Algae Eater Fish For Smaller Tanks

We’ve all looked into our tanks at one time or another and found that it is starting to get over-run with algae.  If you’re an experienced aquarium keeper you may have mastered the art of keeping algae at bay, if you’re new to the hobby you are probably still trying out various methods, everything from bleaching the ornaments to winding algae around toothbrushes.  But don’t forget the algae eater fish in your tank fight against the dreaded green stuff.

Algae eater fish come in a variety of shapes and sizes and not all of them eat all types of algae, so whichever you choose they will only form part of the fight against algae.

The Siamese Algae Eater is one of the most talked about algae eater fish available.  It has a voracious appetite for algae and will help to keep your plants clear of the stuff but these fish grow too big for an aquarium much under fifty gallons so be warned, young ones may work at first but seeing as they grow to between four and five inches they will soon use up the fish quota on a smaller tank.  If you put two or three in, sure you’ll have no algae problem but you won’t be able to put any extra fish in either.

Oto Catfish are a great algae eater fish for the smaller tank.  They grow to bout two inches maximum fully grown.  Not the most exciting of fish to watch but they are very effective at cleaning up glass, ornaments and plants and will happily live with most community fish.  Be careful with these little fellows though, they can suffer from stress and dislike sudden changes in water conditions which will often prove fatal.  Make sure that you acclimatise them well to a new tank.  Once settled in they will live happily without any problems but it i snot unusual to lose an Oto in its first week or two in a new tank.

Chinese algae eaters, like their Siamese cousins are best avoided in a small tank.  They can get quite aggressive as they get older, leading to problems with other fish.  These are best left to larger tanks where their neighbours can have the space to ignore them

Amano shrimp, ok not a fish but it does live in the freshwater aquarium quite happily.  These fellows will help clear up the tank, they will eat some algae but their main forte is clearing up the substrate, keeping it free of uneaten food.  This helps keep your nitrate levels down which in turn helps to keep algae at bay.

Finally don’t forget snails but use them with caution as they breed like flies.  You will often end up with snails unwittingly as eggs often come into an aquarium on new plants.  Snails will keep your glass and plants clean but in a matter of weeks you can end up with hundreds of them.  Don’t get snails unless you are happy to cull them occasionally to keep the numbers under control.

Algae eater fish shouldn’t be bought until you have algae and if your algae problem reduces significantly you will need to supplement their diet with algae flakes or pellets.  They are only part of the solution but a useful and interesting part.

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