Algae Eaters Guide

The best way to control algae is through precisely maintaining and monitoring your water quality.  However, algae eaters will help. This guide will give you the common name and scientific name, including a photo of some recommended algae eaters and the type of algae they eat.

	Siamese Algae Eaters, Crossocheilus siamensis, otherwise known as SAE's, eat hair algae but have been known to eat forms of beard algae. If you can get your hands on these guys, they are the best bang for the buck. They are good algae eaters and very mild mannered.
	Otocinclus Cats, or Dwarf Sucking Catfish Otocinclus affinis are good algae eaters though they mainly deal with algae in its beginning stages when it is very short. They eat mainly diatoms.
	Plecos, Hypostomus punctatusare, widely known as "the" algae eater at the fish store. Though it is seldom they tell you that they grow to be a foot long and will destroy your plants as they get bigger. They have also been known to get a bit more aggressive as they get older. They do a decent job of cleaning the glass. Bristle nose and rubber mouth plecos may be the best choice for a planted tank. The bristle nose stays a bit smaller than its cousins and is a nice addition to any planted tank, eating many forms of algae.
	Butterfly Goodeid, Ameca Splendens, simply devours hair/thread/beard algaes.  The fish grows to be about 4-5 inches as an adult. It is a platty looking/type of fish and is a live bearer that gives birth to very large offspring. The babies are about 1/2 in long and are attached to the mother with an umbilical cord for 1 or 2 days before they venture on their own in search of algae. Word to the wise, these guys can be a bit rambunctious, stressing out other fish in the tranquil community plant tank.
	Shrimp have also become a part of many "cleaning crews". The most common and desired shrimp is the Amano Shrimp, Caridina Japonica made famous by the Takashi Amano. These guys do a decent job of cleaning rocks and gravel and will help over power the algae.  They are very entertaining to watch. You have be careful about your water quality, don't dose too much iron and make sure you don’t have copper pipes in your house. The newer Cherry Shrimp, Neocardina Denticulata that is around is much hardier than the Amanos and will even breed in the aquarium.
	Snails are also recommended to have as a part of the "crew".  Just about all types snails can be a good thing when added to a planted tank and kept under control. Some common types of snails are Malaysian Trumpet Snails (MTS) Melanoides tubercularia, Ramshorn Planorbarius corneus, Golen Apple Pomacea canaliculata,  A couple of loaches will keep these guys in check. Clowns or Zebras work well. They will eat the small ones preventing overpopulation.
The following four types will all eat hair/thread algae. They "eat it up like spaghetti." However, when they run out of algae they will eat all your fine leaved plants to the stems.  They are very busy fish and tend to destroy the serenity or peacefulness of the aquascape.
	The Florida Flag Fish (American Flagfish) Jordanella floridae,
	Black Mollies, Poecilia latipinna
	Gold Barbs, Puntius semifasciolatus
	Rosie Barbs, Puntius conchonius
Algae eating fish are used to help control algae.  They are not meant to help fix an outbreak that has already occurred. Prevention is key when it comes to controlling algae. Regulating things such as lighting, CO2 concentration, and nutrient levels are key to preventing algae outbreaks.  Algae eaters are only there to clean up the little bits and pieces of algae that are unavoidable.