# Pleco/catfish recommendations for algae?



## beachtan (Sep 25, 2008)

I have 17 cichlids in a 55 gal and do frequent water changes but have brown/green algae growing on anubias and rocks. food settles into gravel as well, I'm sure. I have not purchase a pleco or catfish yet. Lfs said to get a bristlenose - but sorry - just too ugly. I'll get one if its the only option, but theres gotta be something "prettier". I've seen flash, brazillian, leopard, and gold nugget plecos-love them. but heard they dont clean much. my glass is fuzzing up very slightly too so I'm going to need to get something now. can you give me a couple options of what to add? my fish are 1.5" - 2.5".

So, to sum it up:
Q: What combination of 'attractive' plecos & catfish will get the job done?


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## MACK74 (Mar 10, 2005)

I keep albino bushy nose plecos. I think they do the best job. I put 5 1 inch ones in a heavly alge tank and in 1 day it was as clean as the day it was set up. I keep them in all my tanks now.


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## Dave (Feb 9, 2003)

I really do not see the need to add a flashy pleco for a utility job. Malawi fish have been known to be very aggressive towards plecos, with the plecos ending up beaten, blind, or dead. The BN pleco is fairly well armored, small, and does a great job with algae, not to meantion that they are much cheaper than the others you are considering. For my money, the BN is the way to go. So what if it doesn't look great, you often do not see the plecos out and about much anyway.


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## chapman76 (Jun 30, 2004)

The normal ones really aren't that bad. You can get a female that doesn't have a whole lot of the bushy part on the nose if that's what bugs you. I admit, I thought they were pretty ugly when I first got them. Now, I really like most of my bristlenose. I have a longfin female that takes care of one of my fry tanks. She is beautiful. You'd be hard pressed to prettier fish out there.

In my 75g tank I have an L075 or L134 I believe. A para pleco. Expensive and gets 8-10", but I've never had a drop of algae in that tank. He's about 11 years old now I think.


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## beachtan (Sep 25, 2008)

ok. so I wont see those bristlenose monsters much?? I guess "utility fish" is a good way to look at it and my tank is getting pretty grungy. What about cats to get the rotting food at substrate level? I saw a pic of clown loaches, but researched it to be a bad idea. and maybe the cichlids would beat up on the cats... You are all so helpful! Thanks! :thumb:


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## chapman76 (Jun 30, 2004)

Your best bet catfish wise would be:

Synodontis multipuntatus, petricola, lucipinnis, or eupterus

Those are the most common ones. Lucipinnis stay the smallest and eupterus get the largest. The thing with the first three is that they're best in groups. The more the merrier. Eupterus can go either way. Some like being solo. Some like a buddy. I've never had good luck longer term in alkaline tanks with eupterus. It's almost like their flesh begins to melt after a few years.

I've got 15+ lucipinnis in a 75g tank and they're fun to watch. They're always out and about playing. I've heard from others though that theirs hide a lot. In groups of 6 or less, they did hide more with me. Now that I have so many, they're pretty much always seen.


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## beachtan (Sep 25, 2008)

Ok thanks!


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