Algae Eaters

[Bigbadbaz]

I have recently started to heavily plant my community tank and would like to to use an algae eater to keep the leaves in good condition.
Which is more suitable, a flying fox or SAE?
I keep reading one is more aggressive than the other from one site then vice versa, varying reports on sizes and aggression etc... Can anyone give me some sound advice?

Baz

 

[vanderdraay]

hi ive got a siamese flying fox and hes really placid although he does have a mad half hour lol hes about 3 1/2 inches and doesnt bother anyone hes currently housed with 2 clown loach and they all swim together ive also got 2 honey gouramis in . I have read not to put them in with anything like red tail black shark or the like . hope this helps

 

[james_fish]

hi ive got a siamese flying fox and hes really placid although he does have a mad half hour lol hes about 3 1/2 inches and doesnt bother anyone hes currently housed with 2 clown loach and they all swim together ive also got 2 honey gouramis in . I have read not to put them in with anything like red tail black shark or the like . hope this helps

Yes, you SHOULDN'T mix the Fox or SAE with a tropical shark. Sorry wrote it wrong the first time round

You could also consider getting some nerite snails or Shrimp. These can be good at keeping your algae down and gravel/sand clean.
You could also try Oto catfish? Check them out.

I think the true SAE is the better algae eater, but im not 100% so don't take my word for it!
Good luck

James.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

A trio of Panda Garras

 

[vanderdraay]

my ancistrus love algae and do a fab job of keeping the tank clean although theyre not specifically for that reason and they only grow to about 6 inches at best ,and theyre a lovely looking fish

 

[BethK]

As much as shrimp are good at keeping algae down, they do love to munch on plants

 

[reignofcheese]

I have trumpet snails and pond snails and an assassin snail to keep them in line, and my plants do not get eaten. Of course, you can't really expect snails to clean the algae for you, it just doesn't work so easily.

I have used oto cats before, but I found they figured out when the kuhli loaches got fed and started eating with them, and then got lazy with algae. They didsometimes rasp through the leaves of more delicate plants.

The flying fox is not an algae eater at all, it is a scavenger and will stop eating algae altogether when it gets a bit larger. If anything go with SAE, but don't expect it to perform miracles either. Algae is just something we need to deal with as aquarists. I deal with it by balancing the nutrients and co2 and light as much as I can, scrubbing it off the glass, and letting it grow on the rocks and driftwood (which makes it look more natural actually). I need to rub it off the slow growing big-leaved plants every now and then too. Such is the life of a fish keeper.

 

[`Peter]

Consider some Otos?

 

[Bigbadbaz]

I have otos and shrimp in my main tank, they are doing a grand job. I have bought 2 sae today but have put them in a tank with green algae, is sited near a window hence the algae. My plan is to leave them in there for a while then transfer them to my main tank.

 

[meguro]

farlowella or sturisoma