Is adding an algae eater fish OK with a samuri fighting fish?

[Kaido]

I have a betta (fighting fish), but I want to move to a bigger tank, maybe a 10-gallon with a filter. First question, is adding an algae eater OK or will the fighting fish kill him? Second question, for freshwater tank owners, what equipment is good to get? Been like 10 years since I had a filtered tank...

 

[gsellis]

Chinese Algae Eater - bad
Plecostomus catfish - good (but they get big)

 

[meltdown75]

in my experience, the algae eaters were always the calm chill dudes of the aquarium. no one ever messed with them, and they never messed with the other fishies. although, it's been years since i had an aquarium.

 

[gsellis]

Originally posted by: meltdown75
in my experience, the algae eaters were always the calm chill dudes of the aquarium. no one ever messed with them, and they never messed with the other fishies. although, it's been years since i had an aquarium.

Chinese Algae Eaters are notorious fin nippers. You must mean Plecos.

 

[meltdown75]

Originally posted by: gsellis

Originally posted by: meltdown75
in my experience, the algae eaters were always the calm chill dudes of the aquarium. no one ever messed with them, and they never messed with the other fishies. although, it's been years since i had an aquarium.

Chinese Algae Eaters are notorious fin nippers. You must mean Plecos.

whatever kind this is is what i used to have

 

[scorpmatt]

aso grasshopper....your fish will soon be sushi

 

[SWScorch]

yeah, if you get one, get a plecostomus. Chinese algae eaters, the skinny brownish speckled ones, are little bastards. I had one and it killed several of my fish by biting their fins and scales.

 

[Sheepathon]

Definitely get a plecostomus.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: Sheepathon
Definitely get a plecostomus.

Do they sell those at regular pet stores?

 

[amdhunter]

I once added a fighter fish to a tank with my rather big oscar fish. It was funny as hell because the oscar killed him within a second and was swimming around with the fighterfish's tail dangling out of his mouth.

Damn, I feel like getting an oscarfish again now...

 

[Sex Smurf]

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: Sheepathon
Definitely get a plecostomus.

Do they sell those at regular pet stores?

should cost you $1.99 for a small one

 

[Kaido]

Sweet. Maybe I should get a saltwater tank instead. I've always wanted a Nemo fish....

 

[Sheepathon]

Originally posted by: Sex Smurf

should cost you $1.99 for a small one

And they grow. GROW!!!!!! Make my monster grrrowwwwwwww to destroy Angel Grove!!!!!!

 

[Siva]

Plecos are awesome, but they get HUGE. Especially if your tank is overrun with algae when you get them. A month later it'll be too big to flush if it dies.

Trying to flush my pleco was both sad and gross. It was the only fish that lasted like 4 years in my tank and it wouldn't go down. I just put it in a bag and threw it away

 

[brian_riendeau]

Definitely get a plecostomus.

Wrong! If you walk into a pet store and say, "I want a Pleco" they will surely get you one and see you on your way for less than $4. The problem is that the 'common" Pleco eats a lot, grows fast, poops a lot, and stops eating algae as it grows. Fish stores sell them because they are cheap as dirt and durable. Who cares if the fish is 9 inches long in a few months? What you need to do is look for specific types of Plecostomus. Here is a list to get you going, these are prefixes for common names of Plecos that will stay small.

Bushynose
Bristlenose
Rubberlip
Bulldog
Clown
Ancistrus

Now, given how poorly most fish stores label livestock, those could be labelled as anything from Bushynose Suckerfish to Clown Pleco to Bulldog Algae Eater. Most of these fish will run you less then $8, however they stay small, and will eat algae for a long time to come.

 

[Siva]

Originally posted by: brian_riendeau

Definitely get a plecostomus.

Wrong! If you walk into a pet store and say, "I want a Pleco" they will surely get you one and see you on your way for less than $4. The problem is that the 'common" Pleco eats a lot, grows fast, poops a lot, and stops eating algae as it grows. Fish stores sell them because they are cheap as dirt and durable. Who cares if the fish is 9 inches long in a few months? What you need to do is look for specific types of Plecostomus. Here is a list to get you going, these are prefixes for common names of Plecos that will stay small.

Bushynose
Bristlenose
Rubberlip
Bulldog
Clown
Ancistrus

Now, given how poorly most fish stores label livestock, those could be labelled as anything from Bushynose Suckerfish to Clown Pleco to Bulldog Algae Eater. Most of these fish will run you less then $8, however they stay small, and will eat algae for a long time to come.

My huge pleco for $2 never stopped eating algae. In fact I started with two and my mom took one and they both kept each tank clean for years.

 

[Kaido]

I want to build a tank!

http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/aquariumdiy/a/aa120897diyaq.htm

 

[sharkeeper]

Betta Splendens = Siamese Fighting Fish.

Skip the algae eaters. A pleco is ok however if you have lots of algae over running your tank perhaps you should take a look at other factors that ulimately affect the life of your tank's inhabitants.

Neglecting to perform regular water changes will result in elevated levels of nutrients (nitrate nitrogen and phospates) and algae thrives on these. All systems with a functional aerobic biological filter will have these nutrients present. If water analysis verifies these levels are within reasonable limits perhaps the column is receiving too great a photoperiod. Direct sunlight should NEVER hit the column for more than a few minutes a day.

I want to build a tank!

Haha no you don't! It isn't worth the effort unless you really like messing with that stuff. Now bigger tanks (1000+ gallons) are definitely worth building but not little glass or plexi boxes...

 

[SearchMaster]

My pleco is over 10 years old now. I don't think he's ever eaten any algae. He swims up to the top of the tank, pulls in a cichlid pellet, and sucks on it like a lollipop until it's gone. It's kind of funny actually.

sharkeeperWelcome back! You was framed!

 

[littleprince]

If your talking about a Betta THEY ARE THE WIMPS OF ALL FISH... i mean they can seriously only kill each other....
for a 10g, go for a siamese algae eater over the chinese, althought it can be hard to get. Or an Otto would probaly be the best choice. Small bushynose pl*co if you have to... Enjoy the tank.
No algae eater is gonna take care of the algae anyways...

 

[brian_riendeau]

My huge pleco for $2 never stopped eating algae. In fact I started with two and my mom took one and they both kept each tank clean for years.

My pleco is over 10 years old now. I don't think he's ever eaten any algae.

Normal in both cases. Once thing to keep in mind is that there are dozens of different Plecos that will all end up being designated for $2 Common Pleco duties in your local fish store. The reason people reccomend against buying a random cheap Pleco is simply due to the high likelyhood of getting on that does not eat algae.

 

[batmang]

Originally posted by: Sheepathon
Definitely get a plecostomus.

plecos can reach 18 inches... your gonna keep that in a 10 gallon?

there are many other algae eaters you can get that wont bother the betta.

 

[isekii]

just get a bunch of snails

 

[batmang]

snails are asexual, and they reproduce like you wouldnt beleive.

just get a small algae eater from petsmart, ask the fish dood what to get for a betta tank.

 

[batmang]

get something like a golden algae eater. thats what i have in my 10 gallon tank with my betta.