algae eater with jellybean cichlid?

S

Sumpin'fishy

Humble Disciple of Jesus Christ
Oct 16, 2002
673
0
0
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Savannah, GA
I have a 10 gallon with one single Jellybean Cichlid (maxed at about 2 1/2" overall length). She is very territorial and lays eggs about every 3 weeks.

Anyways, I have grown tired of the setup and wanted to add plants like Anachris and Java Fern. I won't add any CO2 and probably wont dose ferts on any regular basis. It already has 15 watts of light over it and grows diatom algae pretty quickly. I wanted to get a few plants and will let the Anachris flow across the top of the aquarium to block some of the light and hopefully stop some of the algae.

I will probably need some type of algae eater (crew?) to keep the algae in check as well, so what do you guys suggest? The temperment of my fish is similar to a Convict, so keep that in mind. I don't want a standard pleco, since they are really just "poop-machines" anyways! They also get way too big for this setup. What do you all think of CAE's? Are ottos too small and timid for this "neighbor"?
 
Is your Jellybean Cichlid actually a blood parrot? If so, the 10 is too small for her, let alone anything else!

As for algae eaters, CAEs don't do a great job once they start to mature, and they will actually get territorial and even start to suck the slime off your Jellybean. I think that in a 30, if the Jellybean is a BP, a few Otos would work well with her, or perhaps a bristlenose would be more your taste in that size of tank? Anyway, good luck, and let us know what this fish is so that we can better serve you!

HTH,

Matthew
 
Edit: I just found the Jellybean. It would seem to be a cross between cons and BPs, and that would make it wayyy too aggressive for Otos. I would still recommend a larger tank if you want an algae eater, but you might just have to make do with a scraper and scrub pad in that size tank.
 
I appreciate you looking into it a bit closer, and yes, they are much more like convicts than BP's. They stay small (this one is about 3 years old or more, but they can be quite territorial! I have heard many times that CAE's get a little territorial when larger and I've heard about the slime coat thing also, but I doubt my JB will allow any of that! I'm not so worried about the walls and equipment as I am the plants getting suffocated by algae as time goes on. I don't want to have to dip them every so often, and I don't think it's very reasonable to scrub them often with toothbrushes either! Does a CAE sound reasonable, as long as I give him some places to hide?
 
I would think that, yes, a CAE sounds reasonable, as long as you are willing to give him larger quarters as he gets bigger (or have a buyer lined up). I think that a flowerpot with two pretty small holes will keep a CAE safe, as the retreat would be available to it and not the JBC.

I would not recommend any other algae eaters except for maybe an SAE, but they would probably be purchased at a size larger than your JBC, and any hideouts for them may be readily enterred by your JBC as well.
 
hah! forget it! I need something that will max at about 5-6". What about a bristlenose? don't they max about 6"?
Will a Bristlenose be able to take the abuse?
 
They max at 4-5, may be able to take the abuse, but will need larger quarters as well once they reach full size.
 
i never new CAE grow that big! (i got a 10gl but mine is only 2") at 10" he would be able to clean up my tank in like two mouth fulls!!!
 
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