# Algae eaters



## Lil Gashog (Dec 1, 2010)

These I will buy from Petsmart are referred to Chinese golden algae eaters or gold algae eaters...It says adult size 4-5 inches...It also says they will attach themselves to other fish and cause skin wounds!Has anyone experienced this before?


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## Lil Gashog (Dec 1, 2010)

Actually forget the goldon part,they are just chinese algae eaters that stick to other fish if not enough algae.How do i produce more algae?Live plants?


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## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

I have one along with 4 Dwarf Gourmis, and he hasn't bothered them yet, but I have heard of it happening

But he is still small. When they get larger, they get a little aggressive, and at that point he's going to get traded in for another small one. All he's in the tank for is to keep the drift wood clean (which he does an AMAZING job at), clean the plants off, and clean the back glass that I really can't get the magnetic scrubber to


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## Lil Gashog (Dec 1, 2010)

Did you get yours from PetSmart?If so,you can just take it back when it gets big?And how do i get algae in the tank to feed on instead of fish?


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## chris oe (Feb 27, 2009)

Have you got an agreement from Petsmart that they will take him when he gets big? 'Cause I don't think they do trades (Petsmart) and if I were a fish dept manager, I sure wouldn't want a big one back. Who would you sell the big one to? Once they're feeling like a little flesh, bigger fish aren't safer. IF someone says they'll take it back in trade, get it in writing with their name on it. 

I had one years ago, it was in with much larger fish (6" goldfish) and yes, those fish ended up with wounds on their sides. They don't put on a flashing light that says 
I'm about to go rogue on the other fish in here with me, the first notice you get is when one of the other fish is wounded. Honest, plecos, particularly clowns and teminiki plecos do just as good a job and they never ever try to take a chunk of flesh out of their tank mates.


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## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

no, my LFS takes them in all the time for store credit; I've already asked him about the little guy (or big guy that he'll be when the time comes). so far he's taken Mollies, Cories, Dojo Loaches, and an African Dwarf Frog from me, lol

I have struck up an agreement with the man at the LFS for Dwarf Gourmis for when I start breeding them in a little while when I get my 55 gallon  should start getting some good credit at the store when I bring in a bunch every month or so at $3-$4 a pop

and I got this guy from Petco actually


and to be honest, I think these Dwarf Gouramis might be mean enough to fight him off, lol. I've seen them get quite violent


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## Lil Gashog (Dec 1, 2010)

chris oe said:


> Have you got an agreement from Petsmart that they will take him when he gets big? 'Cause I don't think they do trades (Petsmart) and if I were a fish dept manager, I sure wouldn't want a big one back. Who would you sell the big one to? Once they're feeling like a little flesh, bigger fish aren't safer. IF someone says they'll take it back in trade, get it in writing with their name on it.
> 
> I had one years ago, it was in with much larger fish (6" goldfish) and yes, those fish ended up with wounds on their sides. They don't put on a flashing light that says
> I'm about to go rogue on the other fish in here with me, the first notice you get is when one of the other fish is wounded. Honest, plecos, particularly clowns and teminiki plecos do just as good a job and they never ever try to take a chunk of flesh out of their tank mates.


Wouldn't a pleco be too big for a 20g tank?Or do i just need to get snails in this case?


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## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

Lil Gashog said:


> Wouldn't a pleco be too big for a 20g tank?


Bristlenoses don't get very large; they would probably be just peachy in a 20 gallon


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## Lil Gashog (Dec 1, 2010)

automatic-hydromatic said:


> Bristlenoses don't get very large; they would probably be just peachy in a 20 gallon


Where can i get these?My LPS are Petco and PetSmart.


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## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

hmmm...

yeah I don't see Bristlenoses on either of their web sites...

my LFS (small one-person owned store) carries them, but I've never seen them in the local Petco

have you checked around to see if there's any local aquarium fish stores?

if all else fails, you can always order them online, but I've always been hesitant to order live fish off the internet...


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## chris oe (Feb 27, 2009)

The nice thing about a pleco is, if you get a young one and it gets too big for your tank, you could trade a big one for a little one, because a big pleco is worth more than a little one. A big algae eater is worthless, its dangerous, no one would take one if you paid 'em, but a big pleco is worth more money, a store should be happy to take it, so long as it is healthy, because a little one is worth a couple bucks, let it grow to twice its size and it is worth three times the money, and it would sell really quickly to somebody with a bigger tank. Plus you may be able to ask your LFS to special order a bristlenose if you ask. Never hurts to try.


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## Zook (Oct 3, 2010)

You could also get a couple of zebra striped nerite snails,they look really atractive and cost around a $1.50 apiece for large ones(1" in diameter)


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## chris oe (Feb 27, 2009)

thought the olive nerites were pretty too.


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## mfgann (Oct 21, 2010)

Your best bet is with bristlenose plecos or maybe some otocinclus (don't get big and are very peaceful). 

Otos are pretty easy to find. They look very similar to the chinese algae eaters when the CAE is young. I have no idea if the CAE or SAE is more effective for some reason.. never used them. Anyone want to weigh in here?

BNPs are sometimes a little tricky in a town with less petstores to choose from. You can order them in the mail, just ask for a heatpack in this weather, and see if there is a live-arrival guarantee.

No affiliation, but here are some:
Albino BNPs
Aquabid pleco catagory (look for bristenose in the names)


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## Zook (Oct 3, 2010)

I prefer the Oto's,I have 18 in a 90gal.They do a pretty good job.
The olive Nerites look good also.
Your tank could easily handle 5 Oto's and two large Nerites..


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