# ??cleaner fish??which ones??



## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

Hello everyone,
i have algae growing and i want it to be managed before it gets out-of-hand. it is in one small part of my tank and i dont like the look of it at all it looks dirty and nasty. i AM A CLEAN-FANATIC LOL. (when it comes to my tanks).

So which fish look really nice and will get along with a big fish, also they would have to be able to have others of its kind in the same tank?? just about two of them only just to suck on the glass walls and just get rid of the algae.

i want small ones but something that an Oscar wont even eat or pick at or injure because my betta has just no luck with mates?

(((PLEASE DONT SUGGEST ANY PLECO'S))) THEY GET TOO BIG


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## Jessiefish (Oct 2, 2009)

We have a Chinese algae eater that we pass around from tank to tank as cleaning is needed and he's an amazing cleaner. I usually take my betta out while he's doing his thing, though -- just in case.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

Jessiefish said:


> We have a Chinese algae eater that we pass around from tank to tank as cleaning is needed and he's an amazing cleaner. I usually take my betta out while he's doing his thing, though -- just in case.


can you take a picture of him/her and let me see what it looks like??


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

what kind of fish is this??


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## Adastra (Jun 18, 2010)

Before we can make recommendations you should tell us the size of the tank and what other tankmates it has. Keep in mind that you're really not getting rid of the mess by adding "cleaner fish"--you're simply turning copious amount of algae into copious amounts of poop all over everything. It would be best to simply figure out the source of the algae--which is likely a combination of too much light, and too much nitrates. Try changing more water and keeping your light on for a shorter period of time, definitely no more than eight hours a day. Plants may help too, however oscars tend to tear through most plants, so you'd be limited to hornwort and java moss. If you don't like the mess, then prevention would be the best way of dealing with it. Snails can also be very effective, nerites cannot reproduce very well in freshwater, so you could add a few without worrying about a population explosion.

The above fish looks like an otoclinus--these fish are social and must be kept in groups. They are wild caught and only eat a small range of algae--so even if you have a lot of algae, if you have the wrong kind these fish won't help and will simply starve to death in your tank--that is, if the oscar doesn't just eat them.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

Adastra said:


> Before we can make recommendations you should tell us the size of the tank and what other tankmates it has. Keep in mind that you're really not getting rid of the mess by adding "cleaner fish"--you're simply turning copious amount of algae into copious amounts of poop all over everything. It would be best to simply figure out the source of the algae--which is likely a combination of too much light, and too much nitrates. Try changing more water and keeping your light on for a shorter period of time, definitely no more than eight hours a day. Plants may help too, however oscars tend to tear through most plants, so you'd be limited to hornwort and java moss. If you don't like the mess, then prevention would be the best way of dealing with it. Snails can also be very effective, nerites cannot reproduce very well in freshwater, so you could add a few without worrying about a population explosion.
> 
> The above fish looks like an otoclinus--these fish are social and must be kept in groups. They are wild caught and only eat a small range of algae--so even if you have a lot of algae, if you have the wrong kind these fish won't help and will simply starve to death in your tank--that is, if the oscar doesn't just eat them.


okay so ill just try to use less light and ur suggestions.


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## SemioticSleep (Mar 31, 2010)

You should get a snail! They are so cute!!


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

SemioticSleep said:


> You should get a snail! They are so cute!!


hes but i thought they help MAKE messes lol


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## Astro277 (Jul 18, 2010)

they do, how big is the tank your wanting to add to?


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## Welsh (Apr 13, 2010)

Jessiefish said:


> We have a Chinese algae eater that we pass around from tank to tank as cleaning is needed and he's an amazing cleaner. I usually take my betta out while he's doing his thing, though -- just in case.


I have two golden algae eaters, they are incredible. I put one in my empty 4 gallon to clean and it was spotless in one night. The thing is, they grow to about 6 inches and sometimes even bigger which no1 told me and they can turn aggressive, I have had mine for about 2 months now and I haven't had a problem, they seem very timid and like to hide under my driftwood, they work better at night IME and act very skittish in the day. IMO these are way better than a pleco but you just need adequate room.

Another algae eater you could get would be an oto or depending on the size of your tank possibly 3 or more.

The fish someone posted looks to my like a SAE or flying fox, I have a flying fox but they don't do very much at all.


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

Astro277 said:


> they do, how big is the tank your wanting to add to?


10 gallon


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## bettalover2033 (Feb 17, 2010)

Welsh said:


> I have two golden algae eaters, they are incredible. I put one in my empty 4 gallon to clean and it was spotless in one night. The thing is, they grow to about 6 inches and sometimes even bigger which no1 told me and they can turn aggressive, I have had mine for about 2 months now and I haven't had a problem, they seem very timid and like to hide under my driftwood, they work better at night IME and act very skittish in the day. IMO these are way better than a pleco but you just need adequate room.
> 
> Another algae eater you could get would be an oto or depending on the size of your tank possibly 3 or more.
> 
> The fish someone posted looks to my like a SAE or flying fox, I have a flying fox but they don't do very much at all.


what i want is a fish that will not be nipped at or bother a betta. and that not even an oscar has interest in.


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