Are you mostly just familiar with the same old common ‘suckerfish’ for your aquarium algae clean-up duties? Do you have a smaller tank and get frustrated by how fast the common plecostomus grow and how chaotic and potentially destructive they can be? Well, you’re definitely not alone, and you’re also in luck! We carry a variety of different options as far as algae eaters for aquariums that can do the same job in a much more satisfying way. No matter if you have a community aquarium or an aggressive tank, there’s a new kind of suckerfish that will do the job, and they’ll also make your tank look more exotic, too!
First, let’s talk about ideal algae eaters for small tanks with small fish and plants:
Otocinclus Catfish
If you have a planted aquarium, these are a must-have algae eater. They are very small, but incredibly diligent cleaners. They will not harm aquarium plants, but will instead eat any algae that is growing on them right off of the leaves! As their maximum size is only 2″ long, you do not need to worry about them out-growing your tank or becoming a nuisance to your other fish. They get along with even the most mellow tankmates, including Fancy Guppies, Nano Fish, and small Tetras.
Clown Plecostomus
The Clown Pleco is a cool looking dwarf species of algae eater that only gets to about 3.5-4″. They originally come from the rivers of Venezuela and Colombia, and primarily enjoy eating driftwood, though they’ll take care of algae too. They also like other treats like shrimp pellets and zucchini. They are not aggressive towards other fish, but they can sometimes get territorial against other plecos, so it is usually recommended to have at least a 20-gallon tank for them to have their own space.
Stay Tuned for More Fancy Plecos that we’ll feature in the future…