Small golden algae eaters and shrimp

[Shanna]

Hi. I was wondering.... can I keep a couple of small golden algae eaters (fish) in my shrimp only tank (with babies)? The shrimp do a great job cleaning the substrate and the plants, but they just can't clean glass the way a sucker-mouth fish can.

[bochr]

The golden Alga-eater
http://www.azgardens.com/images/Gold-Algae-Eater.gif
is a color morph of the Chinese Algae-eater, Gyrinocheilus aymonieri.
They reach a length of up to 10 inch and they eat baby-shrimps.

[Shanna]

I had them in there for a day and I thought some shrimps were missing, so I took them out. You confirmed my suspicion. Is there any suckermouth (or other glass cleaning) fish that I CAN put in with baby shrimp?

[GunmetalBlue]

Otocinclus will be fine with baby shrimp.

[Shanna]

what is that?

[eraserbones]

S -

Otocinclus are usually sold in fish stores as "ottos". They shouldn't be hard to find, although finding healthy ones is a bit of a trick as they are generally wild-caught.

If you do a google search on 'otocinclus' you should find some pages about what to look for when you're buying them. I have a few in my shrimp tank and they do a great job of keeping the glass clean. I've had a tough time keeping them healthy, though, so I'm not sure I'd strongly recommend them...

I've never kept a bristlenose pleco, but that might be a better choice. Anyone else care to comment?

[TKD]

Hi all,

I have had bristlenose pleco they are great and don't get all that big.
8 in was the biggest. The only thing is that they need wood to rasp on to help with their digestion.

TKD

[Bradimus]

I've never kept a bristlenose pleco, but that might be a better choice. Anyone else care to comment?

In most cases, you would have to stuff the shrimp down the bristlenose's gullet to get it to eat the shrimp.

[Shanna]

What about other small plecos.... blue panaques, L-236 white tigers, L-75 peckolitas, etc??

[Bradimus]

blue panaques

I don't know this fish, but most Panaques are omnivorous, prefering vegetable foods. Probably won't take shrimp if well fed.

L-236 white tigers,

A Hypancistrus species. Omnivorous, prefering meaty foods. Likely to actively hunt shrimp.

L-75 peckolitas

All Peckolitas are omnivorous. Will probably take a shrimp here and there, especially young ones.

etc??

Depends on the species, or at least the genus.

[imisky]

i agree on the ottos, but why would you want shrimps and another algae eater together?? it kind of takes food away from the shrimps dont you think??

[Bradimus]

it kind of takes food away from the shrimps dont you think??

Some of us keep shrimp that are not algae-eaters.

[imisky]

oh i know that, just this post was on the golden algae eater though.

[Shanna]

Thanks for the info Bradimus..... you are thorough!

The reason I want an algae eater or two in my shrimp tanks is because the shrimp don't do a great job cleaning the glass. The shrimp would not have to compete for food, though, because they are small and can get all the food that the fish CAN'T.......... algae on the rocks, crud stuck to hairgrass, etc. Besides that, I supplement with species-appropriate food.

[Mustafa]

If you want a shrimp safe algae eater that will keep your glass crystal clean, go with Nerite snails. The only drawback is that they lay eggs all over the place if you happen to have a male and female. The advantage is that they do not reproduce in freshwater at all (at least the species available for the hobby right now) and thus cannot take over the tank.

They are the best algae eaters that I know of. In fact...they are so thorough that I took them out of my shrimp tanks (and sold them) so some algae can start growing again. They literally eat "all* algae in my tanks.