Inexpensive algae eaters for nano tanks?

[Fishnerd360]

As much as I like shrimps, they get kinda expensive when I want to get atleast 5. What are some good algae eaters that I can house in a 5 gallon, I already have a snail but I need something smaller. Unless ghost shrimp are good at controlling algae, what are some that can work and are at most 3 dollars?
Amano shrimps and cherries near me are over 5 dollars. Otos work, but usually they work better in larger groups. Siamese algae eaters are pretty cheap, but I know they will get bigger and I do not want to have a giant school of them in my 45 gallon after they out grow the 5 gallon.

 

[dr exum]

gl

 

[ichthyogeek]

If we're being honest....maybe a nerite. It also depends on what type of algae you're fighting. Hair algae isn't equivalent to black brush, which is a whole different ballgame from blue green algae (which is actually cyanobacteria). For example, amanos are great at eating hair and maybe also BBA and cyano. But they won't do squat against green dot algae, which nerites can combat.

That being said, don't discount how much work an amano shrimp (singular) can do. Or how much a cherry shrimp population can boom if given the right amount of love. One male cherry, one female cherry, et voila, you have a colony eventually.

 

[Fishnerd360]

It’s hair algae. I tried otos, but they work best in groups, if I had one or 2, after a month they stop eating as much. I have one nerite that does work on the glass only. For some odd reason I can only have 1 shrimp, maybe I need start with more than 3-5, but they get expensive at my lfs and I only get them when they are on sale. All the shrimps I get but one die over the course of a few months, then that one will live a long solo life.

 

[Hendre]

Try some cherry shrimp from a local breeder, or some amanos. Not everything chows hair algae well though.

 

[Redshark1]

The one you need is on the end of your arm.

 

[burntrubber]

Algae eaters are over rated. They are not the solution for algae control. In fact they are an added responsibility. I keep them (shrimp, pleco) because they are pretty cool.