Twig Catfish are some of the most distinct-looking freshwater algae eaters available. They have grown very popular in recent years. However, they can be a bit challenging to care for. Generally, these fish are quite peaceful and do just fine with other docile species.
That said, they can get very skittish. They need plenty of good hiding spaces in their tank to feel safe. Speaking of the tank, Twig Catfish need at least 35 to 40 gallons. They get to be 4 inches in length.
But, they must be kept in pairs to stay happy. A gallon tank is perfect for a pair. This species is sensitive to water conditions, so do your best to keep temperatures between 73 and 79 degrees and pH around 6.
Twig Catfish are master scavengers. It can reach lengths of more than 19 inches! Though, 11 to 13 inches is the average for fish in captivity. At the very least, they need a gallon tank. More is preferred, as they need some room to swim around.
When it comes to temperature, these algae-eating fish can adapt to nearly anything. However, pH requirements are a bit more strict. They require levels between 6. Algae is the food of choice for Sailfin Plecos.
Not only does driftwood continuously produce algae, but the cellulose in the wood can also improve the digestive system of the fish. Also known as Glass Shrimp, this invertebrate will almost exclusively feed on algae. They may also consume some organic plant matter, but algae are their main dish. Ghost Shrimp are relatively small, reaching lengths of about 2 inches when fully grown. As a result, you only need a gallon tank to keep them healthy.
Many aquarists prefer larger tanks to keep a large group together, which can do wonders for keeping algae under control. Preferred temperatures are 68 to 85 degrees. The pH balance should be stabilized around 6. Like most shrimp, Ghost Shrimp are very peaceful scavengers. They can be kept with non-aggressive community fish. These fish come in a wide range of colors and patterns.
As adults, they are about 4. Mollies are known to reproduce very quickly, so be wary about your tank size. A single pair can do just fine in gallon tanks. Though, 20 gallons is preferred so that they have ample room to roam. The preferred temperature for Mollies is a moderate 72 to 78 degrees. Meanwhile, the pH should be on the alkali side.
Around 6. Whether you call them Doctor Fish or Red Garras, these fish are born to eat algae. You might have seen these small silver fish being used in spas and clinics. You can supplement the algae with dry or frozen food. Despite their appetite for algae, they do appreciate protein-rich foods every once in a while. Doctor Fish grow just shy of 5 inches as adults. Temperatures can be on the cooler side. As with hillstream loaches, SAEs can be a little territorial with their own or similar-looking species, so choose to either get one individual or at least three in a group for more algae-eating power.
Siamese algae eaters are not the same as Chinese algae eaters, which are much more aggressive and can get twice as big. This 2. If you have an unheated tank with other fast-swimming tank mates, this killifish may be the right algae eater for you.
As a native of North America, flagfish can thrive in cooler water environments without any aquarium heaters. Thankfully, bristlenose plecos from the Ancistrus genus are peaceful catfish that stay between 4 to 5 inches less than 13 cm , making them perfect for a gallon tank or larger.
Their suckermouths are made for devouring algae, vacuuming up food crumbs, and keeping driftwood clean. However, remember to feed them a well-rounded diet of sinking wafers , frozen bloodworms, and Repashy gel food to make sure they get all the necessary nutrients. Mollies are popular livebearers from the Poecilia genus that live in fully fresh to fully salt water in the Americas.
Because of their flat, grasping jaws and bottomless stomachs, they are constantly picking at algae found on plants, hardscape, and even flat surfaces. The aquarium hobby has selectively bred them into a wide range of colors, patterns, fin types, and body shapes, and they readily reproduce if given plenty of food and hiding spots for the fry.
As a heads up, fancy mollies are often raised in brackish water fish farms, so if you sense health problems with your new fish, consider adding aquarium salt and extra minerals to help them thrive.
Different types of mollies can range in size from the 2-inch 5 cm balloon molly to the almost 6-inch 15 cm sailfin molly. Certain barbs such as the rosy barb Pethia conchonius have a taste for fuzzy algae like hair, staghorn, and thread algae. This relatively peaceful species grows to 3 inches 7. Similar to the flagfish, rosy barbs can be kept in unheated aquariums with other speedy tank mates. To lessen any aggression, make sure to keep them in groups of at least 6 to 10 ideally with more females than males in a gallon tank or larger.
Need more tips on getting algae under control? Ramshorn Snails get their name from the shells resemblance to the horn of a ram, and the snails themselves are usually red or brown.
They grow to around 2 centimeters in length, and they need to be kept in high alkaline waters. Acidic water will dissolve the shells of all snails, so if you are thinking about keeping them, you should make sure your water is at least a 7 on the pH scale.
Ramshorn Snails are perfect for cleaning your plants, the walls of your aquarium, the rocks and the decorations. Combined with Nerite snails, they are a good choice for keeping your entire aquarium clean. However, as with Nerite Snails, Cichlids, Loaches and other large fish will usually eat all snails, so you can either keep them separate, or avoid snails all together if you currently keep anything that can easily swallow them.
