Algae Eating Fish - please help

[nagukush]

Hi Friends !

Just wanted to request you to kindly let me know if the Sucker-Catfish (the one like shown in this - http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_Common_Plecos_Hypostomus_Liposarcus.php ) is a good algae eater and will help me in keeping my tank clean ?

Actually in the place where I live, I cant get any other algae eating fish, except for this Sucker Catfish, but I'm not sure if these will be efficient cleaners or not...

also will they harm my Loaches and other bottom-fishes ?

Kindly advice.
Thanks and Regards
Kush

 

[Lupin]

That pleco can reach 22 inches and over and 125 gallons is the absolute minimum tank size for one fish. It contributes very heavy bioload. I'd rather clean out the algae than to resort to a fish.

 

[pinkertd]

You don't say what size your tank is, but I agree with Lupin. That's a common pleco and they get huge and produce a ton of fish waste! For algae eating I would recommend otocinclus which is a dward suckermouth catfish that feeds on algae or a bristlenose pleco.

 

[jpappy789]

Hi Friends !

Just wanted to request you to kindly let me know if the Sucker-Catfish (the one like shown in this - http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_Common_Plecos_Hypostomus_Liposarcus.php ) is a good algae eater and will help me in keeping my tank clean ?

Actually in the place where I live, I cant get any other algae eating fish, except for this Sucker Catfish, but I'm not sure if these will be efficient cleaners or not...

also will they harm my Loaches and other bottom-fishes ?

Kindly advice.
Thanks and Regards
Kush

I would recommend an algae scraper first and foremost. But if you have your heart set out on a new fish than it would help to know your tank size and current inhabitants. But otos and bn plecos come to mind.

 

[jones57742]

I would recommend an algae scraper first and foremost.

In addition decreasing your feeding and lighting duration will help control algae production.

But if you have your heart set out on a new fish than it would help to know your tank size and current inhabitants.

and also if your tank is planted?

But otos and bn plecos come to mind.

As do Siamese Algae Eaters.

TR

 

[theotheragentm]

All algae eating fish will pick at algae, but their diet needs to be supplemented with other foods. Most of them get spoiled on these foods and leave their duties of tank cleaning. Algae eating fish either do a spotty job or are oversized for the tank they are in currently. Like others have said here, dealing the the source of your algae is important, but if you have your heart set on a fish, let us know what kind of tank you have so we can suggest one that fits with your setup.

 

[jones57742]

dealing the the source of your algae is important

Ditto
Once again the most frequent cause of algae is over feeding and lighting of too long a duration.

All algae eating fish will pick at algae, but their diet needs to be supplemented with other foods. Most of them get spoiled on these foods and leave their duties of tank cleaning. Algae eating fish either do a spotty job ...

I have really not run run into this condition.
Do my Siamese Algae Eaters and Red Tail sharks in my main tank enjoy "munching down" on my home made recipes? Absolutely yes. But do they also continue "cleaning up" the plants and the walls of the tank? Absolutely yes.

TR

 

[elementkid65]

i got feeder fish from a breeder that i know and he gets them from big pond.
the hve eaten all my green hair algae in my planted tank in one day.

probably because they eat it in the wild.

btw he quaranteened them

 

[CaitxSith]

why not snails?

 

[Cory Keeper]

snails will cut down dead plants and algae, but they need additional food. Plus you would need like 1 per gallon to really do anything against algae