Algae Eating Fish

azn_fishy55 · 10-17-2005, 05:14 PM

What is a good species of algae eating fish?

**Scuba Kid** · 10-17-2005, 05:34 PM

depending on the tank size...plecos are great. chinese algae eaters...many snails will clean up algae.
what size tank is this? and what fish are in it now?

Fishboy93 · 10-17-2005, 05:50 PM

Otos work for a small tank... whats the minimum tank size for a pleco?

**Scuba Kid** · 10-17-2005, 06:05 PM

people say 55, but i think it should be bigger.

Fishboy93 · 10-17-2005, 07:35 PM

alright looks like my tank is to small then

goodie · 10-17-2005, 09:10 PM

SAE are great if you can find a true SAE. they don't have a sucker mouth so they have to nibble at it. They eat most forms of alge too. Ottos are good also if you have a tank too small for a pleco. Or you could get a dwarf pleco (bristlenose,ect...).

azn_fishy55 · 10-17-2005, 10:12 PM

I am setting up a 30 gallon planted tank.

osteoporoosi · 10-18-2005, 02:19 AM

A bushynose pleco would work great in a 30g.

**Damon** · 10-18-2005, 06:21 AM

Bristlenose, bushynose plecos, Siamese Algae Eaters, Cherry shrimp, Amano shrimp. Depends on the types og algae you have.

osteoporoosi · 10-18-2005, 11:33 AM

But it is easier just to fix the problem that causes your algae bloom instead of bying an algae eater.

**Damon** · 10-18-2005, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by osteoporoosi

But it is easier just to fix the problem that causes your algae bloom instead of bying an algae eater.

I cannot agree more. All non predatory fish eat algae. Plants are a big diet of a fish's diet. Rosy barbs, mollies, guppies all eat algae. Algae blooms are a sign something happened in your tank. Algae is present in all tanks. The key is keeping it to a minimal level by controling what is causing the outbreak. Algae eating fish are more for removing small outbreaks and unsightly spots. They cannot keep up with an outbreak.

azn_fishy55 · 10-18-2005, 03:24 PM

Well, the tank isn't set up yet,but I still want some algae eating fish.I introduce them after I get some algae.I really like SAEs,are they easy to keep?

**Scuba Kid** · 10-18-2005, 03:52 PM

ive read that florida flag fish are great for hair algae...also heard they're kinda hard to find but im not sure. They are very pretty though.

garfieldnfish · 10-18-2005, 05:07 PM

SAEs are very easy to keep. I have 8 of them in 2 different tanks. For a 30 gal I would recommend 2 of them. They will eat hair algae and and are good on plants and deco but not that efficient on tanks walls. Depending on what else you want to add to the tank, I would also add a rubberlip pleco. They stay small (4") and will take care of the walls and deco. Rubberlips need a hiding space (cave) to call their home, which they will fiercely defend but other then that they are good citizens and do not need driftwood like many other dwarf plecos do.
SAEs will eat fish flakes, veggies, algae wafers and almost all other fish food you toss in the tank so you will not have to worry about them starving if there is not enough algae present. Very active, outgoing fish that are non-aggressive to most other fish, unless you plan on keeping fancy long tailed goldfish. They seem to think of their tails as possible hair algae and may try to nibble on it. I had mine for 2 years and love them.

Cosmic Charlie · 11-06-2005, 05:07 PM

These bushy nose plecos that you all speak of... Are they also called rubber lipped plecos? Just curious

wildtiger · 11-06-2005, 05:21 PM

No a bushy nose or bristle nose is different than rubber lipped.

Rubber lips stay somewhat small and are very good algae eaters.

10-17-2005, 05:14 PM	#1
azn_fishy55 Fishy Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: San Jose,CA Age: 17 Posts: 25	Algae Eating Fish What is a good species of algae eating fish?

