Algae eaters are often considered the solution to algae in the aquarium. Algae is a common problem to many people, especially in newly set up aquariums. To “answer” this question, people often go to aquarium stores and ask for “an algae eater” or “a fish that cleans up the algae.” It’s important to give this a lot more thought than it seems because there are some issues with it. This article will show you some things you should think about before you decide if an algae eater is a good addition to your aquarium.
Algae eaters are a popular choice for many aquarium enthusiasts looking to naturally control algae growth in their tanks. These fish get their name from their specialty diet – feasting on various types of algae that can overgrow in your aquarium. But while algae eaters relish munching on algae, it doesn’t provide all the nutrients they need. So do algae eaters also consume regular fish food meant for other tank dwellers?
The short answer is yes, absolutely. While algae eaters feast on algae in your tank, they still require proper fish food to stay healthy.
In this article, we’ll explore why algae alone is not enough, the nutritional needs of popular algae eaters, whether they will eat flake foods, and how to properly feed these unique fish.
Why Algae Alone Is Not Enough
Algae eaters like plecos and otocinclus catfish are excellent at keeping your tank glass and decorations free of algae buildup Their suckermouths allow them to graze on algae continuously throughout the day
But algae, even in abundant supply, does not provide balanced nutrition. Algae lacks certain proteins, vitamins, and minerals that fish need to stay healthy.
An algae-only diet can lead to malnutrition, compromising the immune system and growth. Fish that rely solely on algae become susceptible to disease and premature death. Their health and ability to control algae will suffer.
So while algae eaters happily munch on algae in your tank, it should not be their sole food source. Quality fish food must be provided to keep algae eaters thriving.
Nutritional Needs of Algae Eaters
Different types of algae eaters have slightly different nutritional requirements. Here are some popular varieties and what their diet should include:
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Plecos: Plecos need plenty of fiber from vegetable matter and algae. Their food should also contain meaty proteins (around 25-35%) from ingredients like shrimp or krill.
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Otocinclus Catfish: Otos predominantly need algae and veggies in their diet. Around 25% protein content is sufficient for most otocinclus catfish varieties.
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Siamese Algae Eaters: More omnivorous than plecos or otos, these fish need plant matter plus quality protein sources like shrimp, spirulina, or insect larvae. About 30% protein is ideal.
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Bristlenose Plecos: Their diet should consist of roughly 25-35% protein, with the rest from vegetables and algae matter. Meaty ingredients like bloodworms are appreciated.
When researching the needs of your particular algae eater species, look for a quality fish food that matches their natural diet. High plant and veggie content with moderate protein levels around 25-35% is optimal for most algae eaters.
Will Algae Eaters Consume Flake Foods?
Flake foods designed for community tanks are not specialized to meet the needs of algae eaters. However, most algae eaters will still readily consume flake foods intended for other fish.
Compared to their nutritional needs, flake foods are lower in essential veggies and fibers. And protein content in most flakes is around 40-50% – more than what many algae eaters require.
But this doesn’t mean algae eaters can’t or won’t eat flake foods. They will nibble on flakes as they settle through the tank. However, flake foods should not form the bulk of their diet.
For supplemental feeding, it is better to use sinking wafers or pellets made specifically for algae eating species. This ensures they get balanced nutrition, even if housed with other community fish.
Tips for Feeding Algae Eaters
Now that we’ve covered whether algae eaters will consume fish food alongside their namesake algae, here are some tips for feeding them:
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Provide sinking foods: Flakes or floating pellets won’t necessarily reach algae eaters at tank bottom. Use sinking wafers, pellets, or discs.
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Use quality foods with veggie matter: Choose foods made specifically for algae eaters, not generic flakes. They need lots of vegetable content.
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Offer supplemental veggies: Occasionally blanch veggies like zucchini, cucumber, or spinach to supplement their diet.
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Don’t overfeed: Only feed as much as they will consume in a few minutes, once or twice per day. Remove uneaten food promptly.
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Check each fish is eating: When keeping multiple algae eaters, be sure each one is getting food, not just the dominant fish.
With a little research into their dietary needs and proper feeding techniques, algae eaters can thrive in community tanks while doing their essential algae cleanup.
Best Fish Foods for Algae Eaters
Now that we know algae alone won’t sustain algae eaters, let’s look at some quality fish foods that will properly nourish them:
Hikari Algae Wafers
- Top selling algae eater food
- Made with premium stabilized vitamin C
- Pure cultured spirulina provides protein
- High in veggie matter algae eaters crave
- Won’t cloud water or quickly dissolve
Omega One Veggie Rounds
- Packed with hand harvested kelp from Alaska
- Rich in omega 3 and 6 fatty acids
- Powerful spirulina removes pathogens
- No low-quality protein fillers
- Long-lasting and slow to dissolve
API Algae Eater Pellets/Wafers
- Enhanced protein for maximum nutrient absorption
- Algae and omega fatty acids algae eaters need
- Easily digestible to reduce waste and water pollution
- Veggies and plant matter provide fiber
Zoo Med Pleco Banquet Block
- Long lasting time release block
- Allows plecos to rasp and feed naturally
- Great vacation feeder when away for days
- Attaches to tank walls or decor
Fluval Bug Bites for Bottom Feeders
- Made with over 40% vegetable matter and algae
- Added probiotics and antioxidants
- High in omega 3 and 6 for healthy immune function
- Soft-moist texture and easy to digest
There are many excellent fish foods on the market specially formulated to meet algae eaters’ needs. Choose one that matches your particular species. Alternate between types for variety.
