# Algae eater recommendations?



## Maui 808 (Nov 25, 2010)

Hey guys,

I've had my 29 gallon FW tank running for about 3 years now. I left for college (dad takes care of it for me) and returned to find my tank with a lot of algae. I bought a pair of otocinclus but 3 days later and found my pair of bolivian beating one of the two to death. I've had otos in the past but they haven't lasted long in my experience.

Anyways, in my tank I have 2 full grown male Kribs and a pair (male/female) of bolivian rams. Im looking for suggestions on a tough algae eater that could live with these cichlids. Are plecos the only other option? Not too fond of them, but I might get one if they stay relatively small.

Thanks


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## LordDracula (Aug 4, 2010)

Get 1 or 2 Ancistrus, they look like pleco but grow to a maximum of around 4 inch only.


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## Manoah Marton (Feb 17, 2009)

SAE are the best thing since sliced bread.


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## Maui 808 (Nov 25, 2010)

Will the SAE become aggressive when they get bigger? Along with the kribs and rams I have 3 congo tetras and a number of smaller tetras


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

SAE's prefer to be kept in a group and they are not a small fish. It would not be ideal to keep them in a 29G.

Maybe OP is thinking of CAE which _are _reputed to get aggressive. In general I do not hear that about SAE. They _are _supposed to be a great algae eater in planted tanks.


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## 748johnd (Jun 30, 2007)

I have 3 Siamese algae eaters (had 4,but somehow one managed to jump out of the tank) in a heavily planted 90g tank and they are great algae eaters and do not bother anyone. They like to be in groups and generally stay together and they do get too large for a 29g. I also have nerite snails and they are super algae eaters. They do lay eggs, but the eggs need to be in brackish or salt water in order to hatch. The only other fish in the 90g are 5 tiger barbs and 2 otocinclus so I don't know how the Kribs or Bolivian rams would get along with SEAs.

Manoah, I think the two best things since sliced bread are surface skimmers and MagClips. SAEs aren't bad either.


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