I have 4 Otocinclus in my tank and they did a number on some of my plants. Other than that, they are fine. I also have 2 pairs of what are called L-Wels in German that each grow to be a maximum of 12 cm. One pair is spotted and one pair striped. Add to that about a dozen Amano Shrimp and I still have algae....
They must be tough algae... rofl
There are actually several types of algae, and some are easier to control than others. The soft green algae that grows on plants, rocks and tank sides is usually eaten by plecos, Amano shrimp and others.
There is also a hard green algae which forms a slow-growing 'crust' on rocks and tank sides. This is too hard for most fish to eat, but does not usually cause any problems except for being unsightly. In my experience it is a sign of good water quality anyway, so there is not much point in trying to stop it completely.
The hair algae forms tufts of green 'hair' on objects. Some fish will eat it, and it can also be pulled off objects it is stuck to. If there is a lot of it, fish and other animals may get tangled in it, so too much is a bad thing.
The 'green water' algae are single-celled and drift around in the water, making it green. Only filter-feeders or water changes can remove it.
Blue-green algae are not algae, but a kind of bacteria (cyanobacteria). They are dark green or blue-green, and form a slimy layer on objects which is very easily peeled off. These are very fast-growing, and nothing will eat them, so the only way to control them is to clean them off things, or to add plants and a more powerful lighting system. They don't like bright lights or competition from plants.
BatRay said:
Don't plecos tend to enjoy eating the slime coats and sometimes the scales off of goldfish and others? What would be a good algae eater to keep with goldfish and dojo loaches, or should I just give up on the idea? I'm planning to set up a tropical tank once my 40-gallon setup is complete for the goldfish and dojo loaches. The Otocinclus will live in there. The pleco will probably make a trip to the pet shop in exchange for store credit.
Some plecos will eat the slime coats and scales off other fish. This is usually because they were not fed enough, and once they have got into the habit, they will continue even if they are well fed. Most plecos in community tanks and in pet shops don't get enough food, because they are unable to compete with faster moving fish. They eat algae wafers (from pet shops), some vegetables (potato, spinach, squash and others) and other foods depending on the species. Despite looking very similar to each other, many plecos are specialist feeders and need a different diet from each other. The Zebra Pleco is a scavenger and eats mostly fish, so it needs pieces of white fish. The Panaque eats mainly wood, so it needs a plentiful supply of bogwood in the tank, as well as algae wafers. One species has even taken to spearfishing. It uses its long cheek spines to impale small fish, then waits for its prey to float to the surface before feeding on it.
I can't think of a good algae eater which can live with goldfish and dojo loaches. For a tropical tank, the Ancistrus and Otocinclus are good. If there are plants in the tank which may be damaged by plecos, another good species is the Flying Fox (
Epalzeorhynchus sp,
Crossocheilus sp.).
The fish used to treat skin disorders are not plecos, but Garra rufa, a member of the carp family. Some fish do nibble at the skin of marine mammals, but I am not sure which species. All the plecos, loaches and carp family are freshwater.
bdurrett said:
What about Mollies? Just not sure of the temp range.....
Mollies are happier at the higher end of the tropical temp range (26-30C). This means that they can't be kept with goldfish. They are also not good for a mixed tropical tank, because of their liking for a high temperature and some salt in the water. If the conditions are right, they are easy to keep and breed, and they will eat algae. The Black Mollies are beautiful fish, jet black all over, even the fins and eyes. They give birth to little miniature fish which are identical to the adults, even in colour! Some of their offspring are all-female clones, identical to their mother.