Best Algae Eater with Mbunas Cichlids?

[BaierBones]

Just looking for suggestions on what works in your tanks. Thank you.


Always Appreciated,

---BaierBones

 

[rockyofhockey]

Bristle nose pleco


40 gallon
1x leopard ctenopoma
1x albino bichir
1x leopard pleco
With live plants in the tank

75 gallon native tank
5 pumpkin seed sunfish
1 red crayfish
1 spotted bass

 

[Mogurako]

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[BaierBones]

Mogurako I'm sensing sarcasm is second nature to you. Perhaps you should consider satirical writing as a hobby along with keeping. You're a natural. Is it ok that my scrubby pad is a different color?


Always Appreciated,

---BaierBones

 

[Mogurako]

Mogurako I'm sensing sarcasm is second nature to you. Perhaps you should consider satirical writing as a hobby along with keeping. You're a natural. Is it ok that my scrubby pad is a different color?


Always Appreciated,

---BaierBones

Mbuna will naturally graze on the algae that's growing on the rocks and just use the scrubby to keep glass clean.

Mines dark blue, so yes it's ok.


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[Quest84]

Bristle nose pleco

that's what I have in my mbuna tank. He keeps my 72 gallon tank spotless, I don't even have to scrub the glass

 

[bettaowner]

+1 to Mogurako. Mbuna produce a lot of waste to begin with in my experience. Adding a fish like a pleco which also produces a lot of waste seems counterintuitive. I'm planning on adding a pleco to my mbuna tank but not for algae control. For most algae problems I say do a water change and stop the algae at the root of the problem or just go with an algae scrapper.

 

[mikem691]

Mogurako I'm sensing sarcasm is second nature to you. Perhaps you should consider satirical writing as a hobby along with keeping. You're a natural. Is it ok that my scrubby pad is a different color?


Always Appreciated,

---BaierBones

No he is serious and I agree.

 

[Quest84]

+1 to Mogurako. Mbuna produce a lot of waste to begin with in my experience. Adding a fish like a pleco which also produces a lot of waste seems counterintuitive. I'm planning on adding a pleco to my mbuna tank but not for algae control. For most algae problems I say do a water change and stop the algae at the root of the problem or just go with an algae scrapper.

you want some algae in a mbuna tank, they graze on it between feedings. Also your tank should be over filtered anyway, 1 pleco is not an issue, especially a bristlenose they stay small. My 1 pleco keeps my bowfront spotless I don't even have to clean the glass ever he's awesome

 

[Mogurako]

you want some algae in a mbuna tank, they graze on it between feedings. Also your tank should be over filtered anyway, 1 pleco is not an issue, especially a bristlenose they stay small. My 1 pleco keeps my bowfront spotless I don't even have to clean the glass ever he's awesome

A full sized bristlenose creates a visible mess especially when you have sand. Even with "over filtration" there is still a need to manually remove organic waste in order to keep nitrates in check.

If you don't want algae to form then cut down on your lighting and preform more water changes.


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[CoronaBlue]

I have a BN in my ciclid tank. If I could get him out easy, I would rehome him. Unfortunately I have about 200lbs of rock I'd rather not pull out just to get to him.

 

[Quest84]

A full sized bristlenose creates a visible mess especially when you have sand. Even with "over filtration" there is still a need to manually remove organic waste in order to keep nitrates in check.

If you don't want algae to form then cut down on your lighting and preform more water changes.


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you should remove organic matter from any tank regardless if there is a pleco in the tank or not. I also have pool filter sand and it's not a problem at all. All cichlids make a mess, you need to keep up on your water changes and tank maintenance.

 

[BaierBones]

Not to be off topic but you guys with 100 plus gallon tanks, do you still do 20 percent water changes frequently? Is there special equipment you use to do it? It seems like a major pain with a siphon hose and buckets.


Always Appreciated,

---BaierBones

 

[Mogurako]

Not to be off topic but you guys with 100 plus gallon tanks, do you still do 20 percent water changes frequently? Is there special equipment you use to do it? It seems like a major pain with a siphon hose and buckets.


