Are rainbow sharks algae eaters?

[spankey]

I bought a rainbow shark the other day and omy gosh! He's pigging on algae on the edges of my plants leaves'....

Hes going along like a vacume cleaner and sucking everything up...I mean he just hangs there suspended like on the edge of a leaf and then runs his mouth along the edge and eats everything he touches.. Most is fuzz algae and some bba...

Are these fish in the barb family,he has barbles around his mouth? Thats why I ask? His body resembles a flying fox, shape and all?

anyone else have the same experience with these things?

Thanks
Spankey

 

[djlen]

Hey Spank,
Hmmmmm, rainbow sharks who would have thunk it. You'll have to keep us posted on this fish and how he does. Anything that eats any kind of algae is my kind of fish.
Len

 

[spankey]

Len-

I read up on the rainbow shark and believe it or not, many people claim the same thing, they do eat algae. Just as the SAE does, it will eat it while young then as it gets older, it moves to flakes and pellets..

He's funny he just sits on a plant leaf till he gets an urge to munch, then he hits the leaf edge and nibbles on the fuzz or bba thats there.....

Right now hes hanging out in my one crypts and eating dinner...


If you have a community tank, they only advise ONE of these as they will become aggresive if others are with it. At least thats what I read...

I'll kep ya posted and I will post pics of the tank now that I rearanged it this week... Look for them later today...

Spankey

 

[Big Kid]

I have a rainbow shark in my tank and that's what he/she mostly eats. I hardly ever see him/her eat anything else I throw in there