Whats the best Algae eating fish in your opinion?

[weezel73]

Ok there are all kinds of fish that help control algae. Whats the best you have had experience with? Me, I would have to say out of all the assorted fish that thrive on algae, my pick would have to be the clown pleco, Panaque maccus . It is the only fish I have found that will clean a 55 spotless in a week or so. It will eat brown or green algae. Problem is when you have a 220 or so tank, it takes a few. I am looking for suggestions for a large tank, and a larger fish than a clown pleco., but one that does the job as well.

 

[shwank005]

I don't know about larger ones, but 3 otos keep my tank pretty clean, and they don't eat anything but the algae and spinach, not that I ever had much of an algae problem before. So I'd say a swarm of otos.

 

[Virtuoso2K12]

Otos and plecos,but snails are good too.

 

[angelfishlover]

I kept plecos till my tank ran out of algaes for them to eat and they ate my Amazon sword so yeah plecos are great put a few more clown plecos and see em breed like crazy in your 220G!!!But after they eat the algae finish give em blanched cucumbers(a.k.a boiled cucumbers).But the cucumbers usually will be shared by other bottom dwelling fishes too like cories

 

[excuzzzeme]

I would have to say my olive netrite snails are by far the most efficient. they out-perform most of my plecos and otos. Pond snails and spixi snails seem to also do a good job

 

[7itanium]

using a fish solely for maintenence purposes is bad practice.. and my worse pet peeve in this hobby

on that note.. PLECOS FTW!

 

[weezel73]

I dont use them for clean up only, I actually like the little buggers! I love the patterns on alot of plecos. So what is your way of keeping down on your algae growth, 7itanium ?

 

[Star_Rider]

hands down..for their size it has to be Otocinclus.

after that I'd go with BN's.

 

[vampie]

Probably a strange choice, but I've always found Florida flagfish and Swordtails to be amazing algae eaters... when they want to be.

 

[yhbae]

Just put all of them into your tank. SAEs, Bristlenose plecos, Otos, Floria flag fishes, black mollies and Rosy Barbs. Heck, I'd also put some Amano shrimps and Red cherry shrimps. Ramshorn snails and Nerites would be nice too.

I think you will still have some algae after all these additions.

The best solution is to make sure you fix the cause of the algae then use these fishes to control them.