Algae Eaters?

[FeldmansFish]

Anyone know of fish or invertibrates that eat algae and would recommend?

 

[Bettababe1011]

What size tank is it, and what stocking do you already have?

 

[FeldmansFish]

30 gallon long, with 6 tiger barbs, 4 peppered corycats

 

[Freshwater fish guy]

Snails are good at eating algae

 

[Bettababe1011]

You could get a bristlenose pleco. I have one in my 29 gallon, and I just love her. I don't have any problem with algae, and the species stays small at five inches.

 

[Rivercats]

The real question is... what type algae? Most algae eaters only eat certain types of algae and some types of algae no algae eats will eat. Nerite snails eat the biggest variety of algae... diatoms, green spot algae, and green dust algae (this is what you typically find on your aquarium glass). Only SAE's and American Flag fish eat hair. Nothing I know of eats black beard algae or staghorn algae. BN Pleco's will eat diatoms and green dust algae. Thing is an algae eater will help with an algae problem but the reason your having an algae problem needs to be addressed and corrected.

 

[FeldmansFish]

How about brown algae ( I think the problem is my lighting)

 

[Rivercats]

Brown algae is most likely diatoms. They are caused by excess silicates in the tank but too much lighting can be part of the problem depending on how much and how long your lighting is on. Is it a fairly new tank? These are common and they can be wiped off, you can use a phosphate remover if your tanks not planted, or in my opinion horned nerites are about the best diatom eaters you can get, plus due to their size they can get in most places. Bristlenose plecos and oto's also are very good at eating diatoms.