Top 10 Secret Algae Eaters You Should Try

[@AquariumCoop]

What's your favorite algae eater that you include in every aquarium? Also, if you're sad that we skipped plecostomus catfish, don't worry because you can see a whole video about them here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jHW9hZ1jbt-ff68

[@craigcassidy7799]

Amano shrimp

[@TripleJAquatics]

I use "pest snails" lol

[@cruddybtw8970]

Clown pleco

[@Unknown-cr7be]

MOLLy fish i have 7 molly and they has really cool colors grey orange and black

[@robertforrest7956]

@@cruddybtw8970 one of my favs!!!

[@CallieCo96]

molly fish are incredibly interactive and playful so they are my favorite algae eater

[@ChrisCorpse669]

Idk why but sometimes I don't mind having a little bit of algae. Adds a somewhat natural look at times. Great video though! Always love these Sunday vids!

[@AquariumCoop]

Yeah, I like to have a bit for fish to be able to snack on.

[@nicholaslau264]

@@AquariumCoop african dwarf frog with fish and turtle please

[@eladiomarquez]

@@AquariumCoop will the reticulated Hillstream loach eat algae of off plants like the otocinclus catfish

[@baldthecodest3295]

@@nicholaslau264 with fish they're fine, but turtles is a big no no they'll get bullied for sure

[@hummingbird3771]

I have seen black algae used beautifully in an aquarium. Don't want it in mine, but I was impressed.

[@Definitelynotacelebrity]

One thing I’ve learned over the last couple videos is that Corey is now a super huge fan of Rosey barbs.

[@V1kte]

They do have charm. I wouldn't call them the most interesting looking fish, they're rather simple and ordinary, but their behaviour is always entertaining. My favourite part about the is how friendly they are with people.

[@newerafrican]

Long finned variety is beautiful

[@hummingbird3771]

Just got 7 of my own. The look gives me goldfish vibes, but they really glow in the tank. I was a little concerned about nipping but the angel and congo tetras look fine. I guess the male swordtails are keeping the rosy barbs busy avoiding their amorous advances.😂😂

[@MsDragonfire1992]

I have a shoal of rosey barbs and their awsome and so tame and eat right from my hand and follow me all over the tank, they have such amazing personalities. The sad thing is everything people come they say "why have you got goldfish with tropical?" 🙈 their not goldfish!

[@MIKoenig44]

You couldn't have said if any better: a little bit of everything is the best solution.

[@Diesel257]

That was my motto before getting clean and sober 🙃

[@VyvienneEaux]

I think you're right about dwarf shrimp, but I've seen amano shrimp tear off a big hunk of hair algae and stuff the whole thing into its face.

[@jaymcjr4858]

My crayfish loved algae too! Not great for planted tanks tho. Scuds can be cool as well

[@MsDragonfire1992]

I noticed my amano shrimp eat some hair algea. My crystals don't even put a dent in it though. I don't mind the normal algea as it's good for shrimplets but it's the hair algea when it gets to a point of clogging up the filter which is annoying.

[@ShinyDelibird]

Hill stream loaches are definitely the coolest looking algae eaters

[@Xsksnssjccxghb]

Otos have the best temperament. Just way too cute and oblivious. Hill stream loaches on the other hand are not as well-rounded with its lower temperature, faster water flow, bigger tank size and higher oxygen requirements. Kept both, the latter jumped out of the tank when I left the lid off for 20 minutes😿 but I agree with it having the best look

[@csharpe5787]

@@Xsksnssjccxghb My Hill streams are in a rimless tank with a sponge filter and literally everything is fine.

[@ferencurban8904]

Except they are really bad in eating algae

[@ShinyDelibird]

@@ferencurban8904 I don’t necessarily disagree. They wouldn’t be my first choice in a tank that had an active problem but they do fine helping prevent it in a well balanced tank in my experience.

[@jamesholbrook7785]

Don’t sunset variatus eat algae?

