# Best type of algae eater?



## saddison (Jan 9, 2009)

I currently have a 10 gallon tank (perhaps 30 in the spring) with two blue paradise gouramis, two sunburst mollies and 1 tiger barb (poor buggers friends died..)
Not purchasing for a while, have to get water under control, but would like to start my research.
What type of algae eating fish would be best for the tank? Pleco? Cat Fish? Fresh Water Shrimp?
Any input would help
Thank you!


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## kardon (Jan 4, 2009)

I would take care of that Tiger Barb first, but for that tank an Otocinclus or two would do fine. It will be a little cramped in there though... might want to wait for a bigger home.

Plecostomus are too big for your tank, unless you go rubber-lip, and even those get six inches or so...


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## eaglesfan3711 (Nov 16, 2008)

I would say Chinese algae eater, but they also get too big.

Definately go with an oto.


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## saddison (Jan 9, 2009)

I am willing to upscale. Like i said, i am looking for a 50 gallon tank to move my current 30 gallon residents to (getting so big!), and these 5 fish may move to a bigger tank.... how big does a chinese algae eater get? same with an oto?


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## eaglesfan3711 (Nov 16, 2008)

Chinese get about 6in and supposedly are a little more aggressive. Personally I think they are the most hardy and definately the most active.
Otos are only about an inch and a half full grown. They have a little bit nicer coloration than the chinese, but they are a little more touchy and less active.


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## saddison (Jan 9, 2009)

Well, i have a very lazy, chubby pleco in my large tank, so i am use to inactive algae eaters...
you say the chinese algae eater are more hardy? do they adjust to all changes well?


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## kardon (Jan 4, 2009)

eaglesfan3711 said:


> Otos are only about an inch and a half full grown... they are a little more touchy and less active.


But they're so darn cute!


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## Fishboydanny1 (Jun 13, 2008)

busheynose plecos only get 5 inches long.... get a male and female (males have bristles on the whole nose, females only have it around the edges) and you might eventually get babies!


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Yeah, bristlenose. Great algae eaters. I have 33 of them.


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## fishfinder (Aug 31, 2008)

I like my new little algae eating goby (Stiphdon elegans sp.). They only get to be about 1.75 inches long. Also my bristlnose are very industrious and seem to be growing slowly.


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## djrichie (May 15, 2008)

For a 10 gal tank, go with 3 Otto's, I know you say your going to upgrade your tank but if you don't have the tank, than for animals safety you should not get fish that will require you to get a bigger tank. You never know what going to happen in life or even if you really going to get a bigger tank.

Just to clear up the size on an Golden Algea Eater (Chinese) they get about 12"'s in captivity, not sure where Eagle getting his info from but I've housed these fish and they get a foot long in about a year and a half.


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## archer772 (Nov 8, 2008)

CAE's do tend to get aggresive and the norm for the size in aqauriums is about 6 inches but they can get up to about a foot.

Gyrinocheilus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## saddison (Jan 9, 2009)

Sounds great. I will get 3 otos 
Thanks for your help everyone!


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## eaglesfan3711 (Nov 16, 2008)

djrichie said:


> Just to clear up the size on an Golden Algea Eater (Chinese) they get about 12"'s in captivity, not sure where Eagle getting his info from but I've housed these fish and they get a foot long in about a year and a half.


WOW, thats huge. I can't even imagine them getting that big. My grandpa has had 2 in a 75g for about a year and a half now, but they are only about 4 in. They sure have a long way to go.


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## djrichie (May 15, 2008)

Will all mine have been a foot long... I'm guessing the rate might reflex the food they eat. as they also will clean up leftovers and I feed mainly blood worms and algea waffers to insure that are getting enough algea in there diets. As, a clean tank should have very little aglea for any aglea eating fish.

Just so you know Wikipedia is not the best source for information as it writen by every day people, not scientists and the info has not been researched to be correct or factual. I perfer to use a fish atlas and personal experience, or trusted publishcations and journals.


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## mitcore (Apr 7, 2008)

susankat said:


> Yeah, bristlenose. Great algae eaters. I have 33 of them.


same here bristle noses all the way 
i breed them


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## Dmaaaaax (Nov 20, 2008)

For a small tank I would go with Otos. They eat mostly brown algae, but they help keep the tank clean. For a larger tank I would suggest a bristlenose pleco or my personal preference would be a Siamese Algae Eater (SAE). These are a bit harder to find but they eat all kinds of algae.

