search for realy good algae eather(s) in my new 800L tank

[roel jansen]

Hello,

I've just started-up my new 800 Liter tank and I am looking for 2(or a small group) real GOOD algae eathers which will keep my glass and wood free of algae.

I hope people here can advise me..

a few facts about my tank that should be kept in mind:
I've got a Discusfish tank whith water at a temp of 28 degrees Celcius, PH= 7.2
I'm attached to my plants, i've got only a few so I'm not looking for a fish that is going to destroy these plants.
The new fish should be social in his behavior to my other tank inhabitants, like: Discusfish, Brochis, clownbotia's, Kardinal Tetra's and a few Japonica Shrimps.

I would like my Discusfish to still be the King of the Tank so please advise specicies that are not going to out grow my Discusfish.

you're suggestions are verry much apriciated
best regards Roel

[Bas Pels]

I would advise the common Ancistrus. it is a trustworthy algae eater, and friendly towards other fishes.

Most likely you will not often see them, but they will not get much bigger than 10 cm, and they are blackish. Thus no real competion for your discus (remarcably, most people prefer beautiful fish, and you inquire after fishes not too beautifull )

Regarding the number, I'd say 2 or 3. However, as dicus water comes close to their preferred water, I'd advise to take only males, in order to prevent an Ancistrus explosion (it has happened)

The common Ancistrus is easily sexed: females don't have a mustache (what's new ) males do, starting to grow at 5 or 6 cm

So you better don't get tiny ones

[MatsP]

I agree with those suggestions.

However, I would suspect two things will prevent an Ancistrus explosion in such a tank:
1. The temperature is on the high side for breeding Ancistrus [it's an excellent tempterature to grow out babies], so unless you do water changes with lower temperature water, you are unlikely to get a spawn.
2. Newly "fledged" ancistrus babies are excellent snacks for Discus, so it's unlikely that many babies survive the first 24-48 hours in the tank.

Of course, it's much safer to have just males - that way you don't have the odd survivor in the tank. But it shouldn't be a big problem to keep one female with two males or such.

--
Mats

[Birger]

You probably know this, but it will be your clown botia(Chromobotia macracanthus) If that is what you meant.....that will outgrow your discus...they get rather large in comparison to the other fish on your list.

Birger

[apistomaster]

As a Discus breeder, I use Ancistrus sp 3 as my standard algae eater.
I also raise Ancistrus so I always have them in all different sizes so I use smaller specimens with very young Discus fry and only one adult male in my planted
Heckel tank.

I breed the Ancistrus 3 at about 80*F in trios given their own tank. They will breed at 84*F in Discus tanks so I recommend not keeping pairs or trios with Discus because the number of fry can become a nuisance. One adult Ancistrus in a 75 to 100 gallon tank will control the edible algae. Otocinclus can be added to help clean the more delicate leaves found on some plants.

[bslindgren]

I have three Ancistrus triradiatus in a much smaller tank, and they do a decent (but not perfect) job on green algae. If you have black brush or black hair algae they won't work, though. The true siamese algae eaters do a good job on that, but apparently they are best when small - as they mature they lose interest. They also grow to 6 inches (15 cm), so I don't know how well they would mix with discus. My otos seem to work away at green algae as well, and remain small, but perhaps too small for discus. Not sure.

And I agree with Birger - clown loaches are probably not the best companions for discus, as they get to about a foot or more in length eventually.

[bushynose_cory]

How about otos? Either the affinis or the zebra, both are cute, hard-working, small and have access to the spaces where ancistrus can't reach.