Bill

Hi,

I want to add something that will eat algae to my tank, but I can't choose! Please help

I have about 6" worth of fish space that I can fill with algae eater(s).

The basic choices are:

Clown plec
Bristlenose plec
3 otos

...Plus a couple of amano shrimps.

From what I've been able to find out, both clowns and bristlenoses do't get any larger than 6 inches. Otos are 1.7" each, but I have to keep more than one of them for them to be happy and clean the tank well.

My 160L tank is still new (the first fish were only added yesterday), and I've heard that otos are very delicate fish, not hardy at all, so I shouldn't add them till a good while later on. I'd like to add my algae eater fairly soon, as the next fish into the tank in maybe a week or so. Also, ideally otos should apparently be in an even bigger group to keep them happy (like 6 to 8) which I can't fit in my tank. They're also not very interesting to look at (well, all fish are really, but I'd rather have one brown fish than several in terms of tank space).

So, I'm leaning towards a plec.... the bristlenoses seem the most interesting, but the LFS told me that they get larger than the clowns. Any owners out there who could tell me a bit more about the advantages/disadvantages of each type?

It basically comes down to this:

Which, out of 3 otos, 1 clown plec or on BN plec, would do the best job at cleaning my tank, be hardiest, be happiest in my tank and live for a long time?

Thanks! ^^

~Bill

*edit* There are also loads of different loaches in my LFSs, kuhlis, zebra botias, borneo suckerfish, clowns... one of those might be nice, but do they eat algae, or only root around in the substrate?

Butterfly

I have bristlenose and have bred bristlenose and the biggest I have had is about 5 inches. They really do a great job on algae where as a reg plec will sometimes quit eating algae as it gets older.
Carol

Bill

Yeah, definitely top of the list so far... Also, little ones are only ?2.95 at my lfs (just under $6), so they're cheap too

And slightly off topic, but ..how long do you think I should wait with my guppies and platies only in the tank before adding a BN/neons/a gourami? The guy at the lfs said just to keep monitoring the levels for maybe a week, which I am (everything's constant, ammonia 0ppm, nitrite 0ppm, nitrate 7.5ppm) I did a 40%-ish water change yesterday, then added guppies, then added platies and a swordtail today. As no water parameters seem to be fluctuating, would it still be ok to add the less hardy species now? I'm worried that the bacteria's supply of ammonia might run a little low because I'm not feeding the fish nearly as much flakes as I was "feeding" the tank during cycling. I really would like to add the rest of my fish before I go on holiday again

Thanks!

Butterfly

I would wait until ammonia and nitrites are both at 0 for at least 24 hrs before adding anything else. If you are going to add otos I would wait even a little longer as they need a mature tank.
Loaches are really cool and need to be in groups of three or more. They will eat snails but not algae.
Carol

Bill

Only 24 hours? Awesome! I think I'll make it 48 to give the platies and swordtail a little more time to settle in before introducing another fish, they're very shy at the moment, especially the swordtail. I think it'll be the pleco next because neons and rams are delicate, and gouramis are territorial. thanks for the advice!

Butterfly

Watch the ammonia and Nitrites closely even after you add new fish.
Carol

Bill

28.07.07 - 40% water change, 7 guppies added

Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 7.5ppm

29.07.07 - 3 platies and a swordtail added

Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 7.5ppm

30.07.07

Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 7.5ppm

Looking good so far?

Next in, I've decided, will be 6 Red Eye or other similarly hardy tetras. Not enough algae for the plec yet I'll test tomorrow, and if everything's fine, I'll got and get some more fish!

armadillo

Hi Bill. Have you ever seen ammonia and nitrites in your tank? I am sorry I didn't go that far back in the thread but the last couple of results showed none. Just to warn you that that is what it will look like at the start of cycling a tank: ammonia and nitrites = 0; nitrates = some. Ignore me if you actually did have nite/ammonia

Bill

Yes, the tank has cycled ^^

When I first tested, it was ammonia 0.25ppm, nitrite 0.25ppm, nitrate 7.5ppm.... stayed pretty much the same for a few days, feeding it with flakes, then I left a piece of cloth in the goldfish tank and added that to my filter, left a feeder block int here and went on holiday for a week I think all the spikes must have happened while I was away, because when I got back it was 0ppm, 0ppm, 7.5ppm. It's stayed like that for 3 days, even with the introduction of 11 fish!

Bill

Got a bristlenose! So cool... I can hear its teeth against the glass while it's sucking algae off!

armadillo

Great stuff, Bill! I'd love a BN. I'd like to get an albino.

plecolover

how bout a rubberlip they only grow 6 in too. though ive only had one rubberlip and it died in 2 hrs so I dont know much about them?

Cody

i would go for the ottos or a bristle nose