My BN pleco is broken. Need suggestions for another pleco

[hulkamaniac]

I've determined that my BN pleco is broken and doesn't function properly. He stubbornly refuses to eat algae in the tank for some reason. I'm honestly not sure what he's eating, but the algae just gets worse day after day. I don't mind it growing on the plants and driftwood so much. I don't really mind it growing on the sides of the tank. I do mind it growing on the gravel where it just looks bad. I need a pleco that will actually eat the green algae that's growing on the gravel. Any suggestions?

Plecos eat algae but are not meant to eliminate it completely. Maybe there is another reason you have so much. Any direct sunlight? How long do you leave your light on?

[Ferret_Friend]

Will Cory Cats eat algae? I just got three of those for my tank since it's my understanding that they are bottom feeders. I wonder if they would help with that at all.

As for what he's eating? Probably fish food or something. My pleco will eat anything, and I mean anything.

[Blazeherd2306]

Cories don't eat algae, just uneaten fish food. What type of algae is invading your tank?

[WaterPond]

Ok, there are so many different algea eaters out there that IMO can do a better job than plecos. When i had a pleco, it wouldent eat algea, it ate food off the top od the water. If it is a community tank i would suggest six ottos or so, you could get a SAE or a CAE, flying foxes are good while they are young, but as they get older, they will attack other fish.
Hope that helps

Good luck

[coldmachineUK]

It's actually side lighting that causes algae rather than direct frontal lighting. If your tank stands side on to a window, try blocking out the side pane with some background or something along those lines.

Also, try some malimo moss balls: they will contribute towards outcompeting algae for nutrients.

Depends on the limiting factor tho: potassium & co. etc.

[hulkamaniac]

The algae really started to bloom when I added CO2 to the tank. Maybe my problem is I don't have enough plants to compete for the CO2?

[coldmachineUK]

Ahh, yep could be. You could try increasing surface tension with a bubble disc/airstone or something. Increasing oxygen will displace CO2 somewhat. Or, you could add more plants

[fish_4_all]

As for the BN, mine eat all of it even the hard green spot algae but if I give them zucchini they won't touch it for 3 days or so. As for plants, how many do you have? Since I added all the plants to mine, namely the suset hygro and the wisteria, algae is having a really hard time. I have some diatoms but that is from my rockwool and some green spot but that is because I havent moved the tanks and cleaned the sides in forever. Although the BN do keep it in check and eat it a lot. Get more plants, fast growers like wisteria, watersprite, hygros or something similar. if you don't have a lot of plants that need a lot of light you could get a floating plant to block some light so the algae doesn't get as much.

[Pleco]

How old is the BN Pleco? Pleco's are notorious for being voracious algae eaters in their youth, then as they grow older they tend to not eat it as much. I think people forget that Pleco's are picky eaters despite them being bottom feeders. Some still like algae as they age, but if you ate the same thing for 2 years straight i dont think you would look at it the same again either

-Pleco