Why anti algae eater?

What is an algae eater?
Throughout the span of the fish keeping hobby, fish keepers have wanted to eliminate the work of cleaning the fish tank. To solve that problem, fish keepers started collecting fish referring to the clean up crew of the tank, and a common, but actually dangerous member of that common line up are the algae eaters. Similarly to common plecos, they’re often kept in tanks that are too small for them, similarly to Otocinclus, they need shoals to do well, and similarly to mystery snails, they don’t eat much algae. However, the largest grievance against the algae eater is their dreaded aggression.

A brief history on algae eaters.
Similarly to creatures such as mystery snails, the algae eater was unfortunately misnamed early on in its existence. None of the species of Siamese algae eaters or Chinese algae eaters will willingly eat algae. They must be starved into eating black beard algae, and that is the only algae that they will eat. Otherwise, they will eat only particles living within the algae.

Risks of the algae eaters.
The easiest risk of the algae eater is that they will be kept in a far too small tank for them. Due to the size they reach, Siamese should have at least a 40 gallon breeder, at the minimum, and Chinese algae eaters should come equipped with a 90 gallon, at the minimum. Especially when you need to keep them at six+.

The second danger of the algae eater is that they will be bought by someone with the intention of them eating algae, when they will do no such thing as long as they are commonly fed, which any fish should regularly be. In addition, no green algae, or hair algae will even be touched by them.

The third is the nature of them being torture breeds. Breeding algae eaters for a long time was nearly impossible to be done. Until recently, they were collected from the wild, but they have recently been injecting hormones into them with great affect. These hormones lead to them having shorter lifespans than they should, and greatly contribute to the next reason they are a problem.

All algae eaters will turn aggressive with age. Now, even though I said all, I can’t be 100% certain your algae eater will do this, but it is more than likely they will. I have heard many the story of someone finding their algae eater sucking the life out of their precious fish, and this is the fate that comes with them. Aggression may be lessened a bit, but then you have six 4 inch killers destroying your guppy population.

They are impossible to get rid of. Algae eaters are a fish that bad stores sell. They make a quick buck off of them, knowing that most people will try to return them, but no store will take them. The good ones don’t want them sold, and the bad ones don’t want them back. It’s a perpetual cycle, holding up the dangerous cycle of the algae eater.

Alternatives.
So you’re looking for a fish that will eat the algae of your tank, and won’t kill everything. Your first and best option will always be [Bristlenose plecos|http://aminoapps.com/p/m38k7ki]. They’re easy to keep, easy to care for, and won’t grow to the massive sizes of their common cousins. They come in a multitude of varieties, and also do not need shoals, or turn aggressive.

The next best alternative for an algae eater is the [Otocinclus catfish|http://aminoapps.com/p/5f060g]. While they do require shoals, they are easily the fish that will eat the most algae. One can knock out six months worth of algae in one day. The only fault to them is that they are not very hardy, and shouldn’t be kept with anything besides the most peaceful fish.

The third best option is a [Nerite snail|http://aminoapps.com/p/3bfpzb]. They can work in smaller tank sizes, and come equipped with a strong foot, that makes them sturdier than others snails. They don’t eat a ton of algae, but do a great job keeping the tank clean, and they cannot reproduce in freshwater tanks.

The forth best option will be [Amano shrimp|http://aminoapps.com/p/a0oapt]. Although not super sturdy, and a bit expensive, Amano shrimp are the best cleaner shrimp out there, as they’ll eat almost any type of algae. Additionally, they won’t reproduce in freshwater, either.

The fifth best option is going to be [Cherry shrimp.|http://aminoapps.com/p/4jmvj5]. Although not as versatile as the amano shrimp, cherries will be much sturdier, and will still do a great job eating the algae of a tank. They will gladly devour most varieties of Algae.

The sixth best option will be the [Mystery/apple snail|http://aminoapps.com/p/4jmvj5]. This may seem like a strange offer up, since they don’t eat algae, but they will still do a better of cleaning than an algae eater would. Any kind of bacteria bloom such as wood snot would be eaten by them, as well as any dead matter. They only lay eggs above the water line, that can be easily removed and disposed of.

If you’re looking for an algae eater for your monster tank, the [Flagtailed prochilotus|http://aminoapps.com/p/byrxrq] is the way to go. These fish are absolutely massive, requiring about 180 gallons of water, but will do wonders on your algae. They are too big to get beat up on, but also are too peaceful to beat up on other fish.

If you’re in search for a cold water fish to keep your tank clean, look no farther than the dwarf anchor catfish. They stay relatively small, and are non aggressive. They require a shoal of 6+, but will do fine cold water conditions, and will do a good job eating the algae of your tank.

What if you already have an algae eater?
The first course of action is quarantining. This fish should be sectioned off from any other fish, due to the chance of aggression. The next course of action should be focused on rehoming the algae eater. Here is an old newsletter article on [How to rehome a fish|http://aminoapps.com/p/mczjom], if you need ideas. Unfortunately, rehoming algae eaters is far harder, as mostly no one wants them. That’s why the best defense against them is not buying them at all.

Conclusion.
In the end, there are far better options available than the Chinese or Siamese algae eater. They can be dangerous, often kept incorrectly, and impossible to get rid of, Incase the situation arises. Just be careful to make sure that we all strive for keeping fish in their proper environments, in the proper way they should be kept.