Quick Q's about plants/algae eaters (moving from general)

[cinnastix911]

Posters told me to start this thread over here.

I would like to get some hardy FW plants to go in my fish tank. I would prefer them to get fairly large but need little help. I have a medium sized stone substrate and stock lighting. I have a few plants but am overall unhappy with them.

Would like some algae eaters for help. Problem though is that from what I have heard a lot of algae eaters destroy plants as hobbies or they are too small to last longer than a few hours with my catfish. This may be a lost cause but if anyone out there knows a large, non-plant demolishing algae eater (or a solution to algae problems!) it would be spifftacular if you shared

Edit: I have a 55 gal with 1 paroon shark (catfish), blue gourami, 3 rosy barbs, 4 kuhlis, lemon tetra, 3 giant danios .Everyone has been getting along fine since I changed to half flakes half sinking pellets (keeps catfish happy/full.)

 

[Zezmo]

Boy, that catfish will get big. In fact..up to 99 inches long. It will eventually eat everything, in the wild they even apparently eat dogs. how big is the catfish now?

http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=268

For plants, common Java fern is probably about right for what you have described.
As far as algae eaters, I believe you have been given some misguided advice. The term "algae eater" is pretty broad. And can mean many many fish. Your Rosy Barbs for example, will eat hair algae.... so are an algae eater of sorts.
Chinese Algae Eaters (also Golden) are hardy, get over 10" and will stand up to your cat for a while. He will eventually get big enough to eat them (and any other conceivable fish). they will also eventually go agro on your Gouramis.
Perhaps something like a common pleco would be good. A local fish store may have some ones that are over 10" that someone else returned as too large. They dont eat a lot of algae, but eat some. They will not get eaten by the catfish until he is over 2 feet long so they will last a while.

 

[cinnastix911]

I know all about this catfish. Didn't when I bought him, slightly mislead but that was just as much my fault as the lfs... he is getting a new fishtank that fits him better and when he is too big there is a koi breeder who might take him into one of his ponds or my friend who has a large outdoor that they don't use for anything because of some parasite in the snails... He is about 6". I will take some new pics once I redo my tank. BTW these catfish start slowing down in small tanks from what I have heard of people's personal experiences (they don't stop) but I obviously will not have him once he is over 8".

I should mention that the only algae I really come across is the not-actually-algae slimey green stuff which I am planning on treating (I did a tank cleaning today to get rid of as much as possible).But would still like a "clean-up crew"

 

[Angry the Clown]

Bristle-nose pleco are great with planted tanks, but they don't get too large, only get to about 5 inches or so. I have four in my 75 gal, and they are doing a good job of keeping the algae in check. How large were you thinking you wanted it?

 

[cinnastix911]

well large isn't as necessary as staying off catfishes bad side. I have a lemon tetra and small rosy barbs that pretty much just stay away so size isn't as important as speed or camoflage. I was thinking of bristle-nose but I wasn't sure if they would help out a lot, I have never had any.

 

[zenkatydid]

bristlenoses taste bad, and are remarkably inoffensive. i think they'd be fine, as long as you got one a few inches big to start with. they are excellent algae eaters, but do not eat hair/beard/staghorn if thats what you've got. my bns have damaged my big sword plant a little (just a couple holes, nothing severe), with broad leaves, but they are fine with the stem plants and smaller leaves. if you're not actually get algae, you may be better off with bottom feeders like loaches who will "clean up".