What Kind of Sucker Fish for Algae in a Tank?

There are several different types of sucker fish, that will attach to rocks, plants or even aquarium glass and eat algae. These fish are not only interesting to watch but they also help keep your aquarium cleaner. There are different breeds of sucker fish, and they all have different care requirements.

  1. Plecostomus

    • Plecostomids are a catfish with sharp fins, spikes, horns or bristles. There are many varieties, and most plecostomus grow fairly large, around 18 inches long, and therefore require large aquariums. Others like the Bristlenose plecostomus, remain relatively small. These fish are naturally tropical and require warmer water temperatures, depending on species. Plecostomids are strong fish, and when they get larger, they can be destructive and may harm other fish. These fish require a large amount of food. They should only be placed into older tanks, where algae is plentiful and will require algae wafers or other foods daily to supplement their diets.

    Otocinclus

    • Otocinclus are closely related to plecostomids. However, these gray or white fish remain small, under 2 inches. They are more peaceful than most other plecostomus species and can live with many other types of fish, including other otocincluses. Their needs are flexible as far as water temperature and conditions go, although they do require clean water. Otocincluses eat quite a bit and will clean your aquarium nicely. They may need extra fish food.

    Hillstream Loaches

    • Hillstream loaches are active grazing sucker fish. This means they require rocks and pebbles in the aquarium to graze over. They tend to be small, but size depends on the species. They sport interesting colors and patterns, and some hillstream loaches have large, rounded fins, which gives them an elegant appearance. They require very clean water, high aeration and a strong water flow.

    Chinese Algae Eater

    • Chinese algae eaters, which are actually from Thailand, are bright gold or yellow. Although they sometimes grow larger than 6 inches, they generally are about 5 or 6 inches. Chinese algae eaters will eat algae but prefer fish food. Some of these fish stop eating algae altogether. They can also be aggressive, biting or killing other fish.

    Siamese Algae Eater

    • Siamese algae eaters, also known as Siamese algae-eating sharks, are small gray, white and black fish. They grow to only 2 and 4 inches. These fish tend to be placid but will harass other aquarium fish when kept in a group. Therefore, it's best to keep only one or two Siamese algae eaters in any given aquarium. They are known to eat several types of algae, such as hair algae, that other algae-eating fish don't like.