I have an albino version of the Ancistrus and I find it to be a very good algae eater. The trick is not to feed it until it has eaten all the algae it possibly can eat. It has completely cleaned my tank up in less than a week, and its still just a 1" baby!
Amanda
Totally agree with Amanda, wow can this fish eat. Mine are albinos as well and I added 3 of them to my 90 gallon tank which was full of algae. They cleaned most of it up in a few days. I couldnt believe how much these little guys worked. Awesome fish to watch. Now my only problem is that my tank is full of poop. Oh well.
Aaron
Bristlenose Plecos are phenomenal for algae control. Even with biweekly water changes and a planted tank, I still had problems with algae- until I introduced a 1" baby bristlenose to the tank. Soon after, algae has never been back.
JB
I have had 3 bristlenose catfish in my LARGE comunity tank for some time. I have "never" had an algea problem. Now I have been rewarded with more than a clean tank, they have spawned and one day an almighty flock of fry has spread out on the gravel and up the glass and behind the filter and all over the plants! It is brilliant. Just give your male a cave to protect and next come the babies.
Linda