algea eaters with chiclid

[nitrous]

in my 36 gal it looks kinda empty with 7 small chiclids and i dont want to add more chiclids but i think i need a/some algea eaters what would be a good type

around here i seen cories,plecos(too big so i hear), chinese algae eaters, eel lookin algea eaters, and ghost shrimp-i will ocassionaly put some in for them to eat and chase around also ill be adding a snail or two becasue they r good and my 1 in my 20 is still alive

help will be appreciated

also if you think the tank is overstocked already then tell me

 

[Toirtis]

eel lookin algea eaters,

Not sure what those would be....are you perhaps thinking kuhli loaches? If so, they do not eat algae and will be quickly consumed themselves.

The chinese algae-eater, if large enough, might have a shot at surviving.

 

[nitrous]

he looks like this all it said at the lfs was algae eater

another link that has some info on em
http://badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile47.html

i bought em bc i have alot of brown algae in my 15 and he only gets 5 inches or so and he looks cool
ive liked eels but they get to big and are a hassle

 

[Arshis]

I have one of thoes "chinese alge eaters " in my 75 gallon tank hes currently 5in long and nameless, he and fizzle algae removeing tabs work together in the fight for cleaner, clearer, algae free water.

Mine also seems to atempts to suck on my larger cichlids, he never really attatches but gives the other cichlids good exercise.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

CAE's are great at eating algae when smaller. The 2 in my tank do an awsome job. But they say when they get bigger, they are not so good at eating algae, will feed more on food dropped in the tank. And I think they would be ok in that tank, they are very fast and if anything, will probably chase the cichlids, lol. They seem to have no fear.

I don't use any tabs here. And have not had to scrape either of my tanks. CAE's do it all for me, so far.

Also, they don't poop as bad as the plecos do, lol. I had a pleco and got rid of him, just pooped too much, lol.

 

[Toirtis]

he looks like this all it said at the lfs was algae eater

Thats just a common 'Chinese' algae eater.....should be fine when it is a decent size (4"+).

 

[nitrous]

so he will br ok with the chiclids and he wont get eaten/ pick on the chiclids?

 

[Toirtis]

I have seen several larger Chinese algae eaters kept successfully with similar cichlids.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

There are some plecos that stay small. Dwarf plecos like BN stay around 4 inches.

 

[Arshis]

Through experience i bought 2 plecos for my tank prior to the chinese algae eater and they were aten i'm fairly sure. I'm fairly sure my oscar swallowed them whole. So I bought the chinese alge eater when he was like 4 inches long big enough to handel his own ground.

Just so you know I have a south american/american cichlid tank.
+ a few more random fish lol

2 Jags
2 Jacks
1 Oscar (boss of tank)
1 Red Devil (2nd boss of tank)
1 Green Terror
1 Eye biter <----- algae eater atempts to suck on this fish constantly
1 Discus ( "i know i know" but I got him for free)
1 Clown Knife
1 Catfish

 

[nitrous]

I have seen several larger Chinese algae eaters kept successfully with similar cichlids.

so the chinese algae eaters are too quick to get picked on and they wont pick on the chiclids right?

also should i only add 1 or 2?

 

[Arshis]

I cant really clarify that theory but my chinese alge eater is not afraid of anyone in the tank. And no one seems to pick on him.

 

[Guest]

I have been suggested over at malawianmayhem.com to use bristlenose in my 55 gallon tank.

 

[nitrous]

ya but mine is only a 36 gal and plecos get to big and the only 1s i can get here are choclate albino and common and they get to big and i dont wanna pay for the shipping of a dwarf so ill just get maybe 2 cae

 

[Fishyfanatic]

BN's will not get too big for the tank. As I said before, they stay smaller in size. But it actually sounds like you don't want a pleco, so then just go with the chinese algae eater.

 

[Guest]

Bristlenose pleco's stay small.. they don't have bristlenose plecs in you area? sometimes the "albino" are actually albino bristlenose plecs.

 

[jrp1588]

hmm, don't mbuna cichlids eat algae themselves? I'd just leave out an algae eater unless it becomes a problem. I put a couple of loaches in my tank for bottom dwellers if that's what you want. (on my mother's insistence...she loves those things and offered to buy them for me)

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I have heard that Mbunas will eat algae, but I have not witnessed it myself. Our tank became overrun with it and needed cleaning every week. The pleco's helped some, but just couldn't keep up. The Africans never seemed interested in it.

 

[jrp1588]

huh, weird...I guess they've grown spoiled on this good food we give them, lol

 

[Zagz]

I have seen several larger Chinese algae eaters kept successfully with similar cichlids.

I can attest to this, my CAE is almost 6" and has been in a cichlid tank for 6 months now, quite happily. He doesn't try and suck on the slime coat of the fish, from what I gather that is unusual. Or he is fed enough, LOL. He still loves to eat algae and I am not complaining. I love him, he is so funny, a tad fat, but funny.