Algae eaters

[Amicus]

Hi all, I have a bit of an algae issue in my tank. I have a pleco for the innards of the tank but would like something for the glass and plants. I have a planted, lidless 72 gallon. I cannot find any otos in my area. I thought about snails but with a lidless tank I thought it not a good idea. Ghost shrimp perhaps?

 

[Mr. Limpet]

Amano shrimp will be great for the plants, decco and substrate IMO/E, but none of my shrimp deal with the glass. Nerite snails are good and although none of mine try to get out, I've heard they can.

Maybe get a mag float to clean the glass, I love mine.

 

[James_in_MN]

If you can't find ottos, another option could be rubberlip plecos or pitbull plecos. Since you are already adding driftwood for the current pleco to feed on, the rubberlips would also be OK in your tank.

Like Mr Limpet said, nerite snails may try to escape from a lidless tank, but you could give them a try. I have one that's behaved, but I also have a full hood on my tank.

My amano shrimp will stick to the side of the tank and eat algae off of it, but they aren't going to make any significant dent in it.

You may also want to think about decreasing your lighting to combat the algae if it's growing too quickly. I've just recently decreased the lighting on my tanks from 10 to 9 hours to slow algae growth to a crawl, but still have some for the algae eaters in my tanks.

 

[karen21]

I have taken 2 ottos, and 4 amano shrimp. My tank stones are pristine. My tank walls are crap!
I got a magnetic cleaner. My fish are happy!

 

[Amicus]

Thanks all. I have a mag scraper but can't do the back of the tank because of my background paper.

 

[Amicus]

Sorry for double post, I have a marbled pleco and bought an albino pleco last night. Hope they both help!

 

[bruinsbro1997]

The really best way to get rid of algae is to get snails or shrimp to get rid of it, as some members recommended, or turning your tank lights down and keeping up on doing your PWC. Buying fish to eat the algae only contributes to the algae problem because their bioload just adds to the tank. Shrimp and snails have almost no bioload however so their okay.

 

[karen21]

I have found,(In my limited experience) that Plecos poop more than they clean! Esp as you need to supplement their diet.
Go-Go Shrimp!! (Get it before it is algae!)
Ok..My Ottos do a great job tho..