[@markvonwisco7369]

Didn't realize that platies were good for algae control. I've been looking at getting some, now I have a good reason to do so.

[@thehumblenarrator1381]

dont forget endler guppies! beautiful, small, hardy and always picking away at your leaves!

[@oamkaranil4964]

algae makes the color of the guppies brighter and beatiful :)

[@AlysonGreeneOfficial]

Yes! They pick at everything!

[@formercityboy9772]

I use yellow comet platies as dither fish and algae eater for my west african ciclid tank. As they tend to swim on the top layer of the water, they make the ciclids feel safe to swim around. They control the algae situation especially on the plant leaves. For my gold fish tank I keep the bottom bare so that algae can grow thick there (a bit like a meadow) and the goldies are constantly grazing on it making healthy greenish dark poop.

[@alfredovillarreal3452]

I'm so happy that this is my first birthday being in the aquarium. Thank you for uploading a video today on my birthday. I wore my aquarium coop sweater since its a special occasion. My favorite fish on here are hill stream loaches and goldfish.. Mostly since they are the only ones I've kept/keep.. S.A.E are cool too.. (P. S. Yes I know you only uploaded since its Sunday)

[@JP-vw3eg]

Happy birthday!

[@alfredovillarreal3452]

Thank you!

[@marypaigeflynn4512]

Happy belated birthday 🙏❤️🤗

[@alfredovillarreal3452]

@@marypaigeflynn4512 thank you so much Mary Paige your too kind

[@TheDave333]

Snails in every tank, but the hillstream loaches are my favorite algae eaters, by far! Thank you for another helpful video. 😀🐠

[@MountainDewbies]

Thanks for helping our amazing hobby

[@RJ-hq9rk]

Fridays and Sundays are my favourite days of the week 😁😁

[@computerwizard3908]

Why

[@computerwizard3908]

I know about Sundays but why fridat

[@RJ-hq9rk]

@@computerwizard3908 more aquarium co-op uploads

[@IanTheTurtleMan]

In my experience honey gouramis love to eat hair algae especially off plants and sometimes off rocks

[@Wedcreature]

I have 6 mollies, 5 otocinclus (dwarf species), and nerite snails to combat my algae tank. The tank previously had a super strong light to algae was everywhere. These 3 types that i have are literally amazing in my 30 gal tank.

[@patricklaundra3286]

Reticulated Hillstream Loaches are Awesome .. charming character & even though they're so small. They are realy hearty.

[@Angel-uu6wk]

I LOVE those light coppery colored goldfish in your tank around 1:22!! That color, the blues, and the sort of "rose gold" colored comets you see mixed in the feeder tanks are some of my favorite goldfish colors.

[@debrasanders1985]

Amanos, oto's, bn, Hillstream loaches & cherry shrimp are divided amongst 3 of my tanks - they all do a great job

[@romerogiovanni7]

bn? Is that for Bristlenose?

[@karenb.9970]

I am surprised you would recommend only 1 ou 2 otocinclus - I have been looking into them for my 10 gallons but everywhere it was recommended to keep them in a group of 5-6?

[@stephanieguyot]

Just have some cherry shrimp and snails for the algae. They do the job I need. Love’em!

[@thecoinjar]

We're setting up our first aquarium and we have pretty much watched all your videos to get us off to a good start! Thanks for all the information and we look forward to learning more from you. Cheers from Calgary, Alberta

[@epotter397]

Calgary!

[@ayoungkimorgan]

I got three Platties and they ate all the algae on my plants. The plants were all covered with brown algae not looking good, but now they got all cleaned. :-D

[@KGcichlids]

Great top 10! I’ve noticed cherry barbs eating black beard algae as well in my experience.

[@CommanderWiggins]

Mine pick at it but they've never really eaten enough to have an impact. They liked hair algae when I had it, I could definitely see them being able to keep hair algae under control.

