What are good algea control fish?

[k2snowboards88]

What are some good fish to control algea? I'm looking for a bottom dweller that will help clean the tank.

 

[modernhamlet]

It depends a lot on the tank size, your current inhabitants, and the type of algae. If you can provide those, people will be able to give a more educated answer.

For standard green algae in a peaceful community tank, two of the better algae eaters would be one of the Otocinclus (oto) or Ancistrus (bristlenose plec) species.

There are plenty of other options of course. Have you tried getting rid of the algae in other ways like changing the duration the light is on or adding plants? Do you use pH adjusters?

 

[Dubby]

Outbreaks of algae is caused by an imbalance in nutrients (nitrates, phosphates), light, water circulation, etc. Once these are managed you can keep the normal algae in check by adding Amano shrimp, SAEs, Otos, plecos, mollys, barbs, etc.

 

[k2snowboards88]

Well actually i don't have much algea yet. I just want to have some kind of bottom dwelling "sucker fish" to add to my tank. I like them. So far i have a red fin shark, 4 tiger barbs and a peacock eel. The tank is 55 gallons.

 

[Mamaschild]

In a 55g with those fish, I would go with something not TOO small or big. Small might get eaten (Ottos, Amano Shrimp) and too big will outgrow the tank (common Plec). I would go with either a Rubberlipped (Bulldog) Plec or a Bristlenose (Ancistrus) Plec. Both are great algea cleaners and only get ~5".

HTH

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Bristlenoses would be cool and you have plenty of room.

 

[JDH]

My rainbow shark does an amazing job at eating algea. He's always cleaning my plants, walls, and gravel. They can get kinda big, but i think 55gal is big enough to house him, mine is about 1.75" right now and he isn't growing to fast. I'm not even sure if they're intended to clean algea, but mine sure does.

You can't have more then one, and they can be aggressive to certain fish.

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Ranbow sharks get to around 5" or so I think. Mine is getting pretty fat, awww lovely Zippy.

I forgot to mention farlowella catfish, they are cool, passive and eat algae.

 

[Fishy411]

just a question. Sorry about posting this here but i can' tpost in any other forum for some reason. Do Raphael Catfish eat algae? the girl at my lfs said they do but she also said that a .5 " yellow lab or a blue ram would both eat everything else in my tank so i just want to make sure.

 

[gwlee7]

How well do ottos do with brown algae (diatoms)??

 

[DylFunk]

i would go with the bristlenose. they are perfectly happy living by themselves and dont get to big. statistics say that a 2" bristlenose can almost completly clean a 55g tank in very short periods of time (depending on amount of algae) and keep it clean.

 

[Dubby]

How well do ottos do with brown algae (diatoms)??

Excellent eaters

 

[MNfishy]

on the same note, if you have a 55 gallon african cichlid tank, could you get two bristlnmose plecos?

 

[Fishy411]

i Would recommend Raphaels but u could probly get away with it. They would fit but they might get attacked. a raphael may get attacked but it would be fine and wouldn't be attacked again. They have armor and spines

 

[k2snowboards88]

my red fin shark(rainbow shark) has been eating alot of algea lately. He spends all day cleaning the tank now. So maybe i don't really have to worry about it. But i kind of want some kind of pleco, so thanks for your help guys.