algae eater for 95L

[fishy_friend]

I have a 95L with angels, gouramis, neons, platies, clown loaches, cories and a red tailed shark. I know a little squished in there but some fish are being moved to another tank. I need a smallish fish that doesn't need to be in huge groups that will clean the algae off my plants and ornaments.

 

[Ktw020]

Bristle nose pleco

 

[Canary bird]

I have a 95L with angels, gouramis, neons, platies, clown loaches, cories and a red tailed shark. I know a little squished in there but some fish are being moved to another tank. I need a smallish fish that doesn't need to be in huge groups that will clean the algae off my plants and ornaments.

Not 100% how they would be with your current stock, but I've just recently been introduced to otos , fantastic little algae eaters , and I do mean little I adopted 2 and they are in my 80L and there's not a pick of algae anywhere, they pigged out on their first week I'm planning on getting more for my 200L .. Very impressed ..

 

[Rivercats]

A lot depends on the type of algae as most algae eating fish are very specific about which types of algae they eat. And there are some algae that no algae eating fish will touch. So my suggestion is to post a pic so the algae type can be identified and then we can give advice how to get rid of it. Algae eaters shouldn't be used to try to correct algae problems. You need to identify the problem causing the algae then correct that. Algae eating fish can be used to help keep aquariums looking good by munching on small amounts of certain algae but that is all their role should be.

What is your lighting and bulbs? How long do you leave lights on daily? What is your WC schedule and how much do you change out weekly? What is your nitrate level? Is the tank planted or fish only?

First try running lights only 6 hours daily until the algae is gone. Then depending on the type algae you have some can be spot treated with hydrogen peroxide 3%.

 

[josh7]

Nothing else until you move out some of those fish what size tank do you have for those loaches? They get 10 inches a piece and how many of each fish do you have?

 

[fishy_friend]

most of the fish from the current tank are being moved so it will only be the 2 gouramis, 3 platies, 6 neons and 3 cories in there. Ottos were my first choice as bristle nose plecos grow quite big. I don't have a massive algae problem in my tank but I just wanted something that would clean the general algae off the plants. if I put 3 or 4 ottos in the tank would they do okay? also would ottos eat normal flake food and sinking granules?

 

[Baddog671]

most of the fish from the current tank are being moved so it will only be the 2 gouramis, 3 platies, 6 neons and 3 cories in there. Ottos were my first choice as bristle nose plecos grow quite big. I don't have a massive algae problem in my tank but I just wanted something that would clean the general algae off the plants. if I put 3 or 4 ottos in the tank would they do okay? also would ottos eat normal flake food and sinking granules?

Apple snails?

 

[Rivercats]

Oto's eat green dust algae, diatoms, and bio-film. They don't eat flake or pellet food. Sometimes they will eat on an algae tablet or some blanched zucchini hung in the tank.

Apple snails have a huge bio-load and get very large. We had one for years that was the size of a baseball. We would summer him out in one the ponds and bring him in every winter.

 

[fishy_friend]

the algae I have is quite a dark green covering some of my plant leaves, its isn't very hard to get off but the plant has quite delicate leaves and I don't want to rip them up.

 

[Rivercats]

the algae I have is quite a dark green covering some of my plant leaves, its isn't very hard to get off but the plant has quite delicate leaves and I don't want to rip them up.

Several algae types can be spot treated with hydrogen peroxide 3% so if you can post a picture of the algae for identification I can tell you if this method along with a shorter photoperiod will work.

 

[fishy_friend]

not sure how to upload a pic, bit of a thickie when it comes to computers.

 

[fishy_friend]

im not quite sure how to upload pictures, i'm a bit of a thickie when it comes to computers, but I have put some pictures in my album so please look through. As I said it a very dark green and covers both plastic and live plant leaves.

I'm planning on adding 3 otos to my tank, I have been reading about them and came across algae farms. You put a fish bowl/glass bowl outside or on a window sill in the sun and then put something in that algae can grown on (eg glass jar, ceramic pot) then put the glass jar in the tank when it is covered in the algae, the otos eat it and then you put it back in the bowl, swapping it for the other jar that is now covered. Would this be a good idea to feed my (to-be) otos?

 

[Rivercats]

Look through these algae pic's and see if anything matches... James' Planted Tank - Algae Guide.

Oto's eat a lot of bio-film which your tank should have if it's over 3 months old. My oto's also eat on New Era Plec Pellets, Algae wafers, and blanched Zucchini. I've never done the rock method as all my various algae eating type fish eat a wide variety of foods. Also if you constantly add an algae source to the tank they will be less likely to go around cleaning on plants. Just something to think about. You could also look into nerite snails. They can't reproduce in freshwater. I keep nerites in all my tanks.