Glass Cleaning Fish

[giblets]

We were thinking about getting a fish that would clean the glass on our tank, were thinking of snails or loaches, but have heard:
Loaches tend to eat other fishes eyes out
Snails have a tendancy to redproduce rapidly

Any suggestions out there, or does the suggestion simply include the words magenetic scraper?

 

[Barday]

Try a bristle nose Pleco. They dont grow too big, and they clean all the algae off glass. I've got one in every tank i've got!

 

[Aquamick]

Otocinclus Affinis get to about 7cm. They need algae wafers to supplement after they've eaten all the algae in the tank (hopefully) small groups are better than one individual.

HTH

 

[mandi]

I agree with the Oto's. I have three and they do a great job.

I also have apple snails in some of my tanks -- and apple snails don't reproduce on their own (you need to have a pair). If you wind up with a female, she may have some stored sperm and may lay some eggs at first -- however they're REALLY easy to remove. Just glance at the underside of the hood of the tank at feeding time and if you see a white lumpy clutch of eggs, get a paper towel and pull it off and get rid of it. Voila! No snail babies!

 

[FishDan]

In addition to the above, I don't think most/any loaches are algea eaters and certainly none are really what would be called "glass cleaners". Many eat snails, and probably wouldn't do much to clean your glass (except of snails).

As for snails, most snails will breed in direct proportion to the amount of food in the tank. Don't overfeed, you won't end up with a massive snail population.

\Dan

 

[jesssa]

loaches eat the eyes of other fish?

 

[-cAtFiSh-]

Loaches tend to eat other fishes eyes out

i dont think that is entirely correct lol
i have never heard of a loach that eats other fishes eyes

 

[DylFunk]

your probably thinking of a common pleco, they have been known to eat eyes out once they grow much larger than the other fish.