Algae eaters

a couple things to think about.
'common' pleco's eat algae when they are small..but as they get larger..they tend to forage for food that has sunk to the bottom and tendto move away from algae(they will still eat it but not as readily.).
some smaller species (ie bristle nose) tend to eat algae. but algae in itself may not provide the nutrients it needs. you should vary the diet to include wafers, and veggies.( I use blanched letuce. zuccini, peas.etc.) your catfish will appreciate it.

keep in mind that Loricariidae(commonly referred to as pleco) in thewildcan choose from severalsources for their nutrients.

as far as siamese algae eaters..avoid them..as they get older they tend to change their dietary needs and go for protein(aka smaller fish)
the siamese algae eater is a good choice.
 
CaitxSith said:
But I also heard that they can kill... :huh:
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Hi,

They can kill. But mine and I think kveeti's (sorry if I spelt that wrong!) were peaceful and never killed any fish. I think CAEs are one of the best fish out there (I know many people disagree).

Cory Lover
 
wataugachicken said:
do NOT starve the fish so he will clean your tank! clean it yourself. how cruel.
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Not feeding your pleco is not starving it! The fish has free will. If you had an endless supply of salad and someone feed you steak or pie or potatos or whever your favorite food may be, would you eat the endless supply of salad or just nibble at it every now and then?

I only feed my pleco's 2 or 3 times a week, at night when the lights off. If alge starts to build up I cut back to once a week with the packaged food.

Just to note, most fish can go a week or more without food so don't worry about your pleco. He'll come to his sences sooner or later.
 
echoofformless said:
Huh?
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my bad..chinese algae eaters..are not a good choice ...see what happens when you post from work and are phone tech support...LOL :rolleyes:

.
 
i feed my plecos daily with wafers and pellets, twice a week with zucchini, and in the two years since i've started buying them there has never been algae in my tanks.

i'm sure you'll chew a corncob or potato peels if you get hungry enough, even though it's not something you would normally eat, but that's not cruel - you can still eat it.

your algae=salad example doesn't work - eating salad will make a person less hungry, if not mentally satisfied. algae, while it may have nutrients, does nothing to add bulk or roughage to the pleco's gut. he may be eating, but he is still feeling starved physically. they have a grossly long digestive system, only when they are very small is this filled by algae. more like taking two multivitamins and a protein pill in the morning. you may be able to live on it for a while, but you will not be happy or healthy for long, and you will be hungry all the time.

when the issue is water quality vs. short-term discomfort in the case of going on vacation, i think that is a fair and understandable trade. standing by while you force your plecos to do the job you should be doing as aquarist is not right.

it's like having a mouse in your house and starving your cat so she will catch it - just clean up after yourself and there won't be a mouse problem in the first place.
 
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garbon2535 said:
Not feeding your pleco is not starving it! The fish has free will. If you had an endless supply of salad and someone feed you steak or pie or potatos or whever your favorite food may be, would you eat the endless supply of salad or just nibble at it every now and then?QUOTE]


Just wanted to point out here that algea is no where near something that comes in an endless supply. Especially in a properly maintained tank. Cynobacteria on the other hand can probrably be closer to becoming an endless supply and even though some people mistake it for true algea, plecos are not going to eat it.

I am willing to bet in a tank with three large plecos, algea is scarce and even if it was abundant, larger adult plecos are going to chose to suck on another fish before they get too much into eating the algea, in my opinion, since the nutrients are better from a slime coat than from algea I believe.
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Pleco's and Aquria

Hi everyone,
Thank you for all your wonderful comments. I have taken account and will use your ideas. The algae eaters are probably a good idea but at this point I really dont need more fish. Maybe one day when I get the hang of this alittle better. I am pretty sure the reason I have so much algae is the water temp (catfish love the warmth hang out on the heater) and the amount of time I keep the lights on. In the three large aquariums its on 24/7. I am going to go amd buy some timers today and limit the light to maybe 10 hours a day? Any suggestions? I dont want the plants to die either. The plants are doing really well.I had a few in the pacu tank but he had lunch and dinner. Which is okay, I am just glad he's eating (or is it a she?, can you tell?). He seems okay. ALthough he looks like he is developing a 'snot' in his nose. :( parasite maybe? My friend said he'd stop over later and check it out. When I open the door to my house and light rushes the aquarium, the pacu swims to it and stays there a good hour anticipating more. So I really dont want to limit his light to control the algae. I can always scrape out the algae, no big deal. He's funny, brushes up against my knuckles when I'm doing it. :)
I'll try the weight method for the zukes. Thanks for the recommendation. My brother had some lead sinkers in his fish box I'll use them.
Well take care everyone and thanks again for all your 'friendly' thoughts and ideas.
Best
Sara
 
I just keep SAEs in my tanks because I like them actually :) The fact that they keep most algaes at bay is an added bonus.

Between the choices of otos, plecos and the SAE, the SAE is the better choice for tanks where the amount of algae will not be steady and where you don't plan to feeding special foods or veggies. SAEs will gladly eat flakes just as much as they constantly graze for algae.

Plus they're cute and peaceful.

And inexpensive. A good addition to any tank.
 
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