Algae eating machines and live plants

[twotone12valve]

I have been combing through threads the past couple days looking for info on a good algae eater. I know most pleco's will chew on live plants like swords. I love pleco's but I don't need my plants getting eaten. I have enough trouble keeping them looking good as is.

I'm looking for something under 5" fully grown. I've been reading on Otto's and they seem to be a great choice I wouldn't mind keeping 10 or so, as they will be in a 125gal. Maybe a group of Otto's and a pair of bristal pleco's.

What are some suggestion's?

[Crazygar]

Otocinclus and Bristlenose. Just remember, some of your bigger fish might view the Otos as food.

Gary

[ScottFish]

I 2nd Gary. I have BNs --tank is spotless, but ottos are more fun to watch.

[Diana]

BN are very good algae eaters.
In a large tank you could keep several. They will breed. Try 1-2 males and up to 4 females, if you want to breed them. Males can get aggressive with each other. Supply a few caves at opposite ends of the tank for them to claim a territory and select a cave.
If you do not want to breed you can still have several, but do not supply the cave.

If most of your other fish are 3" or larger, then skip the Otos. Too great a chance of the big fish eating the little fish.

Look into Rubber Lip Plecos, too.

[twotone12valve]

Thanks for the info and fast response, I'll be going fish shopping this weekend. I have seen the Rubber Lip before and they are really cool looking as well as the BN's. I'll keep an eye on for ether of those two, the largest fish in the tank are angels at the moment, they we probably remain the largest there still young and only a little bigger than a silver dollar (about 4" from tip to tip including fin). I still have neons and ghost shrimp in the tank I don't think Otto's have anything to worry about.

[lou zello]

for my money nothing better than TRUE siamese algae eaters and amano shrimp.siamese will allso eat black beard algae and amano's eat algae 24hrs a day.i have 3 TRUE siamese and 26 amanos in my 55gal and NO algae anywhere!!!!

[C. Andrew Nelson]

The true Siamese Algae Eater that Lou mentioned is Crossocheilus Siamensis. They are very peaceful fish that are quite efficient at taking care of algae. Many people keep them as part of their "clean up crew". I've never own any myself, but I have owned Flying Fox (Epalzeorhynchus Kallopterus) which is a very close species and enjoyed them tremendously. Just beware not to get Siamese Algae Eaters confused with Chinese Algae Eaters (Gyrinocheilus) which are evil little fish that don't really eat algae and will more likely attack your other fish. Gyrinocheilus are interesting fish, but should not be kept with any other species, in my opinion.

I gotta throw a vote behind Otocinclus too. I absolutely love my Otos!

[lou zello]

andrew is correct about flying foxs cept they DO get nasty with age.the easyist way to tell the difference between TRUE siamese and flying foxs is in the siamese the center black stripe goes ALL THE WAY THRU THE TAIL and they are not so gold above or below the black stripe(more silverywhite)AND they have CLEAR fins.

[C. Andrew Nelson]

I always chose Flying Foxes because I thought they were prettier to look at and were much more available back in the day. Now, here in my area, it's reversed and I seldom see Flying Foxes any more at the local shops but I do see Siamese Algae Eaters quite often.

[Crazygar]

True SAE's will also go after soft leaved plants. I lost a Glosso Mat to some SAE's and learned a lesson about that. For safety I would pick larger algae eaters if you have larger fish in your tank. Otos will become lunchtime snacks for larger fish and I've seen both the Oto and Predator die due to a bad snack choice of the said larger fish.

SAE's do good, but prefer to be in groups of at least 6 if you can in a larger tank to get their full effect.

Gary

[twotone12valve]

I would get some flying foxes in a heart beat if I could get some here, I've never seen them in any lfs around my area. I think I'll take some time Sunday and shop around. Thanks for all the good ideas, do you guys think my kribs or Angels will kill Otto's the Angels are still young. But will they eat them up later on? I'm leaning toward a pair of BN, if there not really bad about eat plants.

[Crazygar]

Those fish you listed above will not bother the Otos but if you have larger fish (Tinfoil Barbs) in there that are a slight bit predatory, you might run into some issues.

Gary

[twotone12valve]

The tin foil barbs have there own tank, I don't think I've posted picks of there tank I'll have to do that. But the tank I need them for is the 125 and the kribs and Angels are the only real threat.

[Crazygar]

If it's just Kribs and Angels, you shouldn't have too many problems. Stray Otos will get shooed away by the Kribs breeding areas, that's the only thing you really have to worry about, but the Otos will clue in right quickly.

Gary

[kb46]

I bought a couple of small apple snails recently. I was going away for a couple of weeks and the algae in my tank was already quite nasty (due to my own lack of maintenance). While I was away I recruited someone to feed the fish for 3 days about midway through the two weeks I was away. I left a tank with black brush algae which had gone insane, almost to the point of smothering all other plant life in the tank.

On my return I was pleasantly surprised to find only trace amounts of the black brush algae. I don't know whether my two hungry siamese algae eaters had demolished it, or whether it was my new apple snails. (I guess if it was my SAE's I will see a return of the problem now they are being regularly fed again.)

I plan to add a BN pleco soon and replenish my stock of caridina shrimp.

For algae control I will always recommend a multi-pronged approach - algae eating fish, shrimp and snails and lastly, elbow grease! I just wish there was an equivalent to the Baracuda automatic pool cleaners for fish tanks!