[Alec]

What are some good algae eaters for the exotic types of algae. I already have 6 otos in my 55G, but i want something that will go after other types of algae. I hear SAE are good, but chances of finding a true SAE are slim. Ill have to check my LFS.

I heard about shrimp/snails, but with clown loaches i know the snails wont last long.

Shrimp? I dont want them breeding in my 55G

 

[daijoubu]

Amano shrimp seem to be the goto solution for algae. As an added bonus, they are extremely hard to breed, so unless you try, you won't have any baby shrimp in your tank.

 

[Alec]

How many seem best for a 55G? I also dont want to match their needs vs. my other fish, which might be a problem?

 

[elihanover]

Oto's are also very adept at keeping algae in check.

 

[lauraleellbp]

Amanos can't successfully reproduce in FW. I'd go with 10 for a 55gal tank. They get large enough that they're safe from most fish, and IME they're voracious scavengers so pretty good at holding their own when it comes to getting food (mine like trying to steal all the sinking wafers from my catfish, they run off with them... so I just break my wafers in pieces since they can't run off with more than just one piece at a time LOL).

 

[daijoubu]

I've had to turn off the filter when feeding my White Clouds. As soon as the flakes start to sink the Amano's swim out and snag them!

 

[Frogmanx82]

If you have hair algae, there is no better fish for eating it than the Florida Flagfish. It lives to eat hair algae. 4 of them wiped it out of a badly infested 55 gallon tank in a month. They are easy to keep, somewhat nippy but not too bad and they stay pretty small, 1.5 inches or so. They also greedily eat flakes and pellets.