Golden Algae Eater

[rdd1952]

I have 4 peppered corys and 2 otos but those are mainly scavengers and aren't doing much in cleaning up my algae problem (blue-green algae). I saw some Golden AE at the LFS yesterday and they were really working over an algae covered piece of driftwood. From what I have read, I am afraid to put one in my 29 gallon tank as it seems that they get agressive as they get older. I don't want to get something I'll have to get rid of later. I'm sure someone here has experience with them. Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Dwarfs]

These are a color morph of the dreaded Chinese algae eater, and they do become very aggressive over time

 

[The-Wolf]

I have one who is approx 5" long, he hasn't show any signs of aggression as of yet, in fact quite the opposite. He seems to be imtinidated by my cories ans loaches.

 

[Fish Buddy]

You could try a Siamese flying fox (Siamese algea eater). When they are young they are suppose to be good at eating algea. I think their max size is 4 inches. Also you need a few more otocinclus' because they like to shoal.

 

[lucky62]

I have one who is approx 5" long, he hasn't show any signs of aggression as of yet, in fact quite the opposite. He seems to be intimidated by my cories ans loaches.

You have an exceptional fish , most are horrible once they get past 4" .

And eat very little algae as they get that big as well .


rdd1952 , otos may do a better job , if as " fishbuddy " suggested , you increase thier number , at least 5 or 6 would be better then 1 C.E.A , IMO .

 

[jflowers]

I have one who is approx 5" long, he hasn't show any signs of aggression as of yet, in fact quite the opposite. He seems to be intimidated by my cories ans loaches.

You have an exceptional fish , most are horrible once they get past 4" .

And eat very little algae as they get that big as well .

Agreed, my lfs talked me into getting 7 for a 50g when I asked for 5 algae eating fish [If you buy six, you get one free] One was killed by the others and the rest picked on everything else and they were still juvies. Everything was scared of them including fish with ten times the body mass.

Jon

 

[Gill]

Same as Paul,

I had 3 5Inch CGAE and they Only Showed Aggression Between themselves

 

[sylvia]

Besides being aggressive and eating little algae as they mature, they get to 10". Anyway, that's not realy the point - 'blue-green' algae (if that's what it realy is), won't realy get eaten by any algae-eating fish and it's actualy bacteria and you'll need to clean it up yourself and find out what's causing the problem in the first place. If you leave it for too long it'll form a disgusting slimy coat over anything and everything and it also releases harmfull toxins. If it's normal algae, otos would do the trick. If you want something larger or hardier, a bristlenose plec would work. Fying foxes, siamese algae eaters/siamese flying foxes and false siamese algae eaters/false flying foxes all work too. Rubbernose and bulldog plecs do a good job of algae as well and don't get big. If you want something less common, american-flag fish will munch on algae too and are just as effective IME.

 

[gwlee7]

I have 4 peppered corys and 2 otos but those are mainly scavengers and aren't doing much in cleaning up my algae problem (blue-green algae). I saw some Golden AE at the LFS yesterday and they were really working over an algae covered piece of driftwood.

In my experience, there will be NO FISH, "algae eater" or not, that will eat blue-green algae. It is a bacteria and not algae so you my very well have to take other measures to get rid of it. I had to totally black out one of my tanks for about 98 hours (four complete days) to get that &*^% to go away. And, it may still come back if my experience proves to the same as others. Ultimately, you might have use an anti-bacterial medication like Maracyn.

Look on the plant forum here for some more info.

Sorry.

 

[rdd1952]

The 2 otos I have generally stay attached to the tank near the heater, sometimes actually attached to the outside of the heater itself. I bought 3 but one died the second day I had them. This is technically my wife's tank and she started out buying the fish for it. We are problaby going to have to get another tank since we need to add more of almost everything we have to get them into comfortable schools (need 2 or 3 more of each of the tetras, 3 or 4 more otos and a couple more corys. I'm afraid all that will overcrowd the tank.

 

[lucky62]

The 2 otos I have generally stay attached to the tank near the heater, sometimes actually attached to the outside of the heater itself. I bought 3 but one died the second day I had them. This is technically my wife's tank and she started out buying the fish for it. We are problaby going to have to get another tank since we need to add more of almost everything we have to get them into comfortable schools (need 2 or 3 more of each of the tetras, 3 or 4 more otos and a couple more corys. I'm afraid all that will overcrowd the tank.

In any event , how often do you do partial water changes ?

10% weekly is a common recommendation . Sometimes more .

If you take out nutrients the help whatever it is to grow , it will slow the growth .


Water changes are a big key in successful fish keeping .


You could get by with 1 or 2 more of each tetra , or you could let them be , I would get at least 2 or 3 more otos , cories do better in bigger groups , but 4 isn't all that bad .

 

[jflowers]

The 2 otos I have generally stay attached to the tank near the heater, sometimes actually attached to the outside of the heater itself. I bought 3 but one died the second day I had them. This is technically my wife's tank and she started out buying the fish for it. We are problaby going to have to get another tank since we need to add more of almost everything we have to get them into comfortable schools (need 2 or 3 more of each of the tetras, 3 or 4 more otos and a couple more corys. I'm afraid all that will overcrowd the tank.

Let the MTS begin.

Jon

 

[rdd1952]

I change 5 gallon of water per week. With weekly water changes I guess I could probably handle 5 or 6 of each fish but I don't want to put them at risk.