I would stay away from chinese algae eaters. I have never actually seen one get 12"...most around 3-4", but they are not that great at eating algae and many have been know to chase other fish because they prefer to eat the slime coat on the fish. 

BTW, I would love to see a picture of a 12" chinese algae eater.


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## Indigoice (Mar 3, 2009)

Looks like I am a bit late since you decided on the otos, but I would have recommended cory catfish....quick little buggers, only growing to about 2" but they are always active! Oh yea, I am a new member as of today and am looking forward to other members' input while building another freshwater or even saltwater in a 55 gal tank. Good luck to you! Indigoice


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Cories aren't algae eaters though so wouldn't help in that situation.


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## jshank (Aug 16, 2008)

I heard CAE's quit eating much algae when they get older. I personally haven't heard much good about them.


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## coofah3939 (Mar 16, 2009)

I have one plecostomus(sp), hes about 6 inches, in a 55 gallon tank... my guess is that i should get another algae eating fish... is this correct???


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## Indigoice (Mar 3, 2009)

Yes, plecostamus is the best at eating 'everything'! If 1 is the only 1 you have in a 55gal, he will become quite large.


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## coofah3939 (Mar 16, 2009)

Haha yeah he already is very large. He's around 8-10 inches I believe, although I have never measured him.


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## jschlosser (Apr 11, 2010)

Same question here - best algae EATER - one that actually EATS the stuff - but with a twist - in a planted tank. I hear otos will take care of the algae that can form on the lower leaves (not much of it yet but I am sure with time there will be) but will they damage my plants? Tank inhabitants are community types.


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## WhiteGloveAquatics (Sep 3, 2009)

Siamese Algae eater aka algae eating shark( do your homework because quite a few "algae eaters" look like SAE's but arent and you will regret it. 

Bristle/bushy nose and rubber lip plecos are awesome for planted tanks. They will not damage any plants just eat the algae and decaying plants.


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## jeffro0050 (Apr 4, 2010)

The most widely accepted BEST algae eater is the True SAE. They can be kind of difficult to find if you don't have a local fish store with someone that actually cares to identify the fish properly and not as one of the below listed species.

The big characteristic of them that truly sets them apart is that there is no species of algae that they do not eat, including the much lamented BBA and red algae species.

Commonly sold as SAE's that are actually NOT preferable for most community tanks-
The flying fox
The siamese flying fox
The chinese Algae eater

The above listed species are all algae eaters at young ages that inevitably get large and very territorial.

Next best in my opinion is the Otocinclus, but they have one major drawback- they are known by most sources to eat mostly "baby" algae. A secondary drawback is that they have a poor mortality rate unless extreme care is taken during acclimation. James086 on this forum is an expert on this fish.

That being said, if you put them in a tank early they will control most algae, but sadly do not eat BBA/red algae. 

Other choices are:

Common Pleco- They get way too big for most aquarists and aren't as effective as the above listed, but they still get the job done. Bristlenose plecos are thought to be much better, but the info on them that I can give is limited other than that they do come in a dwarf variety and they also require driftwood.

American flag fish-I know next to nothing about this fish.

Mollies supposedly eat algae, but very little of it.

Snails are a tricky choice. If you have plants then you likely already have them. The malaysian trumpet snail is thought to be the best as per my research. This snail is a live birther as opposed to an egg layer, so culling the horde to control population is much more effective with this burrowing species.


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## WhiteGloveAquatics (Sep 3, 2009)

that is true, my 52g that is heavy with MTS has zero algae in it, I didnt think of that since I overfeed to make sure they eat something.

This is the best link I have found for the SAE 
Will the Real SAE Please Swim Forward? Epalzeorhynchus and Crossocheilus et al.; or Minnows as Biological Algae Controls; In Search of the Elusive SAE's (Siamese Algae Eaters)


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## ~Mystic~ (Jun 2, 2010)

jeffro0050 said:


> Mollies supposedly eat algae, but very little of it.


My Mollies love Algae. Since I got them I haven't had a problem with algae at all. They are Dalmatian Mollies. Maybe I'm just lucky


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## WhiteGloveAquatics (Sep 3, 2009)

I want to add OTO's to the list. 6 OTO's cleaned a algae rich 210g tank in less then 4 days.


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## NursePlaty (Feb 5, 2010)

*My Otos eat more algae than my SAEs and they are true SAEs. My 3"-4" SAEs got used to flakes I guess. If you get SAEs be sure to never let them get close to fish food or they will never eat algae agian .*


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