# Good algea eating fish.



## tran2255 (Feb 24, 2008)

Hi guys, I'm just starting to get an algae problem in my tank that getting a lil out of hand. I just wanna noe what fish is good at eating algae, good with platies and gouramis, and isnt a pleco. I noe it a lot but its also a good chance for adding another fish to my tank. Thanks a lot for your help.


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## briggadane (Mar 28, 2008)

*Algae eater*

Need to know your tank size and what fish(how many) are in it now.

Wouldnt hurt to tell us your pH either.

Shrimp,snails,SAE's....


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## Albert (Apr 14, 2008)

how long has your tank been set up? Is it exposed to a lot of light? You should test for nitrates. We need a lot more info to give a good recommendation.


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## crazy4fish (Dec 31, 2007)

snails! otos


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## tran2255 (Feb 24, 2008)

*update.*

Sorry for being so vague. Yes the tank has a lot of light, its right next to a window. Its a 55 gallon tank with 4 gouramis, 7 platies and 4 cories, no invert. As of now I keep the tank at 76-78 F. pH around 6.8-7.0. Nitrate at around 0-.25 ppm (mg/L). Theres also a little salt in the tank, just about 1 tbs per ten gallons. Hope thats enough info, thanks.


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## tran2255 (Feb 24, 2008)

Snails and otos? Never thought of them, Thanks!!!


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## Albert (Apr 14, 2008)

snails though they look cool are less efficient. snails can go a little too far sometimes(eat everything and everyone).


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## Flashygrrl (Jan 18, 2008)

Your tank being right next to the window sets you up for a lot of algae...snails or otos then since you can't exactly just pick up a 55 and move it, and shrimp don't seem to be very capable of cleaning tank sides (or mine are just lazy  )


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## Albert (Apr 14, 2008)

Well you probably shouldn't keep the lights on much. Thats not really enough nitrate to let the algae take over. The way u describe it, it seems in good care. I wouldent get catfish so much for your tank. You should come up with something to reduce the lighting anyway.


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## briggadane (Mar 28, 2008)

*Algae eaters*

I too have my tank set up at a window. A 75G. I have "0"'s on all readings and a pH of 7.5ish.

I have pygmy cories, a choc pleco, 24 shrimp(red and ghost), 3 otos, a few(for now) freeloading ramshorn snails(they even climb into the hornwart to eat algae) and maylasians. I also have a Raphael cat and a Khuli loach, but they are seldom seen. All the others LOVE algae. So I do have some, but it stays under control.

And I find it a myth that SAE's or Otos harrass Discus. -Not sure what you are getting/have in your current tank.


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

I have a huge snail population in my 30G planted tank. I hated it, but I have not seen one speck of uneaten food or algea, ever. My fish seem to keep the population under control to.

BN plecs also work wonders on algea. The tank being near a window doesnt help the algea going away, either. 

I have had a few Amano Shrimp, and they are very good at cleaning up algea.

Also, the magnetic algea cleaner things work very well. I have one in every tank I have set-up.


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

*Re: update.*



tran2255 said:


> Sorry for being so vague. Yes the tank has a lot of light, its right next to a window. Its a 55 gallon tank with 4 gouramis, 7 platies and 4 cories, no invert. As of now I keep the tank at 76-78 F. pH around 6.8-7.0. nitrate at around 0-.25 ppm (mg/L). Theres also a little salt in the tank, just about 1 tbs per ten gallons. Hope thats enough info, thanks.


Tran, stop adding the salt. Salt on long term basis can permanently damage the fish's body system. If you study the osmoregulation system long enough, you will know why freshwater fish eventually fall ill by adding salt for a long time. Furthermore, you are only wasting time and money just for salt. There is no "health benefit" from adding it except for treatments only.


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## mitcore (Apr 5, 2008)

i am going with bristle noses 
snails and siamese flyin foxes


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## mitcore (Apr 5, 2008)

*Re: update.*

Tran, stop adding the salt. Salt on long term basis can permanently damage the fish's body system. If you study the osmoregulation system long enough, you will know why freshwater fish eventually fall ill by adding salt for a long time. Furthermore, you are only wasting time and money just for salt. There is no "health benefit" from adding it except for treatments only.[/quote]

what type of salt is it?
is it to harden the water?
or to treat ich?


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

*Re: update.*



mitcore said:


> what type of salt is it?
> is it to harden the water?
> or to treat ich?


Aquarium salt and marine salt are commonly used. They are a waste of time and money unless you are using them for valid reasons. Using them on freshwater fish without reasons is not valid. Marine salt has buffering properties hence this is for brackish to saltwater tanks only. Aquarium salt are purely sodium chloride more expensive than the table salt. I see no reason why people should be wary about table salt. The iodine concentration in it does not harm the fish contrary to poplar belief.

Table salt and aquarium salt can be used to treat ich but I will suggest again not to waste your money on aquarium salt.


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## tran2255 (Feb 24, 2008)

i dont know about the magnetic claening thing. The algae is hard to get off even by scraping it. Its not fuzzy, but is discoloring the glass. About the salt, I keep hearing mixed reactions to salt usage. Some love it, some hate it, but i appreciate the help.


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

otocinclus are hard to beat for algae patrol but require in the absense of plants, considerable algae to surrvive. Bushynose pleco and Farlowella are also proficient.


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

1077 said:


> otocinclus are hard to beat for algae patrol but require in the absense of plants, considerable algae to surrvive. Bushynose pleco and Farlowella are also proficient.


Funny though farlowellas have always been overlooked.:?


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## crazy4fish (Dec 31, 2007)

i have one of the magnetic things and it works great!  the only thing it wont clean is algea that has been on the tank a long time (i cant get that stuff off even if i scrub it though :lol: ). i would suggest getting one and using it every week. that will help a lot with the algea problem. :wink: my tank is next to two windows as well (one on each side :? ) so i know how hard it can be to keep algea away.


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## Oldman47 (Sep 7, 2007)

I have used and still use the magnetic cleaners. It removes algae from the glass so I can see into the tank better. It does not get into corners well and is useless for the plants, fake or real, and for oth decor.
My experience with otocinclus in tanks that had severe algae problems is that when you get them from the lfs they are half starved because they have not been in a tank with enough algae for them. In a very short time, you will be amazed at what a few hungry otos can do to clean up algae. When the algae is almost gone, you need to start feeding them by supplementing with algae wafers. Mine in my first 10 gallon cleaned it up pretty well in less than a week. Both of them are still going after a year and still keep the tank's algae under control but I have had to feed them wafers after that first week. Last week the wife was complaining about my betta sorority so I got 2 more for that tank. 3 days later she started joking around about the amazing job my otos were doing. She thought I had been using the magnetic cleaner. Her joke fell flat when she realized that the otos had actually done what she was referring to.


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## briggadane (Mar 28, 2008)

*Algae eaters*

I never would have guessed this, had to see the results to believe it.

I have a 5 G I had betta spawn in. I moved them into the fry tank today,and put one adult guppy and 2 older fry in the 5G just to keep it cycled and have a qt tank. That was 11AM. The tank had been sitting for over 2 weeks w/o a filter. No fish but for the fry. The tank walls and gravel were a green blanket. I was planning to put an apple snail in the tank when I got around to it....
Well, I was gone most of the day. I fed the fish at 9 pm. Went in to feed the guppies, and had to look twice. The tak is CLEAN. No green film anywhere!

So, I guess Guppies might work too!


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## crazy4fish (Dec 31, 2007)

wow your lucky! :shock: i have 4 guppies and none of them eat my algae.


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