best algae eater

[ChileRelleno]

out of all the "suckers" out there i think the common pl*co does the best job at cleaning algae. keep in mind they grow pretty large, but at a slow rate so one has plenty of time to upgrade to a bigger tank

Commons and a multitude of other Plecs are very badly overrated as algae eaters, when they get beyond 4-6" they start to eat less and less algae and need alot more solid veggies. As sub-adults and mature adults algae composes almost none of their actual diet, they'd much rather have some nice zuccinni.
They have even been known to attack other fish in their hunger.
Please read this thread,
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46284

 

[nursie]

If you want a pleco..get it for itself and it's unique appearance and contribution to the tank community. If you want something to effectively keep the algae off the glass..get a razorblade. And I leave the algae on the back glass anyway.

 

[SquirrelOsO]

well nomadofthehills says his has grown 4 inches in 2 months, that sounds a little bit much. that must have been exaggerated. ive been searching info on sailfin pl*co's and all info says they are slow growers, and 4 inches in 2 months is far from slow, id say thats pretty rapid.
my common pl*co took about 5 years to reach 8 inches from starting out at a one inch fish. thats not bad, still slow to me since im used to the fast growth of cichlids.
i fed mine algae wafers and shrimp pellets, he never liked zuccini but he did chow down on romaine lettuce every now and then.
as for cleaning the tanks? for me nothing beats a pl*co. i havent seen algae growth on the glass in more than a decade, those big fat lips are just perfect for scrapin' away :

 

[sumoschro]

Otos do a really good job of cleaning algae, especially for their size. You can keep a fleet of em in your aquarium and they'll keep it spic n' span. At least thats what I've observed in my aquariums over the years. I have 5 in my 30 and they do a great job.

 

[xistheshape]

Best one is the skelatol catfish small black with white dots !! fun to look at and is a GREAt cleaner at night

 

[ksimmo1]

they grow slow. it takes several years before a one incher will become a 12 incher

I bought my sailfin pleco 5 years ago when he was only an inch long, now he's pushing 12 inches. When he got too large to fit between rocks and driftwood I bought a couple of Otos who do an amazing job keeping the tank and plants algae free.

 

[SquirrelOsO]

but thats five years not 2 months! dang you people dont read

 

[daveedka]

my common pl*co took about 5 years to reach 8 inches from starting out at a one inch fish. thats not bad, still slow to me since im used to the fast growth of cichlids.

Just curious, what size tank was he in? Did he actually have room to grow to potential, or was he stunted?

but thats five years not 2 months! dang you people dont read

SquirrelOsO Please read my comments and questions, I still don't understand what you expect someone to do with an oversized fish when it does get that big. It is never wise to reccomend someone buy a fish when they know it will get too big for their tank. even if it won't get too big for their tank next month. 5 years is not a lot of time in the life of a pleco. And as said there really isn't room in that tank for a 2" pleco now. It is not a good suggestion for the situation at all.

 

[anark]

I don't know about you guys...but my common plecos grow alot faster than yours.

my big plec is just shy of 12" and less than 1.5 years old. I also have 2 more young guys at 8" and 6" which are both less than 8 months each.

maybe i overfeed mine =) ...but i've never cleaned algae off anything before.

their diet is hikari algae wafers, nutrimax complete sinking pellets and zucchini.

everynite when i turn off the lights...5 seconds later...they're on the glass =)

I also have a few ottos to take care of plants as the plecos can't stay on my plants anymore without crushing them.

Allan!

 

[Bosemani Fan]

A Bristlenose Pleco or a Madusa Head Pleco, will do great at helping control Algae!