Need advice .. fish selection ...

[alleghator]

I have just started a 10-gallon tank. I currently have 3 zebra danios and 2 serpae. Eventually I'd like to add something that will eat alage and/or something to live in the bottom half of the tank (so far my current fish seem to hang near the middle or top of the water).

I've heard a pleco will quickly grow too big for my space. And, I'm not sure I want to expand to additional or larger tanks for some years.

Any thoughts? How long should I wait after startying the tank for sufficient algae, etc. to build before adding something to eat it?

--Heidi

 

[KeepingTheBeat]

You might want to think about chinese algae eaters or kuhli loaches. They will live in the bottom part of your tank. I don't know how far along you are in the cycling process, but you can add algae eaters before you have algae as long as you feed them.

 

[FroggyFox]

I got two ottos for my 10 Gallon tank just a couple weeks ago...they're doing a great job of keeping the algae off the sides of the tank...and also only get to be about 2 inches.

If you're finding that you have a lot of extra "yuck" in your tank you might want to get some panda cories or another kind of cory...they stay pretty small and are bottom feeders so they eat all the stuff that falls to the bottom.

As for how long you need to wait...if you feel like your tank is well established now and you're not having any algae problems or waste problems then you can wait, or if you want to get some then get some Usually whether you have stuff in there for them to clean up you should also supplement their diet with sinking algae tablets or some vegetables (I hear they love cucumber) so you don't need to be too concerned that your tank is having a problem before you get some...but I would wait until your tank is cycled.