Top Algae Eaters for Fish Tank

The algae problem on fish tanks generally arise due to excess nitrate, too many fish, rarely replace the water, the filter is dirty and rarely cleaned, or unbalance between the forces of light and carbon dioxide dose. One of the preventive measures you can do to suppress the growth of algae is to include the type of algae eater into the tank.

Species of fish such as Otocinclus affinis, Crossocheilus siamensis and Gyrinocheilus aymonieri are examples of the fish types are effective for cleaning brown algae and green algae new growth.

Therefore, insert the fresh water algae eaters, two or three days after the aquarium is installed. The algae-eater fish is inserted into the aquarium with ratio of 1 fish to 25-50 liters of water.

If we insert two algae-eating fish into the tank containing 500 liters of water for example, then this is useless. Because, even if the fish are "working overtime" 24 hours a day, will not effectively handle the existing algae. The algae eater will be effective when working in groups.

Siamensis Algae Eaters

Crossocheilus siamensis also called Siamensis Algae Eaters (SAE), originated from Kalimantan (Borneo) and Sumatra. Although the color of the body was not spectacular, but these algae-eating fish found in many aquarium aquascaping because he is an avid algae-eating fish.

The Siamese algae eater (Epalzeorhynchos siamensis or Crossocheilus siamensis) has a black horizontal stripe extending from opercle to tail. The genuine Epalzeorhynchos siamensis alias Crossocheilus siamensis without maxillary barbels and with deeply fringed V-shaped upper lip is rarely encountered in the aquarium trade.

Closely related is the Red-algae eater Crossocheilus langei, a species that is widely sold as the Siamese algae eater. It has a bright brownish elongate body with a slightly flat belly. It has a prominent brown-black horizontal stripe extending from nose to tail.

This fish may grow up to the length of 16 centimeters. It possesses small maxillary barbels and an unfringed shallowly arcuate upper lip.

Two other similar species are traded as Siamensis algae eaters, namely Crossocheilus atrilimes, a species that likes to eat Java moss rather than red algae, and an undescribed species of Crossocheilus.