You’ve got your aquarium, and you’re ready to start thinking about adding in fish and plants. One of the most important, but sometimes overlooked things to think about when starting a new aquarium or adding new fish to your current tank are adding fish that help clean your tank. These fish, often called bottom-feeders or algae eaters, are just that. They hang out at the bottom of your fish tank and help keep your aquarium clean by eating extra algae. They can definitely be a great way to add a variety of fish to your tank while maintaining a clean and healthy environment in a natural way. Not convinced? An article from the Daily Mail, goes in detail on how Smart Aquariums Turn Slime Into Food and Keep the Water Crystal Clear. With all of this in mind, let’s take a look at some of the top fish that actually clean your tank to help get you started.
Things to Know: Important Tips for Fish That Can Clean Your Tank
There are a lot of different kinds of fish that can actually clean your tank. With this in mind, here are a few things to think about before adding these kinds of fish to your aquarium.
- Different Types: There are many different types of fish that can help clean your tank. With this in mind, definitely consider the pros and cons of each kind of fish. How well will the fish get along with others in the tank? Are they aggressive; or, will other fish be aggressive to them? You’ll want to make sure you get fish that get along.
- Add Multiple Types to Your Tank: Knowing that different fish can offer different but important cleaning benefits to your tank, consider adding a few different types. This will give your aquarium variety and help naturally clean your tank in a few different ways.
- Keeping Them in Separate Tanks: Some people choose to keep their algae-eaters in different tanks, only adding them occasionally to their main tanks, when they need to be cleaned or maintained. This is one way to help maintain their long-term survival, but it can also be hard for these fish and the fish in your main tank if you keep reintroducing them periodically and changing up the tank dynamic.
- Give Them Food: Sure, these kinds of fish do eat algae and other materials from your tank. But, that doesn’t mean they don’t need other nutrition too. Make sure to give them extra food, so that they maintain a healthy nutritious diet.
- If They Don’t Work Out, Don’t Dispose: Sometimes adding in a new fish to your tank, doesn’t work out. But, don’t improperly dump or dispose of your fish. Adding non-native fish to new environments can be really harmful. This article from the North Dallas Gazette shares how dumping algae eaters can have serious effects on fisheries. Not sure the correct way to dispose of a fish? Check with your local aquarium clubs or pet stores for more information.
A Clean Aquarium is a Happy Aquarium: Top 5 Fish That Clean Your Tank
Now that we know a bit more about bottom-feeders and algae eaters, let’s take a look at some of the best ones to add to your tank. These are the kind of fish that get along well with others and can be introduced into your tank right away.
- Twig Catfish: If you want an algae eater that eats and eats, look no further than the twig catfish. Also known as the whiptail catfish, these fish are slender but long. They’re also pretty easy-going and get along well with other easy-going fish like tetras and pencilfish. But, watch out for cichlids and barbs. They are known to attack twig catfish. So, if you already have them in your tank, you’ll want to skip adding a twig catfish to the aquarium. These algae eaters do well in most tanks, even smaller ones, and love plants and wood. Even though they eat a lot, they should also have weekly food supplements too.
- Bristlenose Plecos: If you have a larger aquarium, bristlenose plecos are the perfect algae eater for your tank. They can get quite big because they eat a lot. And, they also eat green spot algae, a type that a lot of algae eaters won’t eat, making them a very efficient addition to your tank. Because of their size and imposing features, they do well in tanks that may have aggressive fish in them. These fish may look intimidating to other fish, but they are actually pretty easy-going. They do like lots of rocky places to hide too.
- Siamese Algae Eater: Let’s face it. Most algae eaters aren’t that colorful or pretty to look at. But, the siamese algae eater may be one of the few exceptions to the rule. These shiny fish are extremely efficient and will eat just about anything leftover in the tank. Because of this, they are one of the most popular fish to add to any home aquarium. But, on the flip side, they can be aggressive with their own species. So, if you do add siamese algae eaters, only add in a few to your tank. These fish also love swimming, so bigger tanks are better. And watch out for jumping. They have a reputation for being jumpers, so be on the lookout when you open your tank.
- Otocinclus Catfish: Small in size, these are one of the smallest types of algae eaters. This makes them perfect for a small fish tank. Otocinclus catfish, also called dwarf suckers, love eating algae of all types. And, they also like other treats, from time to time too. So, don’t forget to add some extra vegetation and nutrition to their diet. These algae eaters do well in groups of 5, if you have the aquarium space. Like the twig catfish, watch out for aquariums that have cichlids and angelfish. They have a reputation for attacking dwarf suckers.
- Mollies: Not known as an algae eater, believe it or not these fish actually can help reduce some of the algae in your tank. Don’t rely on Mollies to do a ton of algae eating, but if you’re looking for a few fish that can help reduce the algae in your tank and don’t want to get all bottom-feeders, Mollies are a great fish to add.
Looking for more information about algae eaters? Check out this article on The Algae Eater Debate to help you decide how an algae eater can help your tank’s ecosystem.