what stays small and eats algae?

[Greendragon1128]

I can't find otos except at Petsmart (and they don't look too healthy)
My LFS has mostly cories, but from what I've been reading these don't eat algae. There's also something labeled "algae eater" that looks sort of like an oto but is too big. (CAE?) There are also "algae-eating shrimp"
My pleco is close to seven inches and needs a new home, but the tank is right by the window and one side was completely green before I got the pleco.
Any Ideas?
Where can I get otos online if nothing else works?

 

[xarumitzu]

You could always try a snail. I've never had experience with them so I won't suggest a type, but I do know snails make great members of the cleaning crew.

 

[OrangeCones]

I can't find otos except at Petsmart (and they don't look too healthy)
My LFS has mostly cories, but from what I've been reading these don't eat algae. There's also something labeled "algae eater" that looks sort of like an oto but is too big. (CAE?) There are also "algae-eating shrimp"
My pleco is close to seven inches and needs a new home, but the tank is right by the window and one side was completely green before I got the pleco.
Any Ideas?
Where can I get otos online if nothing else works?

If it were me, I'd either move the tank away from the window or put something on the tank to block the sun. A Chinese Algae Eater will not eat algae long and will grow to 6" or so. Is this for the larger aquarium? If so, the CAE will likely attack the other fish in there. Algae need nutrients also to grow, so less feeding and more water changes will help control it. Overfeeding is what is causing the explosion in snails too.

 

[PlecoCollector]

I completely agree on moving the tank away from a window. Your algae problem will not get better unless you do that. Direct sunlight like that produces algae that algae-eaters won't usually eat anyway, so it's a lose-lose situation at the moment.

Honestly the Plec should be fine in a 47g unless you're not liking him being that big If you'd really like a smaller algae-eater I would suggest a Bristlenose Pleco. They stay small (no more than 4 inches or so) and are excellent algae eaters. PetSmart rarely carries them but smaller pet stores (as well as the occasional Petco -shudder-) usually do or can order one for you. In addition, a small "fleet" of Algae eating (Amano) shrimp would be perfect for a planted aquarium! They will polish off what the Pleco doesn't and keep things looks nice! On the other options:

Otos: Great great algae eaters but you need a small army of them for them to be active and comfortable. On top of that, they need near perfect water quality or they croak. The ones at PetSmart probably don't look so good to you because our systems are huge and often have a large flucuation of fish numbers. There is usually a very small Ammonia reading that doesn't affect most of the fish because the water is constantly circulating but can harm the Otos. The stress of being shipped doesn't help either. So if your water is up to par and you want to try some Otos out, ask the employees at PetSmart when they get their fish shipment in. Go the day after they do, pick out some decent looking ones and keep your reciept. Should anything happen to them, at least you can bring them back and get your money back.

Algae Eaters: Good at eating algae for about... a week. Once they get over 4 inches or so they get mean and lazy (kinda like Common Plecos actually but without that cute little face as a redeeming quality). They are known to chase other fish, bigger or smaller, in an attempt to suck their slime coats. Not one of the best choices.

You can always just scrap the algae too. I have an uber light on my 90g so whenever I go home I take a blade to the side of the tank and scrape all the hard algae away. Like my Plecos do anything but sit there and look adorable....

Hope that helps a bit! Good luck!

 

[BristlenosePleco]

Well I recently got a ramshorn snail for my g/fs tank that was ridden in hard green algae. We had to scape it at least once every 4 days or so. After days of having him, there was a noticable difference. We've had him now for 2 months and there has been no massive break outs. You could maybe get a few of those.

 

[OrangeCones]

Direct sunlight like that produces algae that algae-eaters won't usually eat anyway, so it's a lose-lose situation at the moment.

I allow my oto tank to get sunlight to produce algae that they eat. I've never produced an algae they won't eat doing this. What type of algae are referring to?

 

[PlecoCollector]

I allow my oto tank to get sunlight to produce algae that they eat. I've never produced an algae they won't eat doing this. What type of algae are referring to?

