Too Much Algae. Can I Add A Pleco?

[vgames33]

My planted tank with four female bettas is getting a ton of algae in it, and I've been thinking about getting a Pleco for a while anyway.... Will bettas get along with a smaller pleco, like a bristlenose? The tank is a 20gal.

 

[modaz]

My planted tank with four female bettas is getting a ton of algae in it, and I've been thinking about getting a Pleco for a while anyway.... Will bettas get along with a smaller pleco, like a bristlenose? The tank is a 20gal.

absolutely fine as long as you tank is big enough for a max size of 7" in the pleco, bristlenoses are a great choice with female bettas

 

[MermaidMel]

I would probably recommend a few otocinclus rather than a pleco. Pleco are notorious #### machines, and although oto do their fair share of pooping the place up, its smaller poop and not quite as minging.

 

[*Fishkies*]

What kind of filtration do you have on the tank?

Plecos are known to produce a lot of waste, and need to be feed quite well so they don't become undernourshied. A bristlenose is a good choice, they are great algae eaters.

 

[dmarie04]

I would suggest finding the cause of the excessive algae before adding anything to your bioload. Is it too much light, not enough water changes, too much waste, etc?
I think a bristlenose in a 20 gallon with only 4 female bettas would be fine, but otos are still better overall. You can get a group of them and they will eat algae like crazy and provide lots of entertainment (they are fun little guys) and not add that much to your bioload since they don't produce as much waste as a poop-machine...uh, I mean a pleco!!

 

[vgames33]

I'm not really sure what happened to cause my algae, but I suppose I should try to stop it before just adding fish. I didn't have algae problems until I added fish, and even then it wasn't until they found and ate all my snails.

I have some java ferns, some swords, and some mystery plants with 2 15 watt full-spectrum flourescents and DIY CO2 (not sure of the concentration). The introduction of CO2 hasn't really bothered the algae, but the plants are doing much better.

Filtration is just a standard on-tank filter with activated carbon rated for a 20-30 gallon tank. Tank is fully cycled. Water is changed weekly (40-70%). Waste tends to accumulate in the corner opposite the filter between water changes. I've been looking into adding another small filter, but I can't find a small filter that has a long enough pickup tube, and I'm not sure if a powerhead will bother my girls.