# Algae eaters



## brian93 (Sep 20, 2007)

im looking for a central or south american algae eater that wont eat any plants, and can be housed with firemouth cichlids. Any suggestions?


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Brian, unfortunately algae is a plant. The only thing you can really do is get yourself a magnetic algae scraper and keep the front glass clean. Leave the lights off most of the time and feed less.

Or get rid of your live plants, which doesn't sound like an option...

Sorry dude...


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## AU Chief (Jun 20, 2007)

Bristlenose plecosare suggest for planted tanks as they tend to leave plants alone and eat algae very efficiently.

I would suggest a shoal (6 or more) Otocinclus, also known as Dwarf Sucker Catfish. They can keep a tank pretty clean of algae, and won't hurt your plants. I keep 3 in my 55 (i would get more but the tank is already overstocked) and they do a bang-up job. They are housed with firemouths and are left alone. I would just give them plenty of places to take refuge just in case your FM's take an unwanted interest in them.


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## brian93 (Sep 20, 2007)

great! thanks for the info.


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## justshoe (Mar 13, 2008)

I would second otto's they are fairly quick to get away from SA's. I currently keep Siamese algae eaters in my 30g w/ 1FM and 2JD the fm and jd are fairly small though and i havent even a tail nip on the sae's


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## DirtyBlackSocks (Jan 24, 2008)

I'd just go with a bristlenose or two - they're tough, firemouths will generally ignore them, and they do a better job of algae control then otto's - they're also a lot less sensitive to poor water conditions if problems arise.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

I would say it depends on your plant species ... I've had bristlenose that demolished various stem plants but leaves anubias, swords, crypts and ferns. If I had a lot delicate stem plants, I'd go the otos ...


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## brian93 (Sep 20, 2007)

*** got anubias, swords, a cypt, and eventually some vallisneria. i think ill go for the bn pleco.


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