Fish Choice

[Spooky76]

I am looking at buying a fish to control my algae.

Any suggestions, my tank dimensions etc are on my sig. Not sure if I should get sucking loach or not or glass shrimp or.....something.

Any ideas are appreciated.

 

[lilfishie]

what catfish and plec do you have?

 

[Christine1014]

Definitely a "no" vote on the "sucking loach" -- I believe those are a generic name for Chinese Algea Eater, which, as juveniles, don't each much algae. But they grow very quickly and as adults they are even less interested in algae but very interested in eating your other fish.

Otos are a great choice. I have a couple that seem to be doing a nice job on my algae.

 

[Darkehorse]

You may want to look at the florida flagfish if you can get one, they are great for eating algae. Not

 

[Darkehorse]

You may want to look at the florida flagfish (Jordanella floridae) if you can get one, they are great for eating algae. Not a bad little fish too (in the killifish family believe it or not). My only concern is whether the Dwarf Gouramis would tolerate them. I don't think it would be a problem but you may want to find someone with first hand knowledge.

-Darke

 

[Spooky76]

Hiya, thanks for that. Will check it out at lfs at weekend.

My Plec is a 'black Plec' , catfish is a very small leopard catfish.

 

[Spooky76]

Just had a look at them on various websites. Looks like the FFF is a very easy to keep fish. Although I like the otto too

 

[lilfishie]

you could consider some shrimp, i got an algae shrimp yesterday he's a great lil guy been busy all day, going back for some more, although they could end up as food but mines fine with my bettas and guppies

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

What type of algae do you have and where is it growing? This is important to know as not all algae eating fish or critters will eat all types of algae off all surfaces- for example, amano shrimp will clean algae off plants/rocks/substrate but will not clean algae off the glass in the tank. What sort of pleco and catfish do you have?