"algae eater" to get along with large black shark

[andy5268]

i have a 110 gallon tank stocked with several large semi agressive cichlids. My bottom dwellers consist of 4 clown loaches and a large (10") black shark. they all eat well but no one does much about eating algae off the glass, plants etc.

i tried buying some algae eaters but i think they are scared to come out and really eat so they spend much of thier time hiding from i assume the shark and my cichlids. any ideas? would a pleco work? guess ineed some one who dines on algae and can also stand his ground.

thanks! best of luck in '04, or just work hard and make your own luck!

[andy5268]

bump

[Wippit Guud]

Yep, a pleco would do nice, wrong body shape to aggrevate the shark, and can pretty much make the cichlids keep away from him.

[travelinman1969]

Yea a pleco would help and might save the alge eater. But a big pleco, at least 8 inches will be in order. Sounds like you have other issues though. You shouldn't be getting that much buildup. I have a 17 inch and a 14 inch pleco in a 150 and they don't do much but eat the food from the other fish. I personally feel that the pleco eating the algae from glass is a bunch of bull. My 17 inch stays in the same spot, except when he eats the leftover food in the tank. There is a small area that is as clean as anything but the rest of the tank has a residue, when you look at it from the side. I guess if you starve em that will get em to do that job. Sounds like you need to get rid of the source of the algae. Water changes do a lot in that regard. Too much nitrates and too much light will trigger that kind of problem. Make sure no direct light is getting to the tank.

[Slappy*McFish]

The pleco, being the huge waste producer it is, will more than likely cause even more algae problems.

[andy5268]

Thanks all. The tank is really clean with the exception of a large piece of drift wood, figured someone may have some fun dining on the build up.

[Cooter007]

Originally posted by travelinman1969
I personally feel that the pleco eating the algae from glass is a bunch of bull. .

Agree!!! I have two Plecos and I have never seen either one of them hang on the glass. The only time they become active is when I feed my top feeders.