I have a healthy (zero ammonia and nitrite) goldfish tank that's developing an algae problem (placement restrictions unfortunately expose it to direct sunlight for a little while each day). Couldn't I get an algae eater of some type to help with the problem? What would be the best choice for an algae eating tankmate to the goldfish? A pleco perhaps? Are there any that don't get so darned big? Any other suggestions? I once had a sucker loach, but it was a nasty sucker, and wouldn't want another one. Thanks!
algae eater for my goldfish tank
- Thread starter waltb2000
- Start date
Hiya, the albino(non black) rather orangey skinned small plecos usually don't grow as fast as their black counterparts, you may want to get them and try it out, rather cheap imo. 
(cross fingers that they dont' suck on the slime coat off ya goldfishes)
Other than that, you may get otos which do not come cheap but are relatively small and might be slurped in as meals by the goldfish if ti fits it's mouth.
Cheers.
(cross fingers that they dont' suck on the slime coat off ya goldfishes)
Other than that, you may get otos which do not come cheap but are relatively small and might be slurped in as meals by the goldfish if ti fits it's mouth.
Cheers.
Are your Goldfish Fancies or are they faster moving Comets/Shubunkins etc. and how large are they? How attached to them are you?
I ask because IMO the Fancies are so heavy and round bodied that they tend to sleep resting in a corner on the bottom. Sooner or later anything with a sucker mouth will latch on.
Smaller Goldfish may be able to coexist with smaller fish like otos but as soon as they will fit into their mouth... they will. How good are you with a pair of tweezers and do you really want to be pulling fish out of your Goldfishes mouths?
I have Fancies and yes I have a fair amount of algae growth. I scrape it off and deal with it- I'm not jeopardizing my Goldfish to save 15 minutes a week.
I have heard good reports about using bristlenose plecos (a smaller Ancistris sp.) for this, but I am still not trying it out on my fish.
My own personal suggestion is to throw a towel over the end of the tanks that gets sun.
I ask because IMO the Fancies are so heavy and round bodied that they tend to sleep resting in a corner on the bottom. Sooner or later anything with a sucker mouth will latch on.
Smaller Goldfish may be able to coexist with smaller fish like otos but as soon as they will fit into their mouth... they will. How good are you with a pair of tweezers and do you really want to be pulling fish out of your Goldfishes mouths?
I have Fancies and yes I have a fair amount of algae growth. I scrape it off and deal with it- I'm not jeopardizing my Goldfish to save 15 minutes a week.
I have heard good reports about using bristlenose plecos (a smaller Ancistris sp.) for this, but I am still not trying it out on my fish.
My own personal suggestion is to throw a towel over the end of the tanks that gets sun.
Goldfish will nibble on algae and it becomes a supplmental food source. On my GF tanks I encourage algae growth on the back wall and on some ornaments/plants. I remove it from the front and sides with each water change at which time I also vacuum the gravel. IMO, this works best if you have a plain black background.
Hi waltb2000, I agree with everyone here, getting any kind of algae eating fish will cause problems sooner or later. Pleco’s and Otto’s love the taste of the slime on goldfish and some will become territorial as they grow.
You just have a seasoned tank, which is good. Its better to have a nice coating of algae on your tank walls any way, I look forward to it when establishing a new tank. It is beneficial to reducing nitrates and goldfish will eat it. Try getting some plants to offset the algae a bit. You will always have algae; just scrape it off when you do your water changes, a little elbow grease never hurt anyone.
You just have a seasoned tank, which is good. Its better to have a nice coating of algae on your tank walls any way, I look forward to it when establishing a new tank. It is beneficial to reducing nitrates and goldfish will eat it. Try getting some plants to offset the algae a bit. You will always have algae; just scrape it off when you do your water changes, a little elbow grease never hurt anyone.
Maybe try a snail? I'm not to knowledgable about hte different algae eating snails but i have zebra snails and they do a good job of cleaning the algae.
Maybe an applesnail?
But really, its much easier to clean the algae then having to worry about if an algae eating fish is going to suck on to your goldfish and cause more problems then algae issues.
Maybe an applesnail?
But really, its much easier to clean the algae then having to worry about if an algae eating fish is going to suck on to your goldfish and cause more problems then algae issues.
