Best FW algae eaters?

[Aerious]

I've had ups and downs with algae eaters, some make it disapear in an instant, others take many weeks even months sometimes to no success.

Post your best algae eaters and let's compare who does the job best.

For me so far...

The top guy is the

Beaufortia kweichowensis - also known as the Butterfly loach, I've had this guy do miracles in a matter of hours really, i've had one tank where i couldnt read the temperature because the glass was so green, I put him in, by morning it was completely clear.

 

[peewee]

i'd say my flagtail does a good job in keeping my tank free from algae.

 

[Cichlaholics Anonymous]

i'm going with some classic bristlenose plecos

 

[Nyvar]

I'll second CA's rec, not only because I have a thing for plecs, but they don't require the specialized set up hillstream loaches do.

 

[andyjs]

i'd say my flagtail does a good job in keeping my tank free from algae.

I'd have to agree. I actually just got another baby flagtail yesterday to put in my 75 when I set it back up (not permanently, just until he outgrows it). There is a dramatic difference in my 150 from one side of the divider to the other. The side with my 7" flagtail is always spotless and the side without I have to keep on the algae scraping or I can't see the fish. When I drained down the 75 that the flagtail used to be in, you could see his lip prints on every square inch of the dry glass.

 

[Nik]

here's my top ten:
1. Banded tiger loach
2. Dojo loach
3. Tiger Botia
4. Butterfly loach
5. Siamese Algae eater
6. Otocinclus
7. Common plec
8. Bristlenose plec
9. Twig catfish
10. False Siamese algae eater

Also, corys could be included but they just don't eat enough of the algae, not that they dont eat it.

 

[peewee]

problem with plecs is that the poop too much. yes they are effective but they also have a lot of waste.

 

[BradT85]

I am saying flagtail also

 

[Pomatomus]

problem with plecs is that the poop too much. yes they are effective but they also have a lot of waste.

Seconded. Once my 9" wild-caught common pleco figured out how to eat cichlid pellets he started having enormous poops. The largest so far is over 3 feet!

 

[msjinkzd]

nerite snails
otocinclus
bristlenose