Care of Algae Eaters

Algae eaters are living creatures that eat vegetables and green algae. They are bottom swimmers and they hide in plants and near aquarium walls. They use the suck cup called their mouth to attach to areas in an aquarium where algae grow. The purpose of the algae eater is to keep aquariums looking beautiful without chemicals. The grill of the algae eater allows the fish to breathe while maintaining suction on a surface. This ability separates the algae eater from other fish.

Things You'll Need

  • Commercial flake
  • Pellet food
  • Vegetables
  • Water
  • Thermometer
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Instructions

    • 1

      Feed the algae eater more than just the algae it has in the tank. Give commercial flake and pellet food to your algae eater just like other fish. Feed twice a day.

    • 2

      Drop vegetables like zucchini, romaine lettuce and spinach in the aquarium and let the algae eater feed. Remove the vegetables after 4 hours to prevent contaminating the water.

    • 3

      Give an amount of food given that can be consumed in 1 to 3 minutes. If food lingers more than 3 minutes it will contaminate the water; alternate between types of food for your algae eater. If you have overfed the fish, use a fishing net to skim remaining food out of the water.

    • 4

      Look at the algae eater to see if it is healthy. Check the eyes for clarity, skin and fins for lesions, and watch the gill movement. Look to see if gills move smoothly and calmly. Notice if the algae eater is eating vigorously. Watch for spots or lesions on the skin; spots and lesions mean the algae eater isn't healthy. Watch to see if the algae eater swims through the water sucking on various ornaments and glass or just scrapes along the bottom of the tank. A healthy algae eater swims like a fish, but faster.

    • 5

      Pour water into the aquarium if it gets below 10 gallons. Decorate the tank with real plants, driftwood and rocks. Plants provide a grazing area while driftwood and rocks providing hiding places.

    • 6

      Read about the compatibility of your algae eater with other fish before introduction into the aquarium. Algae eaters can become aggressive which makes them not compatible with certain other species.