gallon, what pleco only gets 2 inches, othe rthan an otto?

 

[odettebottier]

I like plecos in the peckolita group personally. They stay small and come in several varities. i wouldn't get ottos becuase they are so small and may be eaten by your knife. they also have spines that can cause infections in your fish if they eat the ottos. For your 29 gallon, what pleco only gets 2 inches, othe rthan an otto?

I surely wouldn't get an otto for my knight tank since it will only last 10 seconds until he gets eaten!! lol I didn't fully understand, but ottos have spines that can cause infection? omgoshh!! O_O
and as you said, are there plecos that get only 2 inches?

 

[DarkEntity]

Do you realise that the Figure8 Puffer will survive longer and live healthier in a proper Brackish Tank as thats where they spend most of their wild life? Really you need to move him to another tank or take him to a fish shop.