Algae Eaters?

[Sarah E]

It's about that time of owning a tank that I'm now looking into getting an algae eater. So here comes my question!

What is the best, all natural algae control/eater out there?

Would you get snails? Cherry Shrimp? Different types of algae eating fish? What is your preference?

 

[NoMoreGoldFish]

My favorites are nerite snails (they won't breed an take over your tank, and do an incredible job) and amano shrimp (prolific algae eaters), fish-wise Ottos are great as well. Just don't get Chinese Algae Eaters, they only eat algae when they're young and can get really aggressive towards other fish.

 

[Ziggs180]

Amano shrimp! I've heard Oto Cats are good to, but they feed so much that you may have to end up supplementing them.

 

[Morgie]

What size tank are we talking about?

 

[Sarah E]

10 gallon tank, I'm going to be upgrading to a 20 gallon soon, but right now it's a 10 gallon tank.

 

[Sarah E]

How many would I need for my tank?

 

[Ickletas]

+1 on the Amano Shrimp. I have some in my 10g and they keep on top of it pretty well. I moved one a few weeks ago (she was carrying eggs) into my empty 5g that had been newly planted and had a pretty impressive bloom of algae and she nommed the lot, the tank was spotless after a couple of days. If only the hatching and raising of the shrimplets had been that successful......

 

[Sarah E]

The shrimp sound like a fantastic idea! How many do you have in your 10 gallon tank?

 

[LyndaB]

I would not keep amanos in a 10 gallon tank. Mine are about 3 inches long. Plus, they don't eat the algae on the tank walls, if that's what you're trying to get rid of.

If you have too much algae, you should look into why, which is a permanent fix, rather than what can I get to eat it, which is a temporary fix.

Do you have too much light in your tank? Too many nutrients? What's causing it?

 

[Ickletas]

I have 4 in mine, however I bought them because they were fun, not to clean my tank (which has never really had a lot of algae as it goes), but Lynda is right, you shouldn't really buy livestock to fix the problem. If you have algae there is a reason and that should be addressed first. In the case of my 5g the problem was that I was feeding the plants and there were too few of them to absorb the nutrients I was putting in. So I added more plants (there is a dwarf puffer in there now so it needed planting out anyway) and Bob's your uncle no more algae (well very very little and it lives on a rock so I don't care that much, it looks kinda cool).

 

[LyndaB]

and Bob's your uncle no more algae

Huh? What the heck does this even mean? Who's Bob and whose uncle is he?

 

[Sarah E]

One note, I don't have much algae in my tank other then on a couple of plants.

I am loving all the good information I'm getting from all of you, very helpful!!!

So, no Amanos in a 10 gallon tank? Would Nerite snails, or otto fish be better in this case?

 

[Sarah E]

Also, random question! What would you guys prefer? A 20 vertical or 20 Horizontal tank? Are there differences? Preferences between the two? I'm going to be getting a 20 gallon, and I'm curious.

 

[Deltic]

I have a 55 gallon tank and wouldnt mind some opinions for it....

 

[LyndaB]

A 20 tall does not have as large a footprint as a 20 long and can cramp your stocking options.

For example, you would want a tall tank for something like an angel fish, that has extended finnage (although something larger than a 20 for an angel).

Another example, you would want a long tank for something like kuhli loaches, that love to zoom across the bottom of the tank.

 

[LyndaB]

I have a 55 gallon tank and wouldnt mind some opinions for it....

In order to get the best advice, you should start your own thread.

 

[Sarah E]

Thanks again!! I'll get the 20G Long!

Do you think I should start out with a snail or two for my 10G for now?

 

[Ickletas]

Huh? What the heck does this even mean? Who's Bob and whose uncle is he?

It sort of like a British version of "Viola!" . The whole "two nations separated by a common language" thing is one of the things I like most about this forum, terminology and my personal favourite is when the same word means two completely different things
Back to the matter in hand though, snails are pretty cool imo. I used to be a bit creeped out by them (same for shrimp until I'd watched them at the lfs a few times) but they are pretty cool to watch. Faster than you'd think too lol.

 

[LyndaB]

It sort of like a British version of "Viola!"

Psssssst, I think you meant voila...... a viola is a stringed instrument

 

[Ickletas]

Shhhhhhh.......no one else noticed lol

I wouldn't mind but I corrected 3 other typos