Algae eater tank mate for pea puffers?

I wanted to set up a 12 gallon tank for two pea puffers, and thought it would be a good idea to add some algae eaters. Does anyone know what tank mates I could add?
It would be a heavily planted tank.

 

I’ve seen people keeping otocinclus with pea puffers but I’d probably stick to a species only set up. A new set up isn’t going to provide enough algae and biofilm to sustain them either.

 

I wanted to set up a 12 gallon tank for two pea puffers, and thought it would be a good idea to add some algae eaters. Does anyone know what tank mates I could add?
It would be a heavily planted tank.

I kept Amazon Pea Puffers a while back and the tank “cleaners” that lived with them were about 4 Otocinclus and about 5-7 kuhli loaches. You can also go for bristlenose catfishes, but try to avoid the long fin ones since the puffers might nip on their fins.

 

From what I heard on this forum, otos need a bigger tank, because there wouldn't be enough Algae for the amount of otos to feel comfortable. Is that true/

 

It's usually better to balance plants, nutrients, and light to control algae, but if you want a nerite snail would probably work.

 

It's usually better to balance plants, nutrients, and light to control algae, but if you want a nerite snail would probably work.

Don't pea puffers eat snails?

 

Don't pea puffers eat snails?

They eat small snails, but I think they're too small to bother nerites. Someone may correct me.

 

ok. Thanks for the help