Algae Eater for Mini Puffer Tank

**kimkeat** · 24th Jan 2014, 10:09

Hi, what is the best algae eater for a 2 feet tank with 9 mini puffers? Thanks.

**tetrakid** · 24th Jan 2014, 10:18

Originally Posted by kimkeat

Hi, what is the best algae eater for a 2 feet tank with 9 mini puffers? Thanks.

Chinese algae-eaters are good. I had two of them in my tank and they took a few days to clean up all the algae on the glasses sides. But then they starved to death after that from lack of algae to eat. Don't under-estimate these tiny unassuming creatures, because of their small size.

They cost only about a buck each from most lfs. But as I have not kept puffer fish before, I can't tell whether they will be eaten by them or not.

**kimkeat** · 24th Jan 2014, 10:32

Thanks tetrakid. I have nerite snails for my RCS tank and they have done a wonderful job in keeping the tank clean. Puffers attack and eat snails, so I need algae-eaters which puffers do not 'bully'.

**thebaldingaquarist** · 24th Jan 2014, 11:02

The options you have are
1. ottos
2. siamese algae eaters
3. Chinese (golden) algae eaters

but note that the 3 above do not consume all forms of algae. for SAE and CAE, once they get a taste of commercial food, they ignore algae..

**kimkeat** · 24th Jan 2014, 22:45

Originally Posted by Erctheanda

The options you have are
1. ottos
2. siamese algae eaters
3. Chinese (golden) algae eaters

but note that the 3 above do not consume all forms of algae. for SAE and CAE, once they get a taste of commercial food, they ignore algae..

Thanks Eric. Maybe I will just get 1 or 2 ottos.

**AquaObsession** · 18th Feb 2014, 17:36

Otos with puffer... I think the otos will be bullied...and killed

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**kimkeat** · 21st Feb 2014, 23:25

Originally Posted by AquaObsession

Otos with puffer... I think the otos will be bullied...and killed

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Really? I'm yet to get one. How about an otto which is bigger than the mini puffers?

**seudzar** · 22nd Feb 2014, 00:53

I got ottos with a mini puffer in my tank... Mini puffer did not disturb my ottos and other fishes

**kimkeat** · 14th Apr 2014, 10:15

I bought 10 Yamato shrimps from C328 a few days ago, half went into my mini puffer tank and the other half went into my cherry shrimps tank. The next day, all were in the mini puffer tanks as they were too good at snatching food from the tiny cherry shrimps. So far, I have not seen the puffer attacking the much bigger Yamato shrimps yet.

They have been cleaning the tank bottom quite well so far but poop a lot like snails. Now, they are busy grazing on the leaves. I guess they will proceed to the tank sides next.

**Ingen** · 15th Apr 2014, 11:16

Originally Posted by kimkeat

I bought 10 Yamato shrimps from C328 a few days ago, half went into my mini puffer tank and the other half went into my cherry shrimps tank. The next day, all were in the mini puffer tanks as they were too good at snatching food from the tiny cherry shrimps. So far, I have not seen the puffer attacking the much bigger Yamato shrimps yet.

They have been cleaning the tank bottom quite well so far but poop a lot like snails. Now, they are busy grazing on the leaves. I guess they will proceed to the tank sides next.

What I noticed when keeping mini puffers were that they will not disturb your shrimps if they are well fed. I have it with yellow back shrimps for awhile and all were good until I introduced few tetra. The tetra out compete the food from the puffers and the puffers started to disturb my yellow back shrimps.

**Pork Life** · 18th Apr 2014, 20:17

Originally Posted by Ingen

What I noticed when keeping mini puffers were that they will not disturb your shrimps if they are well fed. I have it with yellow back shrimps for awhile and all were good until I introduced few tetra. The tetra out compete the food from the puffers and the puffers started to disturb my yellow back shrimps.

I would say it depends on the individual fish as puffers have different personalities. But do agree that a well fed fish shouldn't disturb your shrimps. I have 3 puffers in a 1.5 ft tank with 50 cherry shrimps and one young male black moscow guppy. The young guppy even tries to mate with my puffers and they just don't care.

**kimkeat** · 25th Apr 2014, 23:04

My Yamato shrimps have been working very hard as my tank is getting cleaner each day. I may have to start feeding them food soon as one of the Yamato shrimps was trying to snatch a blood worm when I was feeding the puffers.