Best Algae Eaters for a Planted Aquarium

John N. · 04-10-2008, 01:15 PM

Please discuss and comment on Tom Messenger's Best Algae Eaters for a Planted Aquarium here.

-John N.

Pat7676 · 04-10-2008, 06:42 PM

Ottos are great for me and i love watching them they are so crazy.

Joe Faria · 04-10-2008, 07:42 PM

Hi,
LDA25 and otos are the perfect cleaning crew for me, but now I'm starting to getting in love for zebra ottos, otocinclus cocama. I will use them in my next project.

Regards,

Joe Faria.

Pat7676 · 04-11-2008, 01:26 AM

Zebra ottos have never seen any of those around here. Its hard enough to find regular ottos around here.

John N. · 04-11-2008, 02:12 AM

What do Zebra ottos look like? I don't believe I heard of them before.

-John N.

landstrykeren · 04-11-2008, 10:20 AM

I haven't had any luck with for catfish at all. My best algae eaters are dwarf shrimps and Endler's. They can really eat hair algare that's for sure.

GreenFanatic · 04-11-2008, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by landstrykeren

I haven't had any luck with for catfish at all. My best algae eaters are dwarf shrimps and Endler's. They can really eat hair algare that's for sure.

A pix to prove your statement

I introduced 2 SAE into my 2ft tank today... hopefully they will help control my Hair algae outbreak

CSchmidt · 04-11-2008, 12:27 PM

I've heard flag fish will do wonders on hair algae.

Chris.

dougz · 04-11-2008, 06:42 PM

I'll be getting Oto. affinis and BN's, as I hear they are the best at this..

Joe Faria · 04-11-2008, 08:01 PM

Hello,

I found a pic of zebra oto at otocinclus.com

Beautiful fish, aren't they?

Regards,

Joe Faria

CSchmidt · 04-11-2008, 09:21 PM

Nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pat7676 · 04-11-2008, 10:16 PM

Those are great where can you get them at?

Joe Faria · 04-12-2008, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pat7676

Those are great where can you get them at?

Hi,
Despite being from Portugal, we got easy acess to almost everything...

My LFS it's stocking this little beauty in the last 3 weeks.

Regards,

Joe Faria.

Pat7676 · 04-12-2008, 08:05 PM

That sucks that i can't find any here.

tinkerman · 04-13-2008, 06:08 PM

I use otto's, cae, and amano shrimp. I have had others and have noticed that they all don't always eat what they are said to eat.

dougz · 04-13-2008, 06:15 PM

depends on alot of variables, tinkerman..

Otos (one "t") will get used to/dependant on algae flakes, if you feed them that steady, and don't make them work on getting food from the algae in your tank..

"steady" being the operative word..

You don't want to starve them, or leave them without variety in their diet, either (algae flakes, veggies, etc)..

Same goes for BN's..

tinkerman · 04-13-2008, 06:51 PM

The ones I have are the ones I think work the best. I'm talking about sae, molly,pitbull pleco's ect. I think that some of these you have to starve to get them to eat what you want them to and some times I still don't think some of them still won't eat what you're tring to get them to eat.

dougz · 04-13-2008, 06:55 PM

How's the SAE?

Are they as aggressive as the CAE?

How big do they get?

What do you feed them?

tinkerman · 04-13-2008, 08:44 PM

The sae gets 6 inches. The only thing I have seen them eat is fish food. I have a cae That I think doe a good job cleaning. I had one that got to be 4 inches then took him out, he seemed to become kinda territoria and would chase fish if they came around when he was cleaning. The flying fox is the one that you are thinking of I believe that will go after fish and suck on slime coats. All of these get to be around 6 inches. I have had flag fish and have yet to see them eat hair or thread algea along with others mentioned for certain algea clean up. This is only my personal experience with some of the algea eater.

Joe Faria · 04-13-2008, 09:00 PM

Hi,

For my own experience SAE's are very agressive when do they get large...

I had 2 before with a bit more than 3 inches, but lazy algae eaters at this stage, because they get used to tablet foods...

I think the perfect cleaning crew for a 2ft tank, should be a mix of oto catfish or LDA's and some Amano shrimp... Larger tanks should have a group of SAE's and 2 pairs of any Ancistrus sp., for ex: goldnugget plec.

Regards,

Joe Faria.

04-10-2008, 01:15 PM	#1 (permalink)
John N. Administrator Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: California Posts: 1,242	Best Algae Eaters for a Planted Aquarium Please discuss and comment on Tom Messenger's Best Algae Eaters for a Planted Aquarium here. -John N.

04-11-2008, 02:12 AM	#5 (permalink)
John N. Administrator Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: California Posts: 1,242	What do Zebra ottos look like? I don't believe I heard of them before. -John N. __________________ Welcome to AquaScaping World!

