penance

Do oto's clean an algae filled tank pretty well?

I definitely don't want a pleco and the flying fox I had never ate algae, he only got fat and bossed other fish around lol

Are cory catfish a good choice as well?

I thought about snails but I don't want the snails to get overpopulated so that's a no

I'm leaving to go fish shopping in a few minutes but I couldn't decide

sirdarksol

Cories don't eat algae.
Otos do an okay job, but they're difficult to keep alive.

The best remedy for algae is nitrate control and elbow grease. Otos, shrimp, snails, plecos, and other algae eaters are kind of like final polishing agents. You keep things clean, they keep things sparkling.

penance

Thanks ... otos is it then ... I thought I was doing an okay job at keeping my tank in check until I noticed my whole right side of the tank covered in algae, my lone bamboo shrimp is tired and has retired his fans for the time being lol

serissime

If you like otos, you could get a couple. They eat algae, but not really like madmen. They need at least 3 in a school. Their fragility stems mostly from questionable capturing methods from the wild and often insufficient care at the store. If they last at least 2 months, they are probably going to be fine. If you don't really care for otos, though, no point in buying them, may as well just keep the tank clean on your own. They aren't going to eat all types of algae. I think they are adorable and I'd love to have some, but alas, I don't have algae problems in tanks where they could live.

sirdarksol

Good luck.
Remember that they are very sensitive to water quality. Proper acclimation is very important (okay, it's important for every fish, but it's even more so for otos).

penance

Thanks guys, I'll keep this thread updated

I don't mind maintaining my own tank but I figured I would share the work with a fish who doesn't mind working either

serissime

Yup, I really like algae eaters. Wish I had more space/algae. I wasn't calling you lazy

Tavel

I don't think you'd have any problems with a chinese algae eater. They sometimes attack large fish and can be territorial. But you don't have any large fish and your tank should be big enough to mitigate territorial behavior. I just don't know about your live plants, it might eat those.

I suggest a CAE because they do an AMAZING job at cleaning the tank. They're like an O.C.D. cleaning lady, your tank will be spotless with no effort.

But again, CAE's come with their own set of problems so you'll have to weigh those against having a shiney tank all the time.

sirdarksol

Tavel: Silver dollars are prime targets for CAEs who have acquired the taste for slime coat. They are large, with broad sides to latch onto.

penance

I ran out of time yesterday to go fish shopping but this afternoon I made phone calls to my 3 closest petco's and they didn't have them in stock, one SA didn't even know what fish I was talking about -.- and my LFS said to call back wednesday to see if he'll have them.

I really want an oto now! >.< lol

Tavel

You're right, i was thinking silver dollars were only 3" - 4". but they are 6"-7", which is large enough to elicit the interest of the CAE.

Oh well.

suemvb

If you are getting otos I would get about 6 of them. They're so small I hardly see them. They are usually behind a plant somewhere. I've read that starvation is a problem for lots of otos so you may need to supplement their diet with algae wafers.

babyblu

I personally love Oto's and have only lost 1 out of the 7 we've purchased (we have 5 in our 60 gal. and 2 in our 20 gal.). I think they do a great job at maintaining the rocks, leaves of plants, and sometimes the filter, bog wood, or even the heater (gasp). We clean our tanks regularly, but the oto assistance is nice... plus, they really are neat to watch. I love the little guys.

Odd that a fish store didn't know what an otocinclus was.

Fishies-for-me

I bought 10 otos -4 months ago. I lost 2 the 1st week in QT and the rest seem super healthy and hardy....I love them.

penance

The SA thought I was saying pleco and I said "No, oto, O T O" spelling it out lol

I'm going to try another LFS today after work, I've never been to this store considering their really bad reviews but I'm getting desparate, I really don't want to drive too far today because I've been driving like crazy Sunday and Monday.

sirdarksol

CAEs still could work, of course, but you'd have to be sure they never got a chance to taste slime coat, and you'd have to be ready to move them at a moment's notice.

penance

I thought CAEs were aggressive or semi aggressive? I know my flying fox was

serissime

CAE are very active fish and they are known to be at least semi-aggressive. Is your aquarium info up to date? I'm curious as to how your DP does in your community setup.