Topic: Algae eaters

[paulie]

I have a 55 gallon , its contents are F/mouth , J.D. , and a Con. I had a lot of algae buildup. So i went to my lfs , and purchased a "small algae eater" for $1.49. Well , let me tell you , there is a sheet of algae on my back of my tank and after about 2 hours in the tank , i saw these lines of clean glass!!! This thing is amazing. I had a widemouth spotted pleco before , but all he did was make a mess. So here are my questions. 1) is it possible to go and buy another algae eater , right now all my fish are only about 2 inches big, without crowding? 2) why does this little algae eater clean more algae than my pleco i had before that was 3 times the size of this one?? 3) how big will my small algae eater get??? thanks

[JAMAN013]

It would be ok to go ahead an get another alage eater for the tank. Pleco's i think are more vegetarians and scvangers than algae eaters. Also i dont like Pleco's because when i had them they just hid away always.

[JC]

I have a 55 gallon , its contents are F/mouth , J.D. , and a Con. I had a lot of algae buildup. So i went to my lfs , and purchased a "small algae eater" for $1.49. Well , let me tell you , there is a sheet of algae on my back of my tank and after about 2 hours in the tank , i saw these lines of clean glass!!! This thing is amazing. I had a widemouth spotted pleco before , but all he did was make a mess. So here are my questions. 1) is it possible to go and buy another algae eater , right now all my fish are only about 2 inches big, without crowding? 2) why does this little algae eater clean more algae than my pleco i had before that was 3 times the size of this one?? 3) how big will my small algae eater get??? thanks

I think what you have is a banded algae eater. If I"m not mistaken they come in the grey (beige-ish with a darker stripe) or albino which is often sold as a yellow algae eater. They grow to about 5 inches or so and yes, they are quite industrious. You could probably put another two in there, they don't make much of a mess at all but are very skittish.

[ezdave]

Plecos are way cool IMO. I have never had the problem of any of them hiding but, I do know that the ones that some people have only come out at night.
     I just think they look so cool sailing across the front of the tank. It kinda looks like a mini sub

[Tim]

.
     I just think they look so cool sailing across the front of the tank. It kinda looks like a mini sub

I like them too!

[JAMAN013]

yeah well i think ive had a series of nocturnal Plecos. Also I keep those algae eaters in my tank and the arent the least bit skittish after they get used to the Jd's and convicts. They hold thier own quite we;; even taking the liberty to attack my cichlids which are much bigger, but nothing serious.

[JAMAN013]

Also Pleco's do look pretty cool, they seem to have a prehistoric charm to them.

[Dan]

Are the Algae Eaters your talking about, a little bit like the Chinese Algae eater.  I sometimes hear people refering to Plecos as Algae eaters, so it's a little confusing. I once had a Chinese Algae Eater that got to 4 in. long in my old 55 g. 

However, I agree also,  I love Plecos. Mine is very shy though, and the minute you walk across the room, he hides. But my Buddy's pleco swims all over the place, so I guess again, it depends on the fish itself.

[Demseyfan]

Plecos tend to be more industrious when they are smaller and do a better job with algae control below the 6-7" mark.  After that they would rather scavenge and eat vegetables in my experience.

[phish_luver]

My pleco is HUGE between 7 and 8 inches, and he hides ALOT, but there are times I catch a glimpse of a dark submarine gliding through the tank, or here him splashing the top of the water, as to say LOOK AT ME lol...

The one thing in my tank that I NEVER EVER see is the "bumblebee" (this is what the previous owners called him) catfish. He has been in the SAME SPOT for 3 weeks now!! Hasnt moved... How he lives I havent a clue... I thought he was dead, but I nudged him, and he moved, but is in the smae spot LOL...

I would be interested in exactly what kind of algae eater you guys are talking about, cause my boys' tanks need something, and I dont wanna do a pleco in there....
TIA
Ange

[Demseyfan]

I should also say that all the plecos i have had with cichlids have learned that they are messy and there will be food in the rocks at feeding time.  Mine usually hide as well but come out at feeding time.  The last two or three even go to the top of the tank to search for the floating pellets and grab onto them and haul them back down to the bottom or just hang upside down and suck them off the top of the water.  Fairly interesting to see.

[paulie]

The algae eater i have is as said earlier in this post , a thin body , with a beige color to it , also a blackish stripe. The mouth is very much smaller proportion than a pleco's mouth. I just cant get over how much work this little guy does.

[axilla]

Sounds like an Oto (Otocinclus sp.).

[phish_luver]

The funny thing is, I posted my catfish NEVER comes out and hasnt for three weeks, well ALL afternoon he has been out and at the very front of the tank LMAO....
Here are some pics of him, any idea what he is? I can share that he "talks" when he is taken out of the water, like a big catfish...
Ange


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[ezdave]

yes they do talk,
  hence the nickname talking catfish