04-11-2008, 10:20 AM	#6 (permalink)
landstrykeren Aspiring Aquascaper Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Sweden Posts: 57	I haven't had any luck with for catfish at all. My best algae eaters are dwarf shrimps and Endler's. They can really eat hair algare that's for sure. __________________

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04-10-2008, 06:42 PM	#2 (permalink)
Pat7676 Senior Aquascaper Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Jackson, Mississippi Posts: 753	Ottos are great for me and i love watching them they are so crazy.

04-10-2008, 07:42 PM	#3 (permalink)
Joe Faria Aspiring Aquascaper Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Portugal Posts: 67	Hi, LDA25 and otos are the perfect cleaning crew for me, but now I'm starting to getting in love for zebra ottos, otocinclus cocama. I will use them in my next project. Regards, Joe Faria.

04-11-2008, 01:26 AM	#4 (permalink)
Pat7676 Senior Aquascaper Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Jackson, Mississippi Posts: 753	Zebra ottos have never seen any of those around here. Its hard enough to find regular ottos around here.

04-11-2008, 12:27 PM	#8 (permalink)
CSchmidt Junior Aquascaper Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 3	I've heard flag fish will do wonders on hair algae. Chris.

04-11-2008, 06:42 PM	#9 (permalink)
dougz Senior Aquascaper Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: mackenzie, BC Posts: 281	I'll be getting Oto. affinis and BN's, as I hear they are the best at this..

04-11-2008, 08:01 PM	#10 (permalink)
Joe Faria Aspiring Aquascaper Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Portugal Posts: 67	Hello, I found a pic of zebra oto at otocinclus.com Beautiful fish, aren't they? Regards, Joe Faria

04-11-2008, 09:21 PM	#11 (permalink)
CSchmidt Junior Aquascaper Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 3	Nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

04-11-2008, 10:16 PM	#12 (permalink)
Pat7676 Senior Aquascaper Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Jackson, Mississippi Posts: 753	Those are great where can you get them at?

04-12-2008, 08:05 PM	#14 (permalink)
Pat7676 Senior Aquascaper Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Jackson, Mississippi Posts: 753	That sucks that i can't find any here.

04-13-2008, 06:08 PM	#15 (permalink)
tinkerman Senior Aquascaper Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Moorhead,MN Posts: 105	I use otto's, cae, and amano shrimp. I have had others and have noticed that they all don't always eat what they are said to eat.

04-13-2008, 06:15 PM	#16 (permalink)
dougz Senior Aquascaper Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: mackenzie, BC Posts: 281	depends on alot of variables, tinkerman.. Otos (one "t") will get used to/dependant on algae flakes, if you feed them that steady, and don't make them work on getting food from the algae in your tank.. "steady" being the operative word.. You don't want to starve them, or leave them without variety in their diet, either (algae flakes, veggies, etc).. Same goes for BN's..

04-13-2008, 06:51 PM	#17 (permalink)
tinkerman Senior Aquascaper Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Moorhead,MN Posts: 105	The ones I have are the ones I think work the best. I'm talking about sae, molly,pitbull pleco's ect. I think that some of these you have to starve to get them to eat what you want them to and some times I still don't think some of them still won't eat what you're tring to get them to eat.

04-13-2008, 06:55 PM	#18 (permalink)
dougz Senior Aquascaper Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: mackenzie, BC Posts: 281	How's the SAE? Are they as aggressive as the CAE? How big do they get? What do you feed them?

04-13-2008, 08:44 PM	#19 (permalink)
tinkerman Senior Aquascaper Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Moorhead,MN Posts: 105	The sae gets 6 inches. The only thing I have seen them eat is fish food. I have a cae That I think doe a good job cleaning. I had one that got to be 4 inches then took him out, he seemed to become kinda territoria and would chase fish if they came around when he was cleaning. The flying fox is the one that you are thinking of I believe that will go after fish and suck on slime coats. All of these get to be around 6 inches. I have had flag fish and have yet to see them eat hair or thread algea along with others mentioned for certain algea clean up. This is only my personal experience with some of the algea eater.

04-13-2008, 09:00 PM	#20 (permalink)
Joe Faria Aspiring Aquascaper Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Portugal Posts: 67	Hi, For my own experience SAE's are very agressive when do they get large... I had 2 before with a bit more than 3 inches, but lazy algae eaters at this stage, because they get used to tablet foods... I think the perfect cleaning crew for a 2ft tank, should be a mix of oto catfish or LDA's and some Amano shrimp... Larger tanks should have a group of SAE's and 2 pairs of any Ancistrus sp., for ex: goldnugget plec. Regards, Joe Faria.