Algae Eaters

[westonsupermanc]

I have a 480L 128L 64L and a 48L in operation and wondered if you could offer your opinions on the best algae eaters for the tanks. Currently I have Chinese and Indian eaters but the glass and plastic plants are still getting caked up. Is there a magic fish out there? Or has anyone found success in something else to control algae please?

 

[Lillefishy]

Nothing will completely clean your tank from algae & if there was a magic fish how would you sustain it once all algae was gone?
You could add nerite snails, they will eat a lot of it but be warned they do poop a lot.
Is the tank getting direct sunlight? If so try shading it when the sun hits it, try having your lights on less, always best to try & find the cause of a problem first

 

[Chaydell]

I use otocinclus vittatus and a single flying fox in my 55g aquarium to help me with algae.  Be warned the flying fox can become very aggressive to other fish their shape as they get older.  Oto's are also notorious for being unhealthy at the time of purchase and you can read countless stories of people losing the entire group shortly after purchase.  If you decide to mis either of these into your tank I would suggest heavy research into both to be sure you are going to like them.  I also wouldn't add fish just to eat algae.  If you think you may like either of these then by all means add them, but like the earlier post points out, once the algae is gone you will have to supplement their diet so there will be some work involved.

 

[westonsupermanc]

Thanks for the tips. None of the tanks are in direct sunlight however 3 days a week when I am off work I have the day light on for about 6 hours then I switch to the blue night lights for another 6 hours. So at the moment every few months I am soaking the plants in bleached water and then rinsing them off and taking a chance.

 

[shoulders]

if they are plastic plants can you not take them out and clean them and put them back in

 

[Tongue_Flicker]

I use otocinclus vittatus and a single flying fox in my 55g aquarium to help me with algae.  Be warned the flying fox can become very aggressive to other fish their shape as they get older.  Oto's are also notorious for being unhealthy at the time of purchase and you can read countless stories of people losing the entire group shortly after purchase.  If you decide to mis either of these into your tank I would suggest heavy research into both to be sure you are going to like them.  I also wouldn't add fish just to eat algae.  If you think you may like either of these then by all means add them, but like the earlier post points out, once the algae is gone you will have to supplement their diet so there will be some work involved.

I can't seem to recall seeing my flying foxes eat algae before. Do they really?

 

[Chaydell]

Yes they do.  I have actually seen mine eat hair algae as well as picking at plants and sometimes decorations/glass to get at it.  Unfortunately he is not the gentle cleaner my oto's are so my plants sometimes suffer.  I also see mine go after shrimp pellets and flake food more often than I see him "cleaning" the tank so I won't say algae makes up the bulk of their diet.  I have also seen some articles that rank them as a top 10 fish for eating algae but don't know enough about the others to rank them.  I will say I had 3 at one time and they picked my plastic plants clean of hair algae in less than 4 months and they were covered with it.

 

[Tongue_Flicker]

Interesting.. it seems that the bottom dwelling fishes that i owned before have turned to adapt themselves feeding on the surface that i barely take notice of them eating algae. Cories and plecos included

 

[LyraGuppi]

I use a Chinese Algae Eater in my 20g, and he does a really good job, but once and I while I do have to take out my plants and wipe them off. If you consider shrimp I have heard Amono Shrimp will clean really well, but I have no experience on that.

 

[XeroTolerance]

Getting an algae eater just for the sake for algae control is not always the best idea since most people are disappointed with the outcomes. I would look at the source of the problem. IF you need to add something I would recommend shrimp or snails possibly. It depends on the algae.

 

[dopieopie]

I use a Chinese Algae Eater in my 20g, and he does a really good job, but once and I while I do have to take out my plants and wipe them off. If you consider shrimp I have heard Amono Shrimp will clean really well, but I have no experience on that.

Amano shrimp do pick at the algae on plants, but they are pigs and go for food over algae, they used to steal shrimp pellets from my loaches, and then sit on the plants and eat them...not that I could blame them.

That being said they will help control algae a but, though not get rid of it, but they are fun to watch.

 

[Guppy621]

I had a bad algae bloom, I got a rubber lip plecostamus (sucker fish). He is really a handsome guy and started working as soon as he was in my tank. the glass was completely clean the next day this is a very efficient little guy and he only gets to be 4 inches, unlike the black plecostamus, which gets over 2 feet. I got him at my local petsmart and am extremely pleased!

 

[cs091]

I wouldn't get Siamese algae eaters either. I bought 4 about 6 years ago. gave 2 to a friend, but the other two haven't touched algae for about 5 years and they are about 6 inches each and account for a huge chunk of my bioload. They are in a 210l tank so no problem directly, but I would love to be able to have some smaler fish in there rather than the two large ones I have.

 

[Deanna]

I had a bad algae bloom, I got a rubber lip plecostamus (sucker fish). He is really a handsome guy and started working as soon as he was in my tank. the glass was completely clean the next day this is a very efficient little guy and he only gets to be 4 inches, unlike the black plecostamus, which gets over 2 feet. I got him at my local petsmart and am extremely pleased!

I recently got a bristle nose pleco and it stays about the same size as the rubber lip. I'm so glad there are small species, because I only have a 20 gallon and I just love them! I think they're adorable and very fun to watch. They poop a lot, but I don't mind water changes, and vacuuming gravel is fun, in my opinion! 

 

[Ch4rlie]

Have you considered Nerite Snails?
 
They are pretty good for cleaning algae.