Best Algae Eater

[jolaf]

I have a chinese algae eater in my 29 G tank. I have live plants also This algae eater does great on the tank and substrate but I do get a bit of algae on y pants which I wash off myself. My water stats are always good and unlike most chinese algae eaters mine is not agressive though I do have fast swimming fish. It has been said they go after slow swimming fish I have seen this behavior but it is not affecting my tank. Mine has been there almost a year and is still about 2 inches long. It is said that they can get up to 10 inches butmine has stayed relatively the same size since I purchased it. Good luck on the tank. I tend to think my plant algae is due toa lack of light more times than not. Hope this helps you.

I don't want snails, and I don't want otos. Had bad experiences with both. The snails were eating and damaging my plants, and the otos didn't last for more than 3 months, mostly a week. . So, if possible, I want to stay away from those. BN Plecos are VERY hard to find around where I am, and when they are found they're expensive. I will get one if I have to, though I wanted some other ideas. Is the True SAE a good fish? I've heard a lot of good things about them. Do they eat algae even when they're mature? Other fish that eat algae are welcomed as suggestions as well. Thanks!

Tank: 33 Gallons. L: 36" H: 18" W: 12"
Planted tank
Wood
Fish: 5 corydoras catfish, 4 zebra danios, 1 longfin blue danio, soon 7 glowlight tetras.
Nitrites: 0
Ammonia: 0
gh:0
kh:0
Nitrates: quite low, thinking about 3
Problem: Spot and beard algae on glass and plants. Spot algae is easy to remove, though the plants are a different matter.

 

[dgwebster]

before adding anything though, you need to increase that KH and GH levels. IIRC the two together act as a buffer to your tank - with levels that you claim, the slightest miniscule change in your tank could send your PH changing so wildly its no wonder otos die off the way they do.

healthy stable tank = alive fish

 

[Gimli]

I luv ottos, and hate chinese algae loaches
they eat off the other fishies chinese loaches doo

 

[Dubby]

I will definitely recommend algae eating shrimp.

 

[BBrain]

im a bit disturbed that your gh and kh is zero, is that correct?

No, that's basically impossible if the tank has tap water in.

Well, don't spread this, but in the area where nadajdui and I live, the tap water is pristine! Unlike many places that get tap water from the mineral-laden ground, ours is surface water, which flows over rock not containing carbonate, limestone, or other soluble minerals.

We live in a mountainous "temperate rainforest" region. Lots of rain, lots of forest, few humans. There is no need to drill wells into mineral-laden groundwater aquifers. Our water intake is in a river system. Therefore, our water is VERY soft. Tasty, too!

We grow fish just fine in our aquariums here, without messing around with constantly adding stuff to try to change the water chemistry. The key is to stock fish suitable for our water, as well as maintaining excellent filtration, with regular small water changes if necessary. Theoretically, the pH can crash in such un-buffered water, but I've yet to see that happen.

 

[Iron Man]

You're looking for a small/juvenile bulldog pleco, aka rubberlip pleco. He will take care of all algae everywhere. They are VERY shy so you may only see him at night, though. But they don't get very large and I've yet to ever see poop from either of mine.