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Hi

im looking for an algae eater to form part of my 'clean up' crew.

I have a med planted 20g tank currently stocked with 2 bolivian rams 2 zebra danios, 2 pearl danios and 6 albino cories running a eheim classic 2213 cannister filter with weekly 25% water changes/gravel vacs...

can anyone suggest something that will eat the algae from the glass and plants and still fit nicely into the tank?

Thanks!

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Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

4-5 ottos would fit very well imho

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"That's the trouble with political jokes in this country... they get elected!" -- Dave Lippman

Thanks for your quick reply!

ottos do look like they will fit perfectly. would 4 of them make the tank overstocked or comfortable?

i dont recall seeing them in the LFS but will have to keep an eye out for them!

any other suggestions are welcome as well!

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Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

-ottos are good, just remember they tend to be sensitive to water quality. 4 should be fine in your tank.

- CAE are a smaller algae eatter only reaching 12 inches, but even at a small size they are aggressive.

-common plecos are very common at lfs but like u know, they can reach over 24 inches.

-fancy pleco, generally dont eat algae that well, but will often stay small.

so i would go with the ottos and take my chances.

Moondog beat me to that reply. Just make sure there is plenty of natural food for them first. Also when buying them check to see that they are healthy and fat not starved in LFS tank that do not know to care for them.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
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Thanks for all your replies!


Looks like the ottos are the winners! ive never kept them before so will do some research before i head out and search for them . Rams are sensitive to water changes/parameters so im careful so the ottos should hopefully be fine.

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Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

Ottos!!! I have 4 in my tank, they are so awsome, althougth they seem to hide a bit sometimes. I don't tyhink they are as sensitive as everyone says. Mine are a bit "plump" or well fed on just algea and hikari sinking algae wafers.Ottos are the best fish ever!!!Or, I'm just an otto freak...Go with ottos for sure!Mine love java moss and anubias nano so if u have eaither they will be thrilled! Hope that helps.

just to add on feeding, my ottos wont touch algae waffers, but they love spinach. i just attach it to a suction cup and they will eat it. worth a try.

thanks for all your advice!

at the moment i have quite a bit of algae on the glass and plant leaves so im hoping it will munch on that first.. also have anubuis nano in the tank so that looks like a plus!

as far as feeding goes will they eat what i feed my other fish (flakes, brine shrimp pellets) i do plan to try to algae wafers which my cories love as well as well as fresh foods such as spinach lettuce and zucchini. oh i cant wait getting really excited! might go and try some LFS on the saturday!

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Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

Go with ottos! I love these guys. Bristlenose plecos are good algae eaters, but they poop alot! Probably too much for a 20g tank. You're understocked, so a BN would work if you can't find the ottos...but just beware of the waste. They also get pretty big...about 5 inches...so it may look huge in a 20g tank.

For food I'd get some algae wafers...if the ottos won't eat them, the cories will. My panda cories, albino cories, and ottos tear up some algae wafers. The ottos in my 29g will also eat shrimp pellets...go figure. As long as there is algae in the tank, they will most likely just eat that. That's how the ones in my 55g are. They won't touch algae wafers. Its good to have some on hand though and it won't be a waste.

*Kristin*

This Otocinclus link might be of some help to you.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

Thanks for all your great advise and that link keith!
will be doing some reading up and hopefully will find some tomorrow!

/:'

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Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

i managed to go down the LFS on the weekend and picked up 2 ottos (it was all they had) but i think two seems to be just the right number!
they are so tiny and cute i love them!

they seem to be settling in just fine.
ill try n take some picks and post them!

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Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

Yea, I'd definately second (or in this case, 4th or 5th?) the otto motion...

But 2 isn't a big enough group, I don't think. They generally prefer more company, and they will tend to be rather intimidated/paranoid all the time, so they'll probably spend a lot of their time toward the back of the tank.

Ottos will show their true coloUrs if they're in a large group (8 seems to have been the right number for me). They'll swim around in a big school and munch on all the algae all over the place, etc... it's really quite a sight to see...

I'd reccomend picking up more ottos when the LFS gets them in. You'll love them even more when they're happy(er!)

Just be sure that they are big enough not to be eaten by your rams, as the rams can choke on the ottos and die if they try to eat them. That's what happened with one of my Geophagus tapajos (american cichlid) and one of my ottos... I did some research on things like that happening, and learned that it wasn't too uncommon...

Have fun

sorry this is a bit off topic but i noticed you said you have 2 bolivian rams, then later you said

Rams are sensitive to water changes/parameters so im careful so the ottos should hopefully be fine.

bolivian rams IME are very hardy, its the blue rams that are sensitive to water peremeters.

on topic, i had three ottos in my 30G and they were fine.

its a sad day...i found one of my ottos dead this morning
i only missed one weekend water change as i thought i would let them settle in first. I didnt think one was such a big deal when i do them without fail every other weekend. im gng to do a change/clean when i get home tonite so hopefully the other one will be fine.

they were so cute.. im gng to see if i can find another 2 so ill have at least 3 in the tank. might go for 4 if they have enough of them in stock. these were a bit expensive at the place i went i paid $10 for each of them.

i dont know what went wrong.. im gng to test the water tonite as well and see where it all went wrong!

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Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

I'm sorry about losing your otto! Wow $10. That sounds like alot here but I'm not sure what the exchange is in US$.

Here is a tip, if you didn't do it already. Pick the fattest ottos in the tank. If they are all really skinny, don't buy any. I've made that mistake before and lost a couple.

I have only one otto in my 10g and he's been alone for a few months now. He looks different than the ottos in my 29g and lighter in color, but I think its just because he's a different type. He hangs out on the front glass and the plants and doesn't seem too depressed. I plan on eventually getting him a couple friends before I move him to another tank and tear down the 10g, but right now he doesn't seem too bad off. So hopefully your lone otto will be ok until you can get him some friends.

*Kristin*

Thanks for that tip ill definately keep it in mind for the next time i purchase them. they were only 2 in the tank when i got these little guys so there wasnt a choice on them but they are pretty skinny ones.

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Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

$10 for an otto
I only pay $3.50 for mine.

im stunned at those prices, ottos here are usually £1 each or 5 for £4
i need to get more for my 70g