cleaner fish!!

[aidanchick]

I need some ideas for what kinda of cleaner fish I should get. My Plecostomus died approx. 2 weeks ago due to high PH levels (I believe that was the problem) and well.. I have no other cleaner fish in my tank. and it's getting alot of alge in it.

Can someone give me advice to what type of fish I should get? What other alge eating fish are out there? I'm looking for something small and efficiant.  

 

[jbfootin]

I've heard good things about otos but they need to be in a tank with community fish.  I tried to ad some to my cichlid tank and they were seen as tasty treats for my frontosas and peacocks.  Loaches do great for getting old food and such but will not eat alge.  I think plecos are the best as far as surviving tank mates.  As long as the pleco doesn't become the fish that the others fear.  (see murder in ol london town)

Jay

 

[tabby360]

Otos are great fish but their small so you may need a few. Cae And Sae are also supposible good algea eaters but mr cae always tried to attack my swordtails.

 

[Pooky125]

My oto does a great job on my brown algae.. but they don't really like blue/green.. I've also heard good things about Chinese Plecos/hillstream loaches, but personally, I've never had much luck...  My oto lives with a gourami, tetras, a kuhli and some livebearers, and none of them ever bother him..

 

[catfishmike]

i doubt that your ph was the cause if so than your ph is likey to kill any ohter fish you have.have you tested your ph?if so,what is it?mine is 7.4 to7.8 and my fish are ok.does your lfs have?if it is diffrent? puls plecos can be very demanding on the aquarist reply back if you can. do you still have that 10 gal. you spoke of on you post if so thats too small.mine is in a 30 gal. and i need a bigger one soon.

 

[koolkatzfish]

If you have a 10 gallon, go with an oto or two, when buying get fat active ones.  A pl*co is too big for a 10.  If you have a larger tank, you could go with a siamese algae eater or a bristlenose catfish, both get around 5" long and are good workers.  Stay away from the chinese algae eaters, they get aggressive and some will attach to fish as they get older.   The hong kong or hill stream loach is not an algae eater, they eat the microscopic bugs in the algae and need very special water conditions or will die.  They need very clean water and strong current.
Another alternative for a small tank are algae eating or ghost shrimp.  They are pretty cool looking and very good scavengers.  

 

[Matt Nace]

aidanchick-- Your pleco most likely, did not die from the Ph.

You should find out what is high in your tank(ammonia, nitrIte, nitrAte) What is the temp? Was there enough algae for him?

I suggest a rubber pleco(Chaetostoma sp)