On the opposite side of the size spectrum when it comes to snails, is the Mystery Apple Snail. Although they are usually sold as babies, these algae munchers can grow up to be the size of a baseball, so make sure you have enough tank space to accommodate them.
Mystery Snails are easy to spot, partly due to their size, but also thanks to their gigantic antennas that are usually seen sweeping across the aquarium floor. Their shells are most commonly bright yellow, but they can be found in brown, and some shades of purple and red. Mystery Apple Snails will consume most types of algae, but you most commonly find them eating plant algae, substrate algae and aquarium glass algae.
You will typically find them on the bottom of the time, grazing the substrate for algae, and picking up any pieces of leftover food. Larger Mystery Snails are usually safe, and will keep to themselves, but the smaller ones may become a target for larger, predatory fish.
They also have a tendency to eat live plants if they have an insufficient amount of algae and vegetation to munch on, so make sure they are well fed. Overall, the Mystery Apple Snail is a great addition to any tank, if you can get your hands on them. They are becoming increasingly harder to find.
Back on the other side of the sizing spectrum, you will find the Malaysian Trumpet Snail. These busy algae eating snails will only grow to around 2 centimeters when fully grown, and they are brilliant at keeping your aquarium clean. They will eat all types of algae, as well as any leftover food and vegetation. Unlike the Mystery Apple Snails, the Malaysian Trumpets will not eat your plants, so if your aquarium is busy with live plants, these are the perfect fit.
As with all snails, a higher alkaline water balance is preferred, to keep their shells nice and hard. Malaysian Trumpet Snails are usually resting underneath the gravel during the day, and at night, when they are most busy, you will find them digging their way through the substrate, sweeping up any matter and algae that has fell through the cracks.
Because of their size, Malaysian Trumpets are very susceptible to being eaten, so practice caution when keeping them with other predatory fish. As well as being cool to watch, freshwater shrimp can also help with algae control in your home aquarium. While they are little to no use in combating the filmy types of algae, they are effective at getting rid of thread and bush varieties.
The only downside is the fact that they are small, and are a preferred food for a lot of freshwater fish, so keeping them in a tank with other fish can be tricky.
Here are some of the best algae eating shrimp that are most commonly found in the fishkeeping hobby. Possibly the most popular algae eating shrimp is the Amano Shrimp. Named after the Japanese hobbyist Takashi Amano, these green colored gems are a great addition to any tank. They are constantly hungry, and they will consume just about any type of algae, as well as leftover food and detritus. The only algae they will resist eating are green spot algae, and blue-green algae.
They are very easy to care for and do well in community tanks with peaceful species, though be careful because they reproduce quickly. This species of snail also tends to plow through the substrate in search of food, so be careful about keeping them with rooted plants.
The rabbit snail is one of the larger species of algae-eating snails, growing up to 5 inches in length. These snails have long, pointed shells similar to the Malaysian trumpet snail and they come in various shades of yellow and brown. These snails are moderately easy to care for and they prefer a pH between 6. Rabbit snails consume decaying plant matter and other detritus in addition to algae and they do reproduce in the home aquarium, but not very quickly.
Not only do they feed on detritus like uneaten fish food and decaying plant matter, but some species will also feed on algae. These shrimp are easy to care for and because they only grow up to 2 inches in length, they can be kept in fairly small aquariums. Amano shrimp require soft to slightly hard water in the 6.
This species does well in groups of three or more and they can be kept in tanks with small to medium-sized peaceful fish, though they may be a target for large and aggressive fish like cichlids and goldfish. In addition to feeding on algae, these shrimps will also feed on uneaten fish food and other detritus. Named for their bright red color, cherry shrimp are a great addition to your freshwater cleanup crew, but they are also ornamental.
These shrimp do best in groups of 2 to 4 can they can be kept in tanks at least 10 gallons in capacity. They prefer a pH range of 6. Cherry shrimp are easy to care for as long as they have algae to feed on, though they may consume other detritus as well. This species tends to thrive in planted tanks and they can get along with other peaceful tank inhabitants, though they may become prey for larger and carnivorous fish like puffers and loaches.
It is best to keep them with smaller fish. Aptly named for their see-through bodies, ghost shrimp are not quite as effective as amano shrimp or cherry shrimp in the algae-eating department, but they will certainly help if you have an algae problem. Though their bodies are transparent, they have an orange or yellow spot in the middle of the tail that makes them easy to identify. These shrimp are peaceful by nature and they make excellent scavengers for a community tank when kept with other small and non-aggressive species.
Bamboo shrimp are reddish-brown in color with a white stripe. They require a tank size of at least 20 gallons with a pH between 7. Bamboo shrimp are fairly easy to care for as long as they have plenty of algae and detritus to feed on, though you may still want to supplement their feeding with crushed algae wafers just in case. These shrimp are peaceful by nature so they do well in the community tank, though they may become prey to larger and carnivorous species.
The best thing you can do is to research the options and choose the one that seems like the best fit for your specific aquarium. An algae eater can be a species of fish or even an invertebrate such as a snail or species of shrimp. Some algae eaters feed on specific types of algae while others graze more openly on multiple different types.
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