Looking for a pretty exact alge eater

[Foster]

Time to pick everyones brains.

I have a 120 gal tank and a massive alge issue going on that I'm tired of cleaning up twice a week. First it was mainly brown alge which came off pretty easy and now I got green alge and I think someone glued it on.

Tank mates are 5 piranha, 2 yo yo loaches and 2 batches of convict fry 2-3 months old. Whatever I add can't eat the piranha or loaches, should be hardy enough to withstand the issues of a piranha tank (so not ottos), will hopefully not be stubborn and piss the piranha off and hopefully be pretty cheap in case something does go wrong. I don't eat $50 dollar fishies so the piranha shouldn't get to either.

My best ideas have been shrimp but I fear those will be eaten up by the convicts faster than they can breed and a common plec but I don't think that will combat green alge very well....

 

[Sacklunch]

is your tank in front of a window?

 

[packer43064]

Agreed. Is your tank near a window or is the lights on alot. They just need to be on when you feed them or want to look at them other than that their just for looks. Your tank doesn't sound overstock really. What's your filtration, WC's like? Try and fix the problem, don't add fish which will produce more nitrates.

 

[biboybaka]

WHAT ABOUT A leopard pleco(very pretty but not that expensive) its also more peaceful than the common one.

 

[Lupin]

I'd be wary adding anything with a piranha in it. Address the cause of your algae issues,not the algae issue itself. What is your lighting capacity? Is your tank water high in dissolved nutrients that trigger the algae to flourish quite well? You could simply try adding fast growing plants such as Egeria densa to equally compete with the algae for nutrients thus neutralizing the algal growth in the process.