10-17-2005, 05:34 PM	#2
Scuba Kid Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: RI Age: 18 Posts: 4,221	depending on the tank size...plecos are great. chinese algae eaters...many snails will clean up algae. what size tank is this? and what fish are in it now? __________________ Current setups: 1800 gallon koi pond, 10 gallon planted, 150 gallon reef, other FOWLR tanks

10-17-2005, 05:50 PM	#3
Fishboy93 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Ft. Myers, FL Age: 15 Posts: 658	Otos work for a small tank... whats the minimum tank size for a pleco? __________________ 29 Gallon Reef

10-17-2005, 06:05 PM	#4
Scuba Kid Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: RI Age: 18 Posts: 4,221	people say 55, but i think it should be bigger. __________________ Current setups: 1800 gallon koi pond, 10 gallon planted, 150 gallon reef, other FOWLR tanks

10-17-2005, 07:35 PM	#5
Fishboy93 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Ft. Myers, FL Age: 15 Posts: 658	alright looks like my tank is to small then __________________ 29 Gallon Reef

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10-17-2005, 09:10 PM	#6
goodie Babysitter for hire Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: S.E. MO Age: 35 Posts: 475	SAE are great if you can find a true SAE. they don't have a sucker mouth so they have to nibble at it. They eat most forms of alge too. Ottos are good also if you have a tank too small for a pleco. Or you could get a dwarf pleco (bristlenose,ect...).

10-17-2005, 10:12 PM	#7
azn_fishy55 Fishy Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: San Jose,CA Age: 17 Posts: 25	I am setting up a 30 gallon planted tank.

10-18-2005, 02:19 AM	#8
osteoporoosi Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Finland Posts: 633	A bushynose pleco would work great in a 30g. __________________ http://photobucket.com/albums/v640/osteoporoosi/

10-18-2005, 06:21 AM	#9
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982	Bristlenose, bushynose plecos, Siamese Algae Eaters, Cherry shrimp, Amano shrimp. Depends on the types og algae you have. __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

10-18-2005, 11:33 AM	#10
osteoporoosi Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Finland Posts: 633	But it is easier just to fix the problem that causes your algae bloom instead of bying an algae eater. __________________ http://photobucket.com/albums/v640/osteoporoosi/

10-18-2005, 03:24 PM	#12
azn_fishy55 Fishy Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: San Jose,CA Age: 17 Posts: 25	Well, the tank isn't set up yet,but I still want some algae eating fish.I introduce them after I get some algae.I really like SAEs,are they easy to keep?

10-18-2005, 03:52 PM	#13
Scuba Kid Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: RI Age: 18 Posts: 4,221	ive read that florida flag fish are great for hair algae...also heard they're kinda hard to find but im not sure. They are very pretty though. __________________ Current setups: 1800 gallon koi pond, 10 gallon planted, 150 gallon reef, other FOWLR tanks

10-18-2005, 05:07 PM	#14
garfieldnfish Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 661	SAEs are very easy to keep. I have 8 of them in 2 different tanks. For a 30 gal I would recommend 2 of them. They will eat hair algae and and are good on plants and deco but not that efficient on tanks walls. Depending on what else you want to add to the tank, I would also add a rubberlip pleco. They stay small (4") and will take care of the walls and deco. Rubberlips need a hiding space (cave) to call their home, which they will fiercely defend but other then that they are good citizens and do not need driftwood like many other dwarf plecos do. SAEs will eat fish flakes, veggies, algae wafers and almost all other fish food you toss in the tank so you will not have to worry about them starving if there is not enough algae present. Very active, outgoing fish that are non-aggressive to most other fish, unless you plan on keeping fancy long tailed goldfish. They seem to think of their tails as possible hair algae and may try to nibble on it. I had mine for 2 years and love them.

11-06-2005, 05:07 PM	#15
Cosmic Charlie Phish lover Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Lilburn, Georgia Age: 34 Posts: 96	These bushy nose plecos that you all speak of... Are they also called rubber lipped plecos? Just curious

11-06-2005, 05:21 PM	#16
wildtiger "Salmon Free!" Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: New Mexico Posts: 362	No a bushy nose or bristle nose is different than rubber lipped. Rubber lips stay somewhat small and are very good algae eaters.

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