10 Of the best algae eater for your aquarium
- Apr 09, 2023
- Anshika Mishra
- 286 0 0
Here is the list of the top 10 hardest, easiest to care for, and the most effective algae eaters.
Pest Snails
We are talking about the bladder snails, Malaysian trumpet snails, and Ram's Horn snails. They are part of the natural ecosystem of the aquarium, where they not only break down the organics in the aquariums but also will algae off your aquarium walls, plant leaves, and hardscapes.
The snails are great at consuming the melting leaves so that the algae can take advantage of no excessive nutrients in the water.
To control the population, make sure to feed them well.
Nerite Snails
They come in all different sizes, from 0.5-1.5 inches in diameter and colors, and the best thing is that they will not breed out of control since they need brackish or saltwater for egg hatching.
They are excellent algae eaters and are great at eating green spot algae. However, their diet sometimes needs calcium and minerals for healthy shells.
Bristlenose Pleco
The pet industry popularizes these fishes because they are often sold as great algae eaters at pet stores. But be careful about which one you get because some varieties of Pleco don't eat algae. Instead, they prefer meat and wood.
You can go for Bristlenose Pleco since they are great and about 4-5 inches long. They are easy to breed but don't just eat algae; you'll need to feed them.
Siamese Algae Eater
These fishes end up getting pretty big - about 6 inches. They are great at eating black-hair algae and leftover food.
They can get territorial, so only get one per 50-gallon tank. If you want them to eat algae, fast for a week, and they'll start munching on it.
Amano Shrimp
These shrimps are very voracious compared to other dwarf shrimps. So if you have an army and don't feed them a lot, they'll attack the plants, even Blackbeard algae.
Like the nerite snails, they will not breed out of control; they also need brackish saltwater and wouldn't cross-breed with your cherry shrimps. So make sure you keep the water full of minerals.
Otocinclus
They are about a 2-inch sucker mouth type of catfish and can do great in a school. They are great at cleaning flatter surfaces like glass broad and plant leaves.
Many of them are wild-caught. So always pick out the fish with rounded bellies and feed them well in your tank.
Molies
They are livebearers and are great because they constantly scavenge around the aquarium for leftover food and algae.
Their mouth is flat and perfect for just bitting onto hair types of algae. However, they do need hard water. So please keep them in high-mineral water, or they might develop many diseases.
Flagfish
If you are looking for an algae eater for an unheated tank, this would be a good inch and have the perfect flat mouth. Unfortunately, they can sometimes accidentally manage fragile leaves and plants.
Borneo Sucker Loach
A great oddball creature. You don't necessarily need to keep them in a fast-current river with various types of tanks. They do perfectly well in our regular community aquariums. They are pretty peaceful
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