Algae growth

[David]

Small spots of algae are appearing on my tank sides and on my driftwood. What kind of algae-eater would you recommend to solve this, that can peacefully co-exist with my fish that I have. Please don't say plec, I don't like them and they may present a threat to my discus.

 

[FrankSlapperinni]

Your tank is fairly lightly stocked for now (unless you plan to add more discus for your lone one now), so it would probably not be too much stress on the bioload to add a school of 4 or 5 otocinculus (which are pleco's, but very small and most likely would not eat your discus's slime coat), just remember to buy algae wafers, as just the algae in the tank will not supplement them forever.

 

[David]

How big do the otos get? I definitely don't want 4-5 of them, maybe 2-3 as I want other fish in my tank as well.

 

[clutterydrawer]

they only reach 2".

 

[The-Wolf]

otocinculus (which are pleco's, but very small and most likely would not eat your discus's slime coat)

Otocinclus Affinis
Family: Loricariidae (Armored catfishes) ,
subfamily: Hypoptopomatinae
Order: Siluriformes (catfish)
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
FishBase name: Dwarf catfish
Max. size: 5.0 cm

Not a pleco

 

[David]

Oh cool I'll get some of those then.

 

[gixer]

i would try and find the source first rather than just add fish to solve the problem

 

[David]

It's not really a problem... just several spots of algea here and there. All tanks have some algae, you can't live without it. I just don't want it to overrun my tank.

 

[rvm]

I'll definately back the ottos!!
Check out this thread to see what my ottos did in my tank in just 24 hours!!!!

 

[David]

Wow. They are a must for my tank then. they really keep that crap under control don't they.

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Not a pleco

Yes they are, they are part of the Loricariidae family.

I also would recommend these, or better still, get to the source of the problem instead to find out what is causing it. A small amount of algae in a tank is normal and natural, more is a problem for which there is a cause.

 

[David]

Mine is just a small amount, but I want to get rid of it nonetheless. It's not very attractive.

 

[SirMinion]

Not a pleco

Yes they are, they are part of the Loricariidae family.

The hobby term 'pleco' applies to the entire loricid family of sucker-mouthed catfish, and often even (incorrectly) to other sucker-mouthed fish such as the hill stream loach (hong-kong plec)

In reality, almost all the fish we refer to as plecos are not plecos at all. The name originated as a reference to similarity of other sucker-mouthed catfish to the Hypostomus Plecostomus, one of the first 'plecs' to be kept in the hobby.

So yes, Oto's are plecs.

.

 

[SirMinion]

Mine is just a small amount, but I want to get rid of it nonetheless. It's not very attractive.

Then buy a scraper.

 

[Tropjunky]

well algae! we all h8 it and a plec usuall does the job but shrimps will work.

u usuall use an algae treatment if it gets really bad.