Get Algae Fish

Many types of aquarium fish are as useful as they are entertaining. One type to consider is algae eating fish. These benthic level munchers will spend most of their time on the bottom of the tank, away from other fish. At night they will come up and scour the tank of algae and help keep it clean. Many will also eat waste produced by the other species in your aquarium. With these guys in your tank, you will find that you will have to clean your tank a lot less frequently.

One of the best reasons to get algae eating fish is that they are compatible with most other tank mates-even betas! Due to their passive personalities, they do not cause territorial issues with other fish.

Some of the common types of algae eating fish that you can get include: plecostomus, Chinese algae eaters, corydorus, otocinclus catfish, and snails. Each one has their own benefits.

Plecos are hardy and can eat large amounts of algae, but they also grow fast and get quite large. They come in three colors, black, brown, or albino.

Chinese algae eaters are moderately hardy and efficient, but they do not get very big, and have a white bottom with greenish-brown top and a black stripe down their center.

A corydorus will eat just about anything they come across, including fish waste, but also do not get big. They are usually grayish-green, but there are also albinos available. Snails, despite their speed, are very active and consume large amounts of algae every day. They don't, however, get rid of waste and can over reproduce.

Be careful which type of snail you choose, most pet stores do not sell the parasitic kind, so they will be fine in your tank. Once they have eaten all the algae in the tank, most algae eating fish will need a supplemental diet to survive.

These diets can include sinking pellets, blood worms, and brine shrimp. Always remember that if you get too many algae fish, or any other type of fish, algae production will become too great for even algae eaters to keep up with. This is due to the nitrates and carbon dioxide produced by the fish in their waste, which plants feed on.

The average rule is to keep no more than one tropical fish per gallon, preferably at different benthic levels. Also, remember that getting algae eating fish will not remove algae in the water, only what is on surfaces.