Algae eater for Malawi tank?

[Seedy J]

My albino bristlenose pleco passed away a couple days ago. Didn't see any signs of illness, maybe he was just old (he was fully grown when I got him from another aquarist last year).

What else would work as an algae eater in a Malawi tank? It's a 55g, all male peacocks and haps. I might upgrade to a 75g, and I have bigger (75g, 135g) tanks I could move it to, but would prefer something that could spend its whole life in a 55g.

 

[The Morning]

I have synodontis lucipinnis in my tanks. They do the job well.

 

[Seedy J]

I thought synodontis didn't eat algae? I'd love to be wrong about that though.

 

[deeda]

They don't.

Why not another bristlenose plecostomus?

 

[The Morning]

I routinely see my cats on the leaves of my anubias plants that have algae coating them. While I can’t confirm they are eating the algae the amount of visible algae was greatly reduced after I added the cats. In my main tank I have either 4 or 5 cats and have zero visible algae growth on any of my rocks. I do also have 15 nerite snails or so but I have a tough time believeing they keep all of the surface area of my rocks clean. But I am fairly new to syndos so if you say they don’t clean algae I will defer to those with knowledge. In the past I have always kept BNP and always have had algae. Now I don’t. Sorry if I disseminated bad info.

 

[aae0130]

Syn’s just keep the bottom stirred up......the are not algae eaters. You could try nerrite snails but it’s hit or miss if your cichlids will eat them or not. A bn can at least try to run away from your cichlids if getting nipped at......

 

[Veloci]

I have a L200A Green Phantom pleco ( my local store recommended ) in my tank for about 1year+ , it stays small and doesnt seem to eat anything beside sucking glass and rocks but theres no algae ever since its around ( there was before even on minimal lighting )
other fishes dont bother it and it doesnt bother them

 

[neutrino]

I've kept L200 with some of the milder Malawi cichlids. pH too high can shorten their lifespan, if it was me I'd limit pH to @ the mid-7s for them, which haps/peacocks are fine with ime.

 

[Veloci]

I was not aware of that , my pH is 7.9 - 8.1

 

[RDFISHGUY]

I have a L200A Green Phantom pleco ( my local store recommended ) in my tank for about 1year+ , it stays small and doesnt seem to eat anything beside sucking glass and rocks but theres no algae ever since its around ( there was before even on minimal lighting )
other fishes dont bother it and it doesnt bother them

My green phantom totally cleaned my 250 gallon. They are great algae eaters.