Quick Algae Eater question

[jonny toe tags]

I been looking for algae eaters for my 65 gal.
Right now it houses 2 angels, 2 dwarf gouramis and 2 bala sharks.
I am looking for something that won't get too big (like the clown loach)
So here are the 3 i've looked into:
Siamese algae eater
Chinese algae eater
and Zebra loach.

I am looking for them to get rid of algae on glass and plants.

Which species is best suited for my tank?

 

[Cheese Specialist]

I would not advise any of those fish. Chinese algae eaters get very large and aggressive as they get older.

I would adivse a school of otos perhaps, perhaps a bristlenose plec or farloella catfish.

Do you know the situation with bala sharks requiring a lot more room than a 65gal can offer.

 

[Sky042]

I didn't think the zebra loach ate algae.

I'm thinking rubber lip pleco or small school of ottos.

 

[Dori]

I have a Bristlenose and he seems to be doing a great job. I rarely get to seem him, he's like the night janitor

 

[Teelie]

Clown Loaches do get big, as much as a foot in length as do the Balas. I'd go with the Otos but then I don't think any fish or animal is adequate enough to clean all the algae no matter how much they go after it. I prefer to clean it myself and make sure it's all gotten rid of.

 

[CFC]

I would not advise any of those fish. Chinese algae eaters get very large and aggressive as they get older.

I would adivse a school of otos perhaps, perhaps a bristlenose plec or farloella catfish.

Do you know the situation with bala sharks requiring a lot more room than a 65gal can offer.

And why wouldnt you advise that they keep SAE's which only happen to be known as the best algea eaters in the hobby?

Ottos would become food for the angels at some point, angels are natural predators and in the wild small fish would make up the bulk of their diet, also large fish like balas could eat them by mistake if they happen to be near to the food at feeding time.

If you can get the real ones then get the siamese algea eaters but make sure that you know the differences between the real deal and the false ones before buying them. Remember the true SAE has a jagged black horizontal stripe that runs right into the tail, the false one will have a thin gold line above the black and the line is smooth edged and stops at the base of the tail. They are schooling fish so make sure you buy at least 3.

 

[Cheese Specialist]

I thought Siamese Algae Eaters were different from Siamese Flying Foxes, or was I confused?

Sorry had been drinking JD in the sun all day

 

[ryan]

I would also recommend the Siamese Algae Eater although aren't quite as effective as I wanted they do craze on algae more than other fish.

 

[Angry_Platy]

Get a bristlenose...after getting my first bnose...my tank was algae free after 2 days (and it was blanketteed over EVERYTHING)....now I have 2 adults and about 50 bnose fry!! Now I never need to use the algae magnet....EVER!!

 

[CFC]

I thought Siamese Algae Eaters were different from Siamese Flying Foxes, or was I confused?

Sorry had been drinking JD in the sun all day

Siamese algea eaters and siamese flying foxes are the same fish just different names, thats the trouble with common names, some fish have so many names that no one is sure what fish they are talking about.

Hows the head today then?

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Hows the head today then?

LOL bit fuzzy,

Not helped by the fact I was up at 5am for some bizzarre reason, couldn't get back to sleep!