What's A Good Algae Eating Fish?

[InaneCathode]

I've got a bit of algae growing on the glass in my tank (and surely on everything else). Rather than cleaning it, i'm thinking i might add an algae eating fish or two to give them a good home
It's a planted 10 gallon tank with 4 albino cories and a male betta.

 

[dwarfgourami]

There is a good pinned topic somewhere on this precise question. Basically, what it adds up to, if I remember rightly, is that no fish eats every kind of algae, and that all fish add waste, so more nitrates=more algae food; the second of these might be worth thinking about as your tank already seems fully stocked. There is clearly no room for bristlenoses or other plecs, and given that the tank is already stocked, I would say not for otos either. You could probably fit a few amano shrimps in, but they won't clear your glass for you. Or a snail, but again they do add to the bioload.

 

[MojoDex]

try some otocinclus there one the best algae eaters ive ever had only problem is there amazingly sensitive so just be careful, failing that maybe try some algae shrimp? both are very small and will add very little in the way of bio load to your tank, what type of filtration are you running on it?

 

[Castellop123]

p )

 

[InaneCathode]

Standard HOB filter that came with the tank.

Off topic, there seems to be some sort of mold/algae problem in one corner of the tank. My cories wont hang out over there anymore... Is there such thing as aquatic molds like this?

 

[ant0]

what type of algae is it? otos will eat the brown type but if its blue, green and hairy, or green and spotty they won't. Amano shrimp will eat hair algae, just make sure you get shrimp from a reputable source - there are some long tentacled varieties going round that get huge and like to eat smaller fish - i.e. corys

 

[funkyhoney]

for standard algae i'd recommend a bristlenose catfish, for any kind of string or thread algae, try and get your hands on a siamese algae eater, not to be confused with siamese flying fox.

 

[ant0]

for standard algae i'd recommend a bristlenose catfish, for any kind of string or thread algae, try and get your hands on a siamese algae eater, not to be confused with siamese flying fox.

he's got a 10 gallon. 3 otos are about the limit for that tank

 

[funkyhoney]

he's got a 10 gallon. 3 otos are about the limit for that tank

even so an SAE doesn't take up that much space, surely you could fit one in there

 

[bobross]

just wondering, why wouldn't you clean the tank instead? no offense, but wouldn't finding the source of the algae and fixing the problem be easier? I would think trying a variety of algae eaters(hardy or not) and potentially altering the bio-load (potentially losing algae eaters in the 'trial and error' process) would get depressing if it didn't work? I seriously mean no hard feelings by these questions but it's just a thought off my head while reading this post..........

how long has the mold been there? what color is it? does the water in your aquarium smell bad?


good luck in whatever you decide!

 

[lilfishie]

he's got a 10 gallon. 3 otos are about the limit for that tank

even so an SAE doesn't take up that much space, surely you could fit one in there

SAE's get very big and very aggressive