algae eater of choice

[Scooter]

What do you guys and gals use as your swimming algae control in your apisto tanks when you've got a little more algae than you want? I've got a snowball pleco in a large tank with an apisto and another dwarf, but it doesn't look to me like the pleco is interested in algae. Just looking for something else. I've used SAEs an otos but never in a dwarf tank. Anyone care to share their experiences, good or bad?

 

[aspen]

if your tank is not planted, algae eaters are not needed, and myself, i prefer not to mix nocturnal species in my community tank with my discus. that is why it is not planted for now. turning off the light so algae won't grow is my 'algae eater' of choice, because i consider 'utility fish' not necessary. dwarfs will eat from the surface and the bottom, so bottom feeders are not necessary either. tetras are a good choice of tankmates because they tend to liven up a tank, not slow it down. imo anything that adds extra bio-load should be a nice addition, and while i've tried a few different cats and sucker fish, etc, i prefer just dwarfs and tetras with my discus.

but, if your tank is planted, then make sure that you get the algae eaters for the types of algae that your tank is growing.

first, nothing will eat bga, or cyanobacteria, (sheet algae). the best hair algae eater is the american flag fish. but you need never bother with one, if you pp all of your new plants, and you will never get it. for green algae, bushy nose plecos or otos are good, but plecs will often eat your broad leafed plants. imo, sae's are a waste of time, becuse they will adjust to a total fish food diet, if offered, even if it is meant for your nice fish. and they are agressive. and they are REALLY nervous, darting all over the tank. they are a schooling species, and imo, that means a minumum 75 gal with 5 or so.

imo, NEVER add snails. most will overpopulate, and they provide a nice secondary host for some parasites that need one. the next time that you buy any fish, do the research, and make sure that it is totally compatible with your other fish, and never forget to quarentine. btw, i think snowball plecos are carniverous. but i could be wrong about that.

hth, rick

 

[Scooter]

Thanks Rick. The tank is currently not planted but will be shortly. I've actually got two true algaes growing and some BGA. I think otos are my first choice but I wanted to get a feel for what has worked for others. I agree with your opinion about SAEs and their nervousness, but they'll make short work of the beard (hair) algae. Luckily, that type of algae is not one of the kind I'm about to battle. Thanks again.

 

[farm41]

I always have a few SAE's around and I only buy small ones and trade them back when they get big, they are at their best at eating algae at the 1.5-2" range, when they get to 3" or so I trade them. I have several bristlenose and none of them do any harm to my plants.

Another good algea eater is the Amano shrimp, they are very interesting and they don't bother anybody else in the tank.

 

[Scooter]

Thanks farm. I've never used the shrimp. Have you found that shrimp can withstand the occasional belligerent dwarf or have you ever noticed any problems with the shrimp and dwarfs?

 

[aspen]

scooter, if you provide cover for them, you will likely hardly ever see them. they are masters at hiding. dwarfs won't bother with them, unless they go near their cave. just remember, when you want to get bigger fish, they provide a nice snack for some fish. if it will fit into the mouth, it is often mistaken for food.

rick

 

[Scooter]

Lol. Yeah, well, I'm not a "bigger fish" kind of guy. I like the little fellas. It seems like everyone and their brother has either an Oscar, a JD, or a Convict (or all three). I may give the shrimp a try since I've never had them. Thanks again for the info.

 

[farm41]

No big fish here either. The shrimp have done fine with my cacs and my hognei, the females will chase them away when they have fry. The shrimp even do well with my tiger barbs, but when I added clown loaches they were history.

 

[Eva32181]

I had forgotten that shrimp make good algae eaters. The Petsmart here has them for 23 cents each - I had some in my community tank once but I had an ich outbreak, and the RidIch totally killed them. I guess they ate algae but I don't remember how much or how well.

My algae cleaning crew consists of several otos, a twig catfish, and a flag fish in my 55. The flag fish seems to be the only one pulling his weight - mostly the others just suck on the driftwood. But the twig cat is very cool looking. Who was the emperor with the big nose? One of the ceasars? That's who I'm naming him after. Or Pinoccio.