This fish is a powerhouse of sorts when it comes to eating algae. The Crossocheilus oblongus, better known as the Siamese Algae Eater, is another popular choice among aquarists looking for a suitable algae eater for their fish tank. Together, these two species can help you keep your tank clean by controlling the growth of algae. Shrimp are well known for eating organic matter such as algae. You can feed them with sinking algae pellets, wafers, and blanched vegetables.Īnother bonus of introducing a Bristlenose Pleco is that they can coexist alongside a shrimp population as well. The diet of a Bristlenose Pleco comprises of 85 percent plant matter and 15 percent protein. A Bristlenose Pleco will use these spaces to hide during the day. They are nocturnal, so make sure you include plenty of hiding spots when setting up the aquarium. What’s more, they are peaceful creatures and can be easy to care for. The Pleco is well-known for its algae-eating abilities, as well. Their maximum length is 5 inches, which makes them ideal tank mates in a medium-sized aquarium. The Bristlenose Pleco is a frontrunner among the types of fish that can keep your aquarium clean by eating algae. Let’s take a look at some of the best algae eaters in the fish community: Bristlenose Pleco One of the most popular methods to control the growth of algae and keep your aquarium clean is by introducing fish that consume algae as a source of food. In the end, you’ll be left with an aquarium that is completely covered with algae. However, if left unattended, the algae can grow at a rapid pace and take over your fish tank. It can produce oxygen for your fish and help control nitrogen levels in your aquarium. Most experts agree that a small amount of algae is a healthy addition to your tank’s ecosystem. What Fish Keep an Aquarium Clean by Eating Algae?Īlgae are a natural part of any fish tank. What Other Aquatic Creatures Can Help You Keep Your Tank Clean?.What Fish Keep an Aquarium Clean by Eating Algae?.They can also be offered algae-covered rocks (grown in a sunlit tank on the windowsill) and vegetable matter such as softened kale or spinach leaves, along with crushed algae wafers and baby brineshrimp ( Artemia nauplii). Spirulina algae powder seems to be taken very enthusiastically and many aquarists suggest this is requisite for young Twig Catfish. Here they can be offered a variety of different foodstuffs and small partial water changes can be carried out frequently with ease. It may be prudent at this point to carefully move the fry to a separate growing-on tank with water taken from the main aquarium. The young will initially feed from their small yolk sacs but will quickly require an appropriate food source as they are especially susceptible to starvation. The male fish tends to the eggs, fanning them with his fins, until they hatch in around 7-10 days. Spawning usually takes place at night, with 30-40 eggs deposited on a flat surface - most often the aquarium glass. This species has been bred in the home aquarium, although the fry can be tricky to raise. Other, meatier sinking and frozen foods will be taken, but it is important to ensure that these fish receive a diet that is mainly vegetable based. Algae wafers and tablets are ideal, with the occasional addition of some vegetable matter such as courgette, cucumber, kale, spinach etc. Twig Catfish are primarily vegetarian, and although algae is an important part of their food supply, this MUST be supplemented with other foods. In older literature, this fish may be erroneously referred to as Farlowella acus - a rare species that is hardly ever exported. Do not house alongside boisterous fish that could outcompete the Twig Catfish at feeding time. Tankmates could include any small-medium sized peaceable fish that thrive in softwater conditions, such as Corydoras catfish, hatchetfish, pencilfish, rasboras, and tetras. Males in breeding condition may be a little territorial with one another, but they are unlikely to cause any real damage, and this will not be an issue in spacious aquaria with a multitude of hiding places. The Twig Catfish is of a shy and peaceful nature, and it can be maintained in good sized groups. There should be a good level of oxygenation, and small frequent partial water changes will help keep nitrate to a minimum (this species is very sensitive to the build up of organic wastes). Filtration should be efficient with areas of moderate water movement along with a number of quieter resting areas out of the current. Provide a mature aquarium with plenty of shady hiding places amongst tangles of driftwood, slate caves, and tall, robust planting. Here these elongate, sedentary fish inhabit gentle to moderately flowing areas with submerged roots and riparian vegetation. The Twig Catfish is known from the Orinoco River basin.
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