Always Appreciated,

---BaierBones

50% 1-2 times a week



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[mikem691]

Not to be off topic but you guys with 100 plus gallon tanks, do you still do 20 percent water changes frequently? Is there special equipment you use to do it? It seems like a major pain with a siphon hose and buckets.


Always Appreciated,

---BaierBones

Most do 50% or more weekly with cichlids with a python or aqueon water changer.
I have one 55 that gets 70% every 5 days and another 55 that is getting 70% every 3 days for maximum growth.


Edit...Snyped be MOG

 

[Mogurako]

All cichlids make a mess, you need to keep up on your water changes and tank maintenance.

Yes cichlids and all plecos do, all the over filtration isn't going to replace proper tank maintenance. There's no need to add a fish with a visible impact on the bioload To combat issues of improper tank maintenance. It takes less than 5 mins a week to keep the glass clean, don't put a fish in less than desirable conditions because you're to lazy to clean glass or figure out why there's large amounts of algae.

If you like plecos great! Set up a tank dedicated to just them and maybe some small tetra instead of aggressive cichlids.


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[Quest84]

Yes cichlids and all plecos do, all the over filtration isn't going to replace proper tank maintenance. There's no need to add a fish with a visible impact on the bioload To combat issues of improper tank maintenance. It takes less than 5 mins a week to keep the glass clean, don't put a fish in less than desirable conditions because you're to lazy to clean glass or figure out why there's large amounts of algae.

If you like plecos great! Set up a tank dedicated to just them and maybe some small tetra instead of aggressive cichlids.


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first off 1 bristlenose pleco is not going to hurt his bio load if he keeps up with the maintenance. A full grown bristlenose stays under 5 inches. In a mbuna tank your overstocking it anyway to help keep the aggression down which is why you need proper filtration like i mentioned earlier.
Less than desireable conditions? many people keep bristlenose with africans and other tropical fish, there is no need to keep them in a species only tank unless they are trying to specifically breed them. I keep one in my tank because I like them, not because he cleans the tank. That is just a bonus

what type of fish do you keep? and do you breed them?

 

[mikem691]

first off 1 bristlenose pleco is not going to hurt his bio load if he keeps up with the maintenance. A full grown bristlenose stays under 5 inches. In a mbuna tank your overstocking it anyway to help keep the aggression down which is why you need proper filtration like i mentioned earlier.
Less than desireable conditions? many people keep bristlenose with africans and other tropical fish, there is no need to keep them in a species only tank unless they are trying to specifically breed them. I keep one in my tank because I like them, not because he cleans the tank. That is just a bonus

what type of fish do you keep? and do you breed them?

Seeing that he/she is only doing 20% water changes I would be concerned.

 

[Quest84]

Seeing that he/she is only doing 20% water changes I would be concerned.

agreed that 20% water changes isn't enough. I change 50% at a time at least once a week. The more often the water is changed the more vibrant the fishes colors will be and they will breed more often

 

[Mogurako]

what type of fish do you keep? and do you breed them?

Livebearers:
- Brachyrhaphis sp “Coclecito” PAN 2012-13
- Micropoecilia sarrafae, Rio Mearim
- Neoheterandria elegans
- Poecilia gilli, Aqua Caliente
- Poecilia sp. Rio Coatznconleos
- Poecilia reticulata "Orange-line", El Salto
- Xiphophorus kallmanni, Catemaco MX
- Xiphophorus maculatus, Rio Grijalva
- Xiphophorus malinche
- Xiphophorus variatus, Agua Fria

Cichlids:
- Cryptoheros myrnae
- Cryptoheros nanoluteus, Rio Rabalo
- exCichlasoma salvini, Rio usumacinta
- Herichthys deppi, Rio Bobos
- Theraps coeruleus, Rio Bascan
- Thorichthys sp. "Blue Mixteco" Rio Almoloya
- Thorichthys sp. "Gold Mixteco" Rio Coatzacoalcos

All in species only breeding tanks with no plecos. Python and algae pad are my clean up crew.

I've also kept and/or bred peacocks, Mbuna and Haps.


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