Best fish/invert for eating green algae?

[GodFan]

What is the best fish or invert for eating green algae off of the tanks sides? I will do some scrubbing but I would like something to help as the algae grows fast. I have one oto (his friends died) but they dont eat green algae do they?
Thanks and God bless!

[tarpon]

I say get the fish for the love of the fish, not to use it as a piece of equipment. Buut i like bristlenose plecos (gets around 5inches max) and amano shrimp.

[GodFan]

Originally Posted by tarpon

I say get the fish for the love of the fish, not to use it as a piece of equipment. Buut i like bristlenose plecos (gets around 5inches max) and amano shrimp.

I wont pick anything I dont want lol this is my tank that I have been workinng on for too long to do that. I definetly do not want any pleco as this is a large nano tank (I just want small fish). amanos arent bad but they wont get the sides good will they? I hate buying shrimp that I cant breed though :P I am open to snails as well as long as they dont reproduce in freshwater

[tarpon]

Plecos also poop alooooooot which i didnt like.
And i cant say about the amanos cleaning the sides as ive never had algae on the glass on this tank yet 0.0 i must have good water.
Well idk if youre looking for small fish it sounds like more otos is the way to go

[GodFan]

Originally Posted by tarpon

Plecos also poop alooooooot which i didnt like.
And i cant say about the amanos cleaning the sides as ive never had algae on the glass on this tank yet 0.0 i must have good water.
Well idk if youre looking for small fish it sounds like more otos is the way to go

Do they eat green algae? I know the problem is my light. I run it too much probably but I like it on lol I really wanted more otos anyway so it wasnt a big deal to me but I didnt know if they would help (I am getting more either way)

[Alyxx]

Nerite snails don't breed in freshwater and I believe all they eat is algae. Or you could pick up one snail each of a few species that eat algae.

[jetajockey]

Originally Posted by GodFan

Do they eat green algae? I know the problem is my light. I run it too much probably but I like it on lol I really wanted more otos anyway so it wasnt a big deal to me but I didnt know if they would help (I am getting more either way)

That's your solution to dealing with the algae problem, some snails and fish will eat some of the green stuff on the tank walls but they aren't going to do enough to keep it clean if it's growing fast. Nerite snails are great algae eaters but they'll just end up leaving clean tracks all over the algae covered tank walls.

[tarpon]

I picked up some snails out of my local pond one time and they were algae eating machines. They mowed down the stuff.i bet thats what they were.i Dont recommend getting them from a pond though (disease, parasites etc.)

[GodFan]

Originally Posted by jetajockey

That's your solution to dealing with the algae problem, some snails and fish will eat some of the green stuff on the tank walls but they aren't going to do enough to keep it clean if it's growing fast. Nerite snails are great algae eaters but they'll just end up leaving clean tracks all over the algae covered tank walls.

Yea I just want something to hold the algae at bay between water changes lol

[jetajockey]

Originally Posted by GodFan

Yea I just want something to hold the algae at bay between water changes lol

That's what I was saying, you are the best thing to hold the algae at bay. The first step would be to cut back on the light duration. Adding algae eaters would compliment this process really well.

I was thinking of slowing down the algae growth rather than upping the elbow work during maintenance periods.

[GodFan]

Originally Posted by jetajockey

That's what I was saying, you are the best thing to hold the algae at bay. The first step would be to cut back on the light duration. Adding algae eaters would compliment this process really well.

I was thinking of slowing down the algae growth rather than upping the elbow work during maintenance periods.

Oh ok I understand. I thought you were thinking I was just trying to find something to do all the work for me. lol I dont cut back on the light because one my plants grow fast and 2 I just really really like it on lol I am willing to scrub but only on water change days so I dont make a mess. Although my water changes can be a little delayed at times.
If you dont mind me asking on this thread as it is off tiopic, what do you think about not doing weekly water changes if your water i very clean? I dont mean like clear I mean like 0amm 0trites and 0trates? I dont hav emy own test kit yet but I had my water tested at my LFS and that is what they came up with (he never said anything like "is your tank cycled" lol). I have alot of plants so I know that is the reason plus a low bioload atm. Thoughts? I ususally just do water changes when the water looks cloudy (not from ammonia but probably their messy food) or the water evaporates below the tanks rim.