By feeding a quality diet tailored to their needs, algae eaters can thrive while doing their essential algae cleanup job. Be sure to supplement their grazing with nutritious fish foods. Algae alone won’t provide the balanced nutrition algae eaters require.
With a proper diet, these fascinating fish will control algae in your tank while staying energetic and healthy for years to come. Understanding what to feed algae eaters is key to their care and wellbeing.
Why is there algae in the tank in the first place?
It’s important to understand why your tank is affected by algae. This will help you treat the cause as well as the symptom. Adding an algae eater doesn’t actually solve the problem of why there is algae in the tank. Most of the time, algae is caused by too many nutrients and light in the tank, or by something else going wrong in the little ecosystem. If there are already too many nutrients in the tank, adding another fish won’t help because the fish will make more waste, which algae can use as food. Some types of fish, which are often sold as algae eaters, are known for making a lot of waste because that’s what they eat. In the picture below, you can see what Hermione, the common pleco, “put out” one night. That’s her tail back there.
Algae in the tank is not necessarily a cause for panic. For example, one of the most common forms of algae is diatom algae, or brown algae. This often happens in aquariums that are just being set up, and it usually goes away on its own as the aquarium gets older. It is easy to clean off yourself with a brush or sponge. Often, this works much better than hiring a fish to do the job. It’s hard to explain what you want to a fish, so you don’t always get the job done.
This guide will help you with some of the common causes of algae and how to rectify them.
Will I need to feed my algae eater? If so, what?
Assuming the fish is successful in removing the algae, it will need to be fed. Many people think that since these fish eat algae, they don’t need to be fed anything else and will be fine on the algae in the tank. Nothing could be further from the truth. Because algae is very low in nutrition, the fish needs to eat a lot of it. Once the tank is mostly algae-free, the fish will need a lot of extra food to make up for what it doesn’t eat. It’s also worth noting that very few species of fish eat all types of algae. So there will probably still be some algae growing somewhere in the tank. This is not a reason to say, “Well, there’s still algae in the tank, so I don’t need to feed my algae eater” or “Let’s get another fish to eat the other kind of algae”!
There is some evidence that algae eaters that aren’t getting enough food are more likely to try to eat other fish. They may be attacking the slime coat because they are hungry and will stick to the sides of other fish to try to eat their food.
Some people believe that “Because it’s got a suckermouth, it will eat algae”. There are many kinds of suckermouth fish that will not live on algae, not even survive on it. A suckermouth is much more a sign of the type of water they live in – fast flowing water, where the suckermouth is a way to maintain their position in the flow without having to swim – not a sign of their diet. Sure, many types of these fish do indeed feed at least partly on algae, but many others are not at all algae eaters. For example, Panaque nigrolineatus eats wood, and will not clean algae from glass or stone. Leporacanthicus triactis is a carnivore, which will feed on mussels, crustaceans and freshwater sponges, and not touch algae at all.
This means it’s important to be sure what diet your algae eater actually needs. As mentioned above, the suckermouth alone is not an indicator that the fish feeds exclusively on algae. We recommend you check the requirements for your fish against the species listed in my article on planetcatfish: Shane’s World Catfishology Feeding Plecos, Part 2 • Who eats what? If you are not completely sure what species you have please feel free to post on the planetcatfish forums for further information and we will try to identify your fish for you.
Once you are confident that you know what your fish is, and what it prefers to eat, you might like to take a look at my other article which gives more details on what you can feed your algae eater: Shane’s World Catfishology Feeding Plecos, Part 1 • Types of food
It’s important to remember that the foods that can help suckermouth algae eaters can also help other types of algae eaters.
10 of The Best Algae Eaters For Your Aquarium
Do algae eaters eat fish?
Algae eaters are fish that primarily consume algae, helping to keep aquariums clean. Algae eaters are opportunistic feeders and will eat a variety of foods, including algae, small invertebrates, detritus, and other organic matter. They may also eat fish, particularly if there’s a scarcity of algae in the tank. Shorten. Just write key takeaways
Why do fish eat algae?
When your algae eaters are able to digest their food and absorb nutrients, they produce less waste which means cleaner, clearer water. The ingredients include algae and Omega-3 fatty acids that algae-eating fish need for optimal health and growth, so your fish will thrive on this diet.
Are algae eaters good for your aquarium?
The presence of algae eaters in your aquarium brings many benefits. Algae-eating fish serve as natural cleaners and help keep the tank free from algae, making it easier to maintain cleanliness. Unlike other chemical methods, these fishes provide a more natural approach for keeping algae growth at bay.
Are there different types of algae eaters?
There are many different types of algae eaters, but the most common are the Chinese Algae Eater and the Siamese Algae Eater. Algae eaters are generally peaceful fish, but they can be territorial with each other. They are also known to nip at the fins of other fish. Algae eaters are not picky eaters and will eat most types of algae.