[@kenjiro2676]

Flag fish are one of the best pond algae eaters. From what I read anyway. They sport awesome coloration and are typically mellow in pond settings with lots of territory and algae patches to defend and graze on. The same can be said for sail fins, they breed like guppies so the if there is die off the surviving fish will be accustomed to your area. Cherry shrimp and Mississippi grass shrimp are good shrimp for ponds as well. Although I haven’t seen cherry shrimp in built pond liner ponds, they can definitely take low temperatures. IF YOU HAVE CULLS AND HAVE A BACKYARD POND THROW THEM IN THERE. They can overwinter in the deeper section of your pond.

[@Sg16-]

Right on time looking for an algae eater aquarium coop never lets you down

[@AlysonGreeneOfficial]

I’m currently cycling a 40 breeder, and it’s so hard to narrow down what I want to stock with. Thank for the info Cory!

[@celticbarry9877]

I like smaller community fish, Platys, Mollys, Honey Gouramis, Rams, Corydoras and Bristlenose Plecos. A small school of Barbs, Tetras or Rasboras. They are all compatible, maybe a couple of Nerite snails or Otocinclus. They are mostly colourful fish also even Bristlenose Plecos you can get white, yellow and orange colors.

[@TwoTreesStudio]

Hey Cory, what's your recommendation on keeping only one or two siamese algae eaters instead of a group? I heard they like to be in schools of at least 4-5...

[@mandypdx]

I’m learning so much from you, thank you!! (I just ordered from your store)

[@Nicolasaquariums92]

Cory I have re-watched this video 3 times! This is one of the best videos on the channel. I just bought a Flagfish to add to my collection of algae eating fish.

[@paulmccarthy7467]

Loving the Sunday videos they are so interesting, You have superb knowledge and bring so much to the hobby I I’ve ordered Reticulated Hillstream lunches they really do look cool

[@lc6853]

Thanks for this. Just grabbed a couple balloon mollies from LFS, they are adorable and they went straight for the hair algae! Yes!

[@simonbegin5763]

@aquariumcoop thanks Cory for the precision about SAE. I found out they grow big and put them in my 55 last year and i finally enjoy them 6 school around. I was about to sell them back to my local fish store when that happened. Now they're happy with my endlers, my female blue gourami and bushynose plecos couple. Keep up the good work guys!

[@elr5475]

I’d love a video like this about snail eaters!

[@2friendstoking]

Same I want to see a video about snail eaters other than loaches and puffers

[@patrickpetersen8663]

In my experience, assassin snails are a great solution to pest snails. You get the snail benefits without the hostile takeover haha

[@tresmiller2933]

The SAEs are amazing at knocking out BBA. I purchased a few because of an on going fight with BBA that I could never get in front of. Secret is to get true SAEs and young ones, mine were about an inch long when I got them and cleaned 90% of the BBA out in a week. Honestly they are really attractive fish too, I enjoy watching them cruise in and out of the plants as a school hunting Algae.

[@djc20]

thanks, took all my platies i am growing out and put them in the 20 witht he bba algae problem. thank you, great video

[@AB-kj9jx]

So thankful this video just dropped! I am about to start a grow tank for my overflow of plants and Japanese Trapdoor snails, and wasn't sure where to start with stocking. Now I think Molly's would be a perfect fit for my liquid rock water! Thanks Cory 😊

[@biancavelazquez8549]

I wanted a Siamese algae eater, but somehow I ended with a Chinese one, the Gyrino, he is now about 2.5 inches and I know he gets a bad rap, but I just love this guy, he is hilarious, as long as you supplement with some wafers now and then, he'll leave the bigger flat fish alone, he follows me with his little bead eyes and knows all the fish in the tank that try to steal his wavers, I know he will still grow bigger but so far he is doing fine with all the other fish.

[@mikeofborg2]

I love Flag fish, they are black brush algae destroyers. I have 4 in my 55 gallon and they have cleaned up all the brush algae. Love these guys. They do nibble on soft small leaves a bit. They also sometimes tear off pieces of hornwort which can make a mess. But any beard algae they will have a feast on. My hardscape was covered in it along with my anubias. Started injecting CO2 with the flag fish and black beard algae is a thing of the past for me.

