Algae eater in a big tank?

[rvm]

can anyone recommend a good algae eater that isn't likely to get eaten by an Oscar or Lima shovelnose. I have a Gibbiceps Plec in there, but he's got to the size where he's a bit lazy and not doing a very good job!! I thought about bristlenoses, but wondered if there is anything else that would work as I already have 2 bristlenoses in other tanks and wanted something a bit different.

 

[Fiddlesticks]

That would depend on the size of your tank. Common plecs can stand up to the meanest cichlids but they can only go in the biggest of tanks because mine is over a foot long and still growing.

 

[CFC]

There is a great easily found creature called a algea scraper that does a wonderful job of keeping the front and sides of a tank clean and free of algea

Sorry mate but ive yet to come up with a suitably sized good algea eater for predatory fish tanks, common plecs and gibbys do a good job for a while but soon learn that catfish pellets and stray mussels/bits of fish taste much nicer. Smaller algea eaters like bristlenoses are just too much of a risk as if a bigger fish swallows one they can become lodged in the mouth/throat with their pectorals and both fish die. Some cichlids and larger characins will pick at algea growing on rocks/bogwood but if its a glass cleaner you want then a algea scraper is your best option.

 

[rvm]

There is a great easily found creature called a algea scraper that does a wonderful job of keeping the front and sides of a tank clean and free of algea

I have one of them, I think it is the telescopiosis variety!!
Oh well, that is what I feared. I might look into RO water as I think it is the high tapwater nitrates that cause the algae problem in the first place!!

Fiddlesticks. The tank is about 140g and easily big enough for a common, but they get lazy as they get bigger like CFC said, and that is the problem I have with my gibby. He has developed quite a liking for mussel!!!