Isabella

Wassup ... I mean, HELLO everyone

Have a couple of questions regarding Otos, the true Flying Foxes (Crossocheilus Siamensis), and Bristlenose Plecos. I have read all about them and I know all three are good algae eaters. Yet, I have never had any of the three, so I would like an opinion from people who actually have or had any of these three algae eaters. I want to hear from your personal experiences, not just theory from various readings. I just want to make sure that all of these three algae eaters really WILL eat all algae kinds. Will Otos and BN plecos as well as Flying Foxes REALLY eat all kinds of algae? I don't want an algae eater that will eat only certain kinds of algae and not others. It will be simply like keeping another fish in a tank (since I'll need to feed it with normal fish food all the time if it won't eat algae).

Will any of these three algae eaters eat:
(1) Green and brown algae?
(2) Black brush algae ?
(3) Staghorn and beard algae?

In my 30 gallon tank, I have a lot of black brush algae, and I want to prevent AT ALL COSTS this type of algae from ever beginning to grow in my 75 gallon planted tank. This algae type is virtually impossible to remove from a live plant without damaging it. Also, I have - what appears to be - either staghorn or some kind of beard algae beginning to grow in my 75 gallon tank, along with a little bit of green/brown algae on tank walls. It's about time to buy algae eater(s).

What I basically want is an algae eater that will eat black brush algae, green/brown algae, and staghorn/beard algae.

Thanks up front for any help

P.S. Can any of these three algae eater kinds be mixed in one tank?

COBettaCouple

well we've just had otos and they did super at the green and brown algae - the only algae we had for them to eat.

what's better than all of those fish is small children held upside down.. they really clean the algae great. They don't care for flakes or bloodworms tho.

sgould

I have both BN and otos. They have both gone after brown algae for me, but that is the only type I have had, so I can't speak personally about the other algaes you mentioned.

Isabella

Thank you both. So, so far, Otos and BN plecos do eat green and brown algae. That's good. Actually, my fake "algae eater' (the golden/Chinese algae eater) does a superb job on green and brown algae too. Anyway, I'll wait a bit longer and see if anybody witnessed Otos and BNs eating staghorn, black brush, or beard algae. (I really hope they do eat them!)

Isabella

Just an update. I haven't bought any algae eaters(s) yet. But like I said, I've quite a lot of algae by now in the 75G tank. So I just went ahead yesterday evening and acclimatized my Chinese (golden) algae eater into my 75 gallon tank. I was acclimatizing him for over 2 hours as the pH in the 75 gallon tank is much higher than the pH in my 30 gallon tank - where I keep the golden algae eater. I don't know if he'll eat black string algae (which I appear to have) but I know he'll "purge" (lol) the tank completely from my brown/green algae. He's just like a super cleaning machine when it comes to brown/green algae. Only I wonder how long it will take him, since it's quite a sizable tank. I am guessing 2 - 3 days tops. Will see. I am also very interested in finding out if he'll eat the black string algae (I never had this kind of algae in my 30 gallon tank).

armadillo

My BN is really not doing great on the green algae. It's funny, you can see where he's been at work. But it's taking him forever as he's sooo tiny.

Otos did a miracle job though! (another tank)

Butterfly

I've had Otos and Bn's both eat everything except the staghorn algae.
carol

Isabella

Otos and BN plecos don't eat staghorn algae? But they do eat black brush algae, right? If they don't eat staghorn and black brush algae, what difference is there between them and my Golden/Chinese algae eater? He also eats everything except black brush algae, and as for the staghorn algae, I am in the process of testing him in my 75 gallon tank, heh. But I am doubtful he'll eat staghorn algae. We'll see.

P.S. The "string" algae I referred to above, are the staghorn algae. I just like to call them stringy algae, lol.

Isabella

Well, as infamous as the Golden Algae Eater is, it appears that mine has cleaned up the whole 75 gallon tank in just 2 days! There are only few small patches of green/brown algae left here and there. As for the staghorn algae, they're still there, but ... I don't know if it's just my eyes playing tricks on me, or there's a tiny bit less of them now. Will really see in a few days I guess. I think I will just leave my GAE in the 75 gallon tank for now. If Otos and BN plecos don't eat black brush algae, and if I won't be able to find the true Siamese Flying Fox (that reportedly eats black brush algae), then why not just keep my GAE in the 75 gallon tank? He eats the same algae that Otos and BN plecos eat. No difference there, is there any?

Butterfly

sounds like he had a feast and your problem is solved.
carol

Isabella

Oh yeah, he did! He seems to love the 75 gallon tank and he definitely enjoys all the space he has now. This is actually a more appropriate tank size for him.

Isabella

Well, I have almost no staghorn algae left in my 75 gallon tank. The little sucker ate almost all staghorn algae!

Now you tell me which other algae eater will beat my GAE!

From what you are saying, Otos and BNs won't eat staghorn and black brush algae. Siamese Flying Foxes are hard to find but they do eat black brush algae. My GAE does eat not only brown/green algae (that Otos and BNs eat) but also staghorn algae (that Otos and BNs don't eat).

I know GAE is reputed to be bad because it can be aggressive and suck on fish's protective slime coating. It is true IF this algae eater is fed with poor diet and doesn't have enough space to move around. If it has a good diet and a lot of space, it won't be aggressive and it won't suck on fish's slime coating. At least in my personal experience, my GAE never did those things.

So, for now, it appears I'll have to leave my GAE in the 75 gallon tank. Unless I start getting black brush algae, I won't replace him with any other algae eater.

PERIOD. (lol )