Guides

Algae Eater

12 articles · All guides

Flying Fox (Epalzeorhynchos kalopterus)

Epalzeorhynchos kalopterus is a 12–15 cm striped algae eater from Southeast Asia that grazes hard, defends its patch and is easily confused with…

Clithon corona is a 1–2 cm spiky nerite snail and one of the best algae cleaners for nano and shrimp tanks: it cannot overrun the tank, but it do…

No fish solves algae alone — algae eaters supplement good husbandry; some 'algae' fish ignore algae entirely as adults.

A practical care guide to keeping American Flagfish (Jordanella floridae) healthy in the home aquarium.

A smaller bristle-tooth tang that comb-grazes detritus and film algae — one of the more reef-friendly surgeonfish when given room.

A comical algae-grazing blenny that ‘mows’ rock surfaces — useful in green tanks, hungry in spotless reefs.

Often sold as a harmless algae eater — adults grow large, territorial, and may graze fish mucus. Know the real husbandry before you buy.

A flattened, patterned ‘scuba’ loach that grazes biofilm in fast, cool, oxygen-rich streams — built for flow, not stagnant community tanks.

Hardworking algae grazers with striking shell patterns — they polish glass and hardscape without breeding into a population explosion in freshwater.

Takashi Amano’s legendary algae cleaners — larger, hungrier, and more industrious than cherry shrimp in mature planted aquariums.

The Fascinating World of Bristlenose Catfish: Ancistrus sp. Bristlenose Catfish, scientifically classified under the genus Ancistrus, are captivati…

IThe Otocinclus Catfish (Otocinclus affinis): Nature’s Algae-Eating Jewel for Your Aquarium The Otocinclus Catfish, scientifically known as Otoci…