# Algae eater w/ Tiger Barbs



## bmoore09

So I have a 30g tank with about 9 TBs and 2 Pictus cats. But I still have some diatoms about a month after completing my cycle. I'm also getting quite a bit of green algae on the glass walls.
I've tried to stick ottos in this tank but the TBs went nuts and wouldn't leave the ottos alone.
Are there any clean-up fish that the Tbs would leave alone? 
How about snails? Nerites? Will the Pictus leaves those alone?

Thanks for the help!


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## Scuff

You could go with a bristlenose pleco, or a siamese (NOT Chinese) algae eater. I've successfully kept both in with Tiger Barbs before with no issues at all. I would try and figure what's causing your algae however, as an algae eater isn't going to solve the issue. Do you leave your light on all day? In my experience that's the number one reason people have algae issues in their aquariums.


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## Gizmo

I second the SAE. Great semi-aggressive cleanup fellas.


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## BrianL1577

I think a snail is usually a safe addition to a tank. One keeps my 10 gallon very clean. However, I don't know how compatible they are with your fish, but they are usually versatile.


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## bmoore09

Thanks guys. It seems after reading your posts and a few other articles online the SAE may be the smart thing to get. It's semi-aggresive, so that's good with the TBs. Do they get big? Too big for my 30 gallon?


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## mk4gti

go with the BNP, they stay small and do work. 9 tigers in a 30 seems like a lot, i have 7 in my 90 but they are big fat pig tiger barbs, yours might be smaller.


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## Scuff

The SAE only gets around 5" long at max. They're not particularly aggressive with anything but other SAE's, but they can turn around and give it right back to your Tiger Barbs if they get pestered.


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## jrman83

Your green algae could be addressed by maybe reducing your lighting time a little, providing it's not getting hit by sunlight a lot.


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## bmoore09

My TBs are pretty small. I just got them about 2 months ago. I know they get big, but after doing some research I got the impression 8 was ok. (it's 8, not 9 TBs). 

So now im torn b/w the SAE and the BNP! Remember, I also have 2 pictus' in there. So maybe the smaller BNPs would be better


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## mk4gti

Yeah mine are like the size of a chicken nugget right now, fat too. They live in a 90 gallon with balas and rainbows. Its a good community mix for them at that size.


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## Scuff

I really can't say enough good things about both the BNP and the SAE, but the BNP has the added 'coolness' effect of the bristles (provided you pick out a male). They'll also eat pretty much every type of algae that will grow in your aquarium.

As I said before though, it may be a good idea to address the cause of your algae, rather than trying to find a fix for it.


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## tinman

dont forget to get some algae wafers also in case 

cause they clean out the algae pretty efficiently and then die of hunger 

and also just cause of the topic 

my tank has been running for the last 3 months with all my signature habitats and i still see diatoms all the deco is cleaned by a single snail but there are still a lot of diatom on the leaves of the live plants which are not being touched by the snail 

what might be the problem ?


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