[@NameNonExistent]

We have been wanting to get otos for a while, planning on getting some soon!

[@jaymcjr4858]

Try the Giant oto

[@NameNonExistent]

@@jaymcjr4858 thank you, We might try those!

[@gabenatgeogabe7703]

Thanks for sharing this great info!

[@MacHamish]

We just added 6 (4 females and 2 males) platties to our 55 gal and right away they started eating the algae on the live plants that the plecos couldn't cling to. They even love the steamed peas that we give the plecos. 🙂👍

[@benjobling6861]

I just want to say a huge thank you every question I have had been answered in one of your videos any topic I search you have a video super clear to understand and well explained thank you

[@rowanwild7104]

I'm a huge fan of otocinclus. I had a few in my first aquarium. I was told they were fragile and to get more than I needed because I'd probably lose a couple... they all thrived so I did have to feed them, but I'm glad I had them and that they all survived.

[@elr5475]

What a great video! Thanks! My neon blue gobies took care of the little tufts of BBA I had.

[@rach2797]

It’s always good to learn. Thanks Cory

[@dnadesignn]

I've just subscribed to you! Thanks for the helpful info!

[@AJBAdventures]

Just picked up a stunning little 3" sailfin pleco for my 125 tank, can't wait to watch it grow 👌

[@Matthew_Does_To_Many_Things]

Just checked on aquarium co ops website to see what’s new and they made and are selling there own test strips now :o I have to get my hands on some now. I’m ready for that video to come out soon :)

[@V1kte]

Every single inhabitant of my tank is on this list - rosy barbs, hillstream loaches, shrimp, snails - but none of them will touch staghorn algae. I'd also say that hillstream loaches don't really make a dent on green algae on rocks, but I don't mind that, they add to a natural look. It's the brown stuff I'd like to get rid of.

[@mariovillalobos8604]

Love the list have 6 of the 10 in my 125. They do such a great job plus they are all so fun to watch!

[@DancingHorseFarm1]

I love my SAE's! They are the only ones who seem to go for black beard algae. Also love amano shrimp and snails.

[@markbrown1918]

Thanks for all the valuable info. Much appreciated.

[@ritapita519]

I should make a tank full of them Since I have one tank in particular that the algae won’t stop coating my plants!

[@thebakermaker1500]

Cory's Rosy Barb kick continues!

[@karenhieatt5581]

Gotta love the workers in the aquarium

[@jwilde642]

The little orange pleco is one of my favorite denizens of Murphy's tank, and the longest surviving veteran of the tank besides the Big Guy himself.

[@laurielamoureux5219]

I love you and you need to ship to Canada. Thanks ! I found the easy green on Amazon and got that but I need more !!!! Had a full cart full on your site and went to check out....and couldn't. Boo. Come on Cory!

[@AquariumCoop]

Just wanted to let you know, we now ship to Canada on our website with restrictions on electronics, foods, meds, and plants. www.aquariumcoop.com

[@priyankardas2668]

I have seen my rainbowfish and even rams pick at hair algae. Fishes eat algae if fed sparingly. Nerite snails are very active algae and waste cleaners. I will try Otocinclus because I think they look very interesting to me..

[@nathanhoveyaquatics]

My wife's 50g had a huge algae bloom of some kind and I put 4 mystery snails in and within a week it was all cleared up. The snails are HUGE now and it's only been 2 or 3 weeks. 1(black mystery) is 3× the original size

[@junchan_3200]

I will put rosy red minnows here they are not only beautiful but also cleans like crazy while they are usually used as food which they are not very good cuz they are carps and have liver toxicity

[@all_about_manny3875]

Loved this. It was helpful! I’d love to see more about the type of fish that goes well with others and how they help the tank

[@Jman-un8vg]

Always great information! Thanks Aquarium Coop!

