ALGAE CONTROL W/O PLECOS?

[Savier808]

I'm looking for an algae eater for my tank and I've read about the infamous "bichir eats pleco, chokes on spine and dies" stories...

So I need something other than a pleco to eat algae. It has to be able to survive with some congo tetras, a 2" dempsey, and a 3" del and a 3" sen.

Would snails help? I was thinking they might stir substrate, clean algae, and a few could supplement the bichirs diet.
Maybe a smaller catfish?

 

[SimonL]

Just get a plec they can't swallow...

 

[Cichla dude]

Golden Chinese alage eaters.. cost a buck nintey nine and are cool
or you could go expensive and get a flagtail prochidulis.

 

[smpage]

get an algea scraper! If you absolutely want a fish to help with algea then you can grab a pleco and just watch it's behaviour. Not all plecs suck on bichirs.

 

[BradT85]

Get a small Flagtail Prochilodus

 

[chesterthehero]

get an elbow grease the are great tank cleaners and get along great with polys

 

[Darth Scohin]

get an elbow grease the are great tank cleaners and get along great with polys

Yes, a little 5'+ Elbow Grease will do wonders for your tank plus no Bio-load

 

[bigbillybbs]

Phosphate reactors do wonders!

 

[zerojquan85]

I've heard Clown loaches to be great clean up crews..

I' would just get a giant pleco so a bichir can't eat it.. Save you the trouble of always looking out for the fishes' safety..

 

[Pyramid_Party]

Try some ottos. But they probably will get eaten.