Specifically hard green algae and hair algae. Of the many many varieties of algae eaters I've kept, none have enjoyed those. On the other hand, as long as it's soft algae, they will eat it.

 

[OrangeCones]

I've not seen either type in the oto tank.

To Greendragon1128 - If the tank can't be moved, you might want to invest in a 'background' to keep the tank from getting so much direct sunlight. Or get a better curtain/shade for the window!

 

[OrangeCones]

duplicate post

 

[nanu156]

Otos grow to 11", they are quick growers. I would stay away from them because the 5-6 you need to fix the issue are eventually going to overrun your tank.

Plecs are not really Algae eaters, although some will suck on the tank for ya from time to time. The problem with Plecos is that unless you have an importer/breeder in your area to buy from, you likely to get a common, and well you already see the problem with that.

That bushy will get big too, and they are HOGS, my 5"er plows through 1/4 zuchini every other day, plus the meat tabs i put in for the royal and Blue Phantom. He is also a bit on the aggressive side for a pleco, chases an 8" royal right off the food. I love the bushys but if your tank is small might also be a mistake.

The lady i buy fish from has a 31" common that freaking hunts fish. Took a convict down last week! Yikes! He is being re-homed to a turtle tank at the zoo.

I would say get a snail, they are fun, easy to take care of and pretty cheap. PetSmart has otos what for like a two bucks? I mean a 6 dollar investment into fish isn't a huge deal if they don't work out.

Pleco Collector, is that your Zebra? He is a beauty!!!! Color me envious, I cant seem to get one!!!

Marcy

 

[OrangeCones]

Otos grow to 11", they are quick growers. I would stay away from them because the 5-6 you need to fix the issue are eventually going to overrun your tank.

Where did you get information that otos grow to 11"? Most species stay under 2".

 

[nanu156]

there are dwarf species, as well as full sized species I believe

however i was contemplating them as well, when i looked into them further the ones available at my LFS (petco is the only place round here that has them) they are marked max length 11". I did pick up a pair for a 70 high that i have and in 3 months they are all far larger then 2" much closer to 3.

I generally DO NOT recommend petco, although for non specialty fish etc they are a decent place, I tend to have ok luck buying healthy stuff out of their tanks. It's possible that their tags were wrong but mine have doubled in size.

I currently feed zucchini daily in that tank for the army of lazy plecos that i have, as well as the occasional spirella wafer

 

[OrangeCones]

there are dwarf species, as well as full sized species I believe

No described species of Otocinclus gets to be 11". There are no 'dwarf' and 'full sized' species of Oto.

however i was contemplating them as well, when i looked into them further the ones available at my LFS (petco is the only place round here that has them) they are marked max length 11". I did pick up a pair for a 70 high that i have and in 3 months they are all far larger then 2" much closer to 3.

Post a picture of your fish. It is likely not an oto species if it has doubled in size in three months and is now 3".

 

[Greendragon1128]

Sorry it's taken me so long to reply. My teachers decided to pile on the homework because of lost instruction time due to standardized testing...
I can't really move the tank away from the window. This is the only place in the house my parents will let me have a large tank. I can't really block the light, because that side of the tank faces out into the room. I might be able to do something about the curtains, though.

I got rid of most of the snails, and they're too small to do much against algae.

As soon as I get a QT tank (slow process b/c my parents are afraid I'll end up putting something in it permanently), I'll look on aquabid for some smaller plecos. The only reason the one I have now (about 8 inches long) has to go is that he rips out plants every time he moves his tail. He also ate the roots of an amazon sword.

 

[OrangeCones]

I kept a bristlenose pleco in a 29planted tank for years. He didn't both my plants much as far as uprooting goes, even when he was full sized (about 4inches). They are more laid-back and not prone to darting away and using their tail to 'cut a path' in the plants from my experience. "Whiskers" still lives in the 29 gallon planted tank at my former dentist's office (the tank is in their waiting room).