Algae eater that won't suck slime???

[BuffaloPolypteridae]

Is there one that won't suck the slime coat off polys?! I've been searching without success for quite a while. I'd love to keep a panaque of some sort but I know that's risky buisness. If size is a factor on slime sucking, my grow outs are a Senegal, and an albino Senegal. In my main display is a Gold Dust bichir, and Ornate bichir. Along with a good size rope fish. Going to do a good pics thread of em all soon. Adding an FATF soon too, and selling my red hi fin wolf.

Can anyone help me out? Or even if there are ways to get plecos to not be interested in the polys at all?

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[twilight zone]

If you feed your fishes on a regular basis, most plecos won't bother other fishes. The panaque plecos do need wood to chew on and will scratch the plexi tanks. Most of the nicer looking plecos don't clean too well. The hi fin leopard pleco cleans the tank very well. The chinese algae eaters do sometime take the slime off fishes. I think fishes that lay down when the lights are off may have a problem. The bichirs I had in the past seem to move around while the light is off. Good Luck.

 

[BuffaloPolypteridae]

Oh yes I know about the panaques, maybe because they would have a log to nom on they wouldn't be as likely to go after a moving living fish? Im not too comfortable with keeping pleco w/ bichir, but if there is enough distraction for the pleco it seems to work. I have a glass tank.

The sizes go
Ornate 7 inches
Gold Dust 5.5 inches
Rope fish 12 inches (still skinnier then the Goldy)
Red hi fin is being sold soon but he's 7 inches
Soon getting a fatf at 6 inches

The panaque I would go for would be a blue, or watermelon. And it would be about 4-5 inches

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[DeCASpecOps]

I've read that flagtails will leave slime coat alone at least more so than plecos. They do however eat plants which is why I don't have any. Max size around a 12" so big enough not to be food. Hope that helps.


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[E.C.]

some cichlids are effective algae cleaner, but ofcourse it might go give your polys some beating depending on the personality of the fish.
Chinese hi fin algae eaters on the other hand goes big, preferably can be accommodated in a pond or a real big tank.
Flagtails are also good algae eaters, there are cases that they might suck your poly's slime coat tho, but that's a hit/miss.
Maybe go for snails or shrimps, snails may cause some infestation issues in the near future but you could easily give them to a puffer or stingray if you have one, for the shrimps they might end up dinner when it's night time, but both are easily to replace if they do attack them.

IMO, I do keep knife live bearers and malaysian trumpet snails as a clean up crew. They go along with JD, Polys, and a couple of oscars in my 135g right now.