[@hollymccomb7612]

Thanks for this! Really struggling to decide on a cleanup crew for dwarf Saulosi

[@Thebeetlemangr]

1:38 just keep in mind that goldfish will sometimes eat smaller fish, especially I've had them eat neons, so I'd suggest keeping them away from small community fish.

[@belindafalgout1675]

I received my plants... love them ❣👍🌿🌿🌿🌿 How many Sunset Varatis (not sure on the spelling).... for a 40 gallon breeder?

[@JChewMMA]

You should of put rainbow sharks they eat all sorts of algae’s and they look amazing

[@AquariumCoop]

It’s true, I do like them quite a bit.

[@celticbarry9877]

They're kind of like Siamese Algae eaters just a different color.

[@noellagdameo3033]

Thanks for the info

[@MasterPhotographer]

I didn’t realize that there were so many algae eaters. Thanks for enlightening us!

[@icarusozkavosh6573]

Octocinlus are amazing I got three of they for my tank that got a lot of algae they clean it all in one day

[@darrenderousse4804]

Great video Cory! Something to think about for my next scape! 🤔

[@leoabel524]

When I lived in Washington 20 years ago I had a few HillStream Loaches but they were called Wui Fang s , thats what 2 different fish store called them and they were about 5 bucks each. Platys do a decent job at eating algae but be warned they are voracious eaters and crowd out other smaller fish and they breed very easy I bought 10 for two different tanks and a month later I had 40+ more, I'll keep a few and the rest, well, lets just say my Firemouths sure do enjoy them.

[@sarahshafer8996]

Just what I've been waiting for. Thank you so much

[@deborahcheney432]

Thank you very much for the information!!

[@kasperaquatics]

Thank you, I’ve been waiting for this kind of information. Always a great and informative channel.

[@seanf8581]

Thanks for the info. I've been thinking about some of these for a while.

[@robertvang1024]

Panda Garra are fairly new to the hobby but i think they should be on this list.

[@andyrodack3093]

I love my shrimp, but I really want a hillstream loach.

[@daxcastro]

Great advice. Gonna head back to the store tomorrow!

[@travismock5250]

Love flagfish

[@jamesbosslet994]

Well done!! thanks for sharing!

[@christyhales3045]

Thanks for the information, gave me some great ideas.

[@candicewingert6290]

I recently added platers to my tank recently and they actually cleaned all my ornaments that the pleco and the other fish had not touched

[@makayleecenters6202]

My snails have been keeping my algae in check really well! I wish I could keep shrimp but I have tried twice and it didn’t work out.

[@newmexicoaquatics282]

Great video! Thank you for sharing! - Little Bobby

[@ericfab4858]

Good video for people to learn from

[@captainreadingabook]

Siamese algae eaters are beasts. Mine grew to 3 inches in a matter of months. Wish they stayed small.

[@Vyezene]

My two pearl gouramis eat a ton of algae, aswell as the tiger barbs

[@MTSLINY]

Great video bro, you da man, appreciate the knowledge you share

[@terrywho22]

Great topic. Thanks!

[@davewoods8717]

Great info, thank you Corey!

[@gokul41123]

Just seeing title alone got me excited👍. Interesting topic

[@Shane585]

Great info! Thanks!

[@TripleJAquatics]

Another great video! Thanks for sharing

[@kentsfish9761]

Thanks

[@gr8fuldad815]

Octocinclus are my favorite. Don't get very large, eat off the glass, bottom, plants and fixtures.

[@jimmyreese4740]

Another great video from Aquarium Co-Op

[@mamag8753]

I love my snails!

[@RogueAquariums]

Great list of utility fish Cory..

[@Jack-fr9hz]

I had always read & been told that hillstream loaches like being in small groups like cory cats. Has anyone ever kept 1 alone, & how did it do? I have 1 bristlenose, 1 SAE, & 4 pepper corys in my 38 gallon already, but the hillstreams are